Right from the get-go, it was obvious the horror film “Mallari” had what it takes to become a respectable box-office hit. It had two things going for it.
One, the film is supposedly about Father Juan Severino Mallari, the country’s first reported serial killer. Not much is known about Mallari, except for a few established facts: he was a Filipino Catholic priest who served in Magalang, Pampanga during the 19th century. He reportedly killed 57 people. He was hanged for his crimes in 1840.
There was palpable interest in the story of Mallari. Around the time Mentorque Productions revealed that they were working on a movie about Mallari, Variety reported that a series about the Philippines’ first documented serial killer titled “Severino” starring Dennis Trillo was in development.
The interest in Mallari only grew when it was chosen to be part of the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival, chosen over other high-profile films reportedly submitted to the MMFF for consideration — specifically, long-running horror franchise “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and the Nadine Lustre starrer “Nokturno.”
‘ ‘4’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:dccfa1ea-48ac-4c8a-a3b9-881b7631db14’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘In “Mallari,” Pascual plays three different characters: serial killer parish priest Severino Mallari from the 1800s, documentary filmmaker Johnrey Mallari from 1948, and doctor Jonathan de Dios in the present day.
Directed by Derick Cabrido and written by Enrico Santos, “Mallari” turned out to be an ambitious horror film that features three separate time periods, requiring its lead actor to play three different characters: serial killer parish priest Severino Mallari from the 1800s, documentary filmmaker Johnrey Mallari from 1948, and doctor Jonathan de Dios in the present day. The film isn’t about Mallari, the biographical figure, per se. Instead, it borrows from what little Mallari lore is available to create a high-concept horror film that involves the expected jump scares, Philippine mythology, and time travel.
‘ ‘6’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:783eff88-7e26-468d-b069-7cca81f6b2ed’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘At the 2023 MMFF Gabi ng Parangal, Actor JC Santos won Best
“Mallari,” according to unofficial reports and industry talks, is doing well at the box office. Critical and audience responses vary. Some viewers describe it as a “breathtaking horror movie.” Critics have praised the film for its “interesting imagery” with a “couple of neat ideas” but it “doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.” At the 2023 MMFF Gabi ng Parangal, “Mallari” won 3rd Best Picture, Best Musical Score, and Best Visual Effects. Actor JC Santos also won Best Supporting Actor.
What stands up to scrutiny, it can be said, is the second thing “Mallari” has got going for it: its lead actor, Piolo Pascual.
Piolo fever
Pascual is an interesting choice to headline “Mallari.”
Given online reactions to his casting earlier this year, it may have seemed like an easy, obvious choice. The actor is celebrating his 25th year in show business this year, which should be proof enough that he has the acting chops to star in a movie that requires him to play three characters.
‘ ’12’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:eb7f7336-5c7f-4882-81c6-2af0f5133c5e’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘“Mallari” was awarded 3rd Best Picture, Best Musical Score,
Of course, it helps that, as an actor local show business may consider among its top leading men, Pascual should have a fan base to help propel the film to box office success.
Audience consideration was important for John Bryan Diamante, president of Mentorque Productions. As a new film producer (his company produced the 2022 MMFF entry “My Father, Myself”), there is pressure to earn big. And because “Mallari” is essentially a period film, producing it wasn’t cheap. “I was able to make five movies last year. Lahat ng kinita ko doon, nilagay ko dito. We decided to do one film this year instead of five. We really focused on this,” Diamante said.
‘ ’15’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:efbd1b77-77a3-4fc9-a122-2616af178b8b’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘“There were considerations for other actors din naman. But
These two factors made Pascual their main choice to headline “Mallari”.
“There were considerations for other actors din naman. But siya ang first choice namin, e,” Cabrido said.
Cabrido, who previously directed horror films “Clairta” and “U-Turn,” said the film might have turned out differently had Pascual declined the offer to do “Mallari.” That means “Mallari’s” primary conceit — one actor playing the film’s three central characters — may have been scrapped if they got a different actor.
‘ ’19’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:f2ebcae0-6f7a-43bc-9d59-86a0c341cb1a’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘The success of “Mallari” is an indication that Pascual still has a lot of things to offer past his 25 years in show business. Photo courtesy
But looking at Pascual’s filmography and career history, you might say the actor isn’t actually the obvious choice — which makes the success of “Mallari” an indication that Pascual still has a lot of things to offer past his 25 years in show business.
The ultimate
Joining showbiz in 1994 through the afternoon variety show “That’s Entertainment,” and the children’s TV show “ATBP: Awit, Titik, Bilang na Pambata,” Pascual attained mainstream popularity, much like his contemporaries, via primetime soap operas in the late 1990s. But it was his onscreen love team with Judy Ann Santos that propelled him to stardom. ‘ ’23’: ’embed’: ‘