BuyBust (2018) Reviews

• overrated and senseless slaughter

  alexanderstromer2018-08-04

  Imitating the basic storyline of "The Raid" does not give you a good movie and this is the best example of that. First let's have a look at the good aspects of it: 1. Pictures, Scenes, Camera are well done. Especially the 3 min one-shot action scene almost at the end is a highlight. 2. Brandon Vera did a good job, not only in martial art (he has MMA background), but also the best acting in the cast. 3. Gore scenes are splendidly done Bad (everything else): 1. The build-up of the movie takes far too long, 30 min+ for introduction, walking talking non-essential. 2. The whole movie feels like it wants to waste time in general where the director did not know how to squeeze more time out of it. Chase, wait, walking scenes take too long. 3. The main cast (Anne Curtis) has not prepared enough for this flick. Her character is a drug agent with gun skills, yet she chooses to use hand-combat (which looks staged) against muscled up men. Holds a gun in front of enemies so close you can already punch it away. She ties her hair only half into the movie, just to look cool in the first half. Her acting is wooden (expressionless face), has no charisma and general non-leading behavior. Is able to unrealistically beat a whole mob with hand to hand combat and escapes miraculously. She steps up when needed, but thats about it. I would have preferred Brandon Vera being the lead and she is the sidekick. 4. Story: look, when you make a movie, the story should not be explainable within 3 sentences. There happens to be a twist but its not really that hard of a shocker. 5. Civilians: Since when are civilians running towards gun and like to get slaugthered. Since when are civilians fighting the police? This is just nonsense and made up to have more gunfood. Mindless contribution. The whole movie is essentially just a gore-heavy flick with a lot of waiting and chasing (especially in the beginning). Nobody has any special skills except Brandon Vera, so this movie has nothing how it can separate itself from other movies. I don't recommend watching this movie as it is like a senseless slaughter and little to no-fun lines. Non-memorable

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• COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER

  chicando_kiel2018-08-13

  SYNOPSIS: An elite team of police operatives must fight their way out of the slum for an overnight survival against the drug syndicate and mad slum dwellers after a supposed drug buy-bust operation went south. Just that. The GOOD As expected, Erik Matti accomplished in delivering the goods in terms of the technical aspects of the film. In a couple of hours I experienced a cinematic brilliance which is unfortunately a rare commodity in Pinoy movies specially on action flicks, then and now. The visually violent, overly chaotic and dominantly dark ambiance of the film throughout the duration are never a downside; instead I was visually enthralled by the great production design or the entirety of this craft. The realistic creation of a makeshift ghetto-like environs, exceptional (panning) camerawork, clever use of lighting, fiercely choreographed/executed close quarters combats and the application of sporadic torrential rains, are much to my delight. But what really captivated me (though not as a pleasant surprise) was its ambient score, raising more the bar of fascination on the already intense fight scenes as the masterfully orchestrated mixed musical instruments prominently played in the background is an absolute gem. It was indeed quite an engrossing experience. The BAD While my praises for this movie are aplenty, it is unfortunate that my displeasures are likewise in abundance. This, despite my suspension of disbelief on several scenes, and for it falling "way" short from Erik Matti's internationally-acclaimed masterpiece, "On The Job", contrary to my hope and expectation. Here are "some" of the following: 1. COMEDIC INSERTIONS - While I'm a fan of adding light humor on a serious film for cinematic balance, most of the comedic punchlines here, to me, are "arguably" forced and cheap (presumably to accommodate the "telenovela" crowd). Instead, it made me cringe in dissent rather than provide me the intended comic relief. Take for instance on the opening torture scene. The captured bad guy "pleaded for mercy" from further harm from his captor-policemen, but shortly thereafter after some cheesy dialogues, he changes tune and menacingly "taunt" his "inflictor" turning himself now like a mindless captive. Though subjective, this, to me, is totally unnecessary, aside from defying logic and reason, specially on an opening scene of a seriously-themed movie where momentum can easily be drawn backward instead of the supposed intended direction. Disappointing, at the onset eh! Red flag spotted this early, Direk?! 2. UNDERCOVER COP - In one scene, a covert cop, along with his fellow secret agents, was seen in the busy crowd of bystanders and peddlers at the park where the supposed buy-bust takes place. He is presumed to be undetectable (or so, to say the least), right? Not here, for even an untrained eye can easily spot him on. WHY??? Because he was wearing a scarlet-colored shirt, a white half mask (like surgical mask), a lousy hat, and yes, a pair of sunglasses at nighttime, defeating altogether the ultimate purpose of getting unnoticed by supposedly "blending" well with the crowd. Ain't that a damn giveaway Direk? I learned later, as credit rolls, that you have a number of consultants, including a policeman, but why this glaring blunder? Tsk...tsk.. Whew! 3. DERANGED SLUM DWELLERS? - If you think these elite police operatives will have the exclusivity of adversaries of the drug syndicate here, you are dead wrong because the somehow deranged (and zombie-like) slum dwellers, in less convincing reason, joined the fray appearing (and disappearing) in bunches on sporadic occasions and threw everything within reach, to include the kitchen sink (pun intended) unmindful of a certain death in the process. Just damn bloody chaotic. No more, no less. 4. ACTING - While the actors' portrayals here can easily pass the mark with Erik Matti at the helm, I take particular notice on Anne Curtis' emotional progression as what the story demands. Yes, she was convincing at the start but as the film reaches the 2nd act, where they were fighting for their dear lives after the botched buybust operation unfolds, I felt less sense of emotion of fear on an impending death despite knowing her equally-skilled fellow agents are already dying one by one. She even had a cheesy relaxing moment with her fellow surviving male agent whom she applied first aid care during a brief lull. 5. TIRING - After indulging myself on heavy fight scenes and crafty camerawork, I became less engrossed as the film reaches halfway through as it offers nothing more but tedious shooting, boxing, kicking, stabbing, and the like, all in excess and intemperance, that I even made twice casual visits at the restroom without missing any single significant detail of the film. 6. PLOT TWIST - There's none. The story is devoid of complexity that you can easily foretell way ahead from the very start on how it will end. The futile attempt to have one at the climax, where bosses are revealed to be the rats in the police organization made me grin mischievously rather than freeze myself in utter surprise and disbelief (It doesn't have to be like those films of M. Night Shyamalan, just a bit of "oh i-didn't-see-that-coming" feeling will do). Well, unless if this is part of the humor then I can easily give this a pass (pun intended). Ouch! My VERDICT There are several claims that this movie is a knockoff of this and that film but to me, this movie is mildly (if not heavily) referenced to the style of the great Quintin Tarantino. It also has the touch of the Coen brothers' approach. And if you just watched Deadpool 2, then you can easily tell Erik Matti, "gotya, Direk!) To sum it up, on entertainment value this movie is just watchable, though it has the potential to be at par with its predecessor, "On The Job". Just keep your hopes and expectations low...and yes, you must suspend disbelief, and you're good to go. Just my two cents.

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• Good Story but Camera is TOO SHAKEY

  leonardrealon2018-08-14

  The movie is full of action and so as the camera. Its like they have a palsied hand camera man. Out of 100% action scene, only saw 5% of it. It gives me a headache

• This Should Have Been The Breakout Filipino Action Film that put it on the Map !!!

  Crazy_Bruce2018-10-29

  This could have been the Film that put the Filipino Movie Industry on the Map the way Ong Bak did for Thailand and The Raid did for Indonesia but NOOOO!!! It still had all the formulaic cliches that has always plagued Pinoy Action Films !!!! But there are some epic action set pieces that highlight military style efficient close quarters fighting with guns and hand held weapons !! However , some of the fighting was not good or even excellent !!! Some techniques came off cringy and not well executed !!! But Anne Curtis and Brandon Vera ( you might as well have substituted Dave Bautista since he is half Filipino) gave some logical and well executed fighting techniques however when 90 pound Filipina girls can take down a Hulking Brandon Vera by leaping on him then all logic goes out the door !!! The Villain, Biggie Chen was Soooo Cheesy and pathetic as a villain !!! Better Luck Next Time !!!

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• A drug buy-bust operation gone-wrong.

  filmreviewph2018-08-16

  People hope for a better life, at the very least a peaceful one. BuyBust is a film that deals with the anti-drug campaign of the government, but the core of such campaign is how will it impact on the lives of the every Filipino. The film may be predictable from the start but was told in a different fashion. It was not the usual buy bust operation of the anti-drug authorities, the goal is to catch Biggie Chen- a high value target with Shabu laboratories. What is entharalling is when PDEA operatives headed by Bernie Lacson (Victor Neri) with Nina Manigan-PDEA operative (Anne Curtis) and Detective Dela Cruz along with the Alpha and Bravo teams, were trapped in Baranggay Gracia ni Maria in the slums of Manila, a community that is fiction but an epitome of what Philippine society is. Gracia ni Maria is maze-like compound with the texture of a shanty town that you could smell the stink and rot in every corner. A community and people forced to protect drug lords and live in fear and violence. Characters are very real while the action scenes were obviously choreographed and the gun battle sequences are far better than the usual action films of the 90's. Director Erik Matti weaves the story with layers in the plot like Anne Curtis' character (Operative Manigan) who can't seem to forget her drug buy-bust operation in the past that killed all her team members. She became very cautious, uncertain and even doubtful of the Police team leading them. Another layer in the plot is how the people of Gracia ni Maria have suffered in the war against drugs, as they witness violence everyday of their lives. Anne has certainly prepared for this film, showing her skills in hand to hand combat; even her movements, stance and reactions during gun battle appear to be realistic. Anne has rediscovered herself and maybe considered as the First True Female Action star of Philippine Cinema. Though BuyBust has not really deviated from the formula of action films in the Philippines where the action hero is being attacked by a mob and yet manages to defeat all of them. Anne's co-actor Brandon Vera (Rico Yatco), muscled and Hulk type character that can defeat an army of enemies at one time, has played his role well as buddy of operative Manigan (Anne) who also believes in amulet to keep him safe. Joross Gamboa is also commendable in his role as Manok (Chicken) who seemed to be at his being state in most of the scenes. Award-winning supporting actor Joel Saracho, portraying a shanty owner and out of fear, he casually declines to help PDEA Operative Manigan and Yatco on their way out of the compound. The scene typifies how fear has become a normal and casual state for the people. Music is not overwhelming but enough to heighten and build up the action scenes. BuyBust is action in its real sense, with deafening gun battles, hand to hand combat fight scenes and unending chase sequences around the compound. Manigan (Anne) being the action heroine, as usual, is the last PDEA operative standing. Manigan and Biggie Chen mano-o mano fight scene is also very real though it is the typical protagonist and antagonist face to face showdown with great reveals as to who are the protectors and snitch within the Police Organization. One essential element in the film is the people in the community. People have taken arms and have resolved to act; seized to believe that the Government will truly solve the illegal drugs problem. Innocent civilians as always are caught in the cross-fire between the Government and the Drug Lords or even in any war that the government launches. Illegal drugs will not proliferate without the nod of a high-ranking government official. What else is new??-it is a common perception. And the innocent civilians are the victims. In many of the sequences, community people were also attacking the PDEA and Police Teams, furious and raging like zombies who are ready to eat their preys alive. But in the end, the fury and rage of the people are the bi-product of frustrations and hopelessness from the Government to resolve the social ills of our society. The film is not only an eye opener about the sincerity of Government on its anti-drug campaign but also a call to action for the people to stand and participate in issues of our Nation, people should become part of the solution and hope is the only thing we should hold onto. Over-all, Kudos to Director Erik Matti! Setting a new trend in action films and riveting story telling.

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