Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang is a 2012 Filipino horror-drama film produced by Star Cinema, Reality Entertainment and Skylight Films, under the direction of Richard Somes. Does this first horror film from Star Cinema meet the hype that it established? Check out the spoiler-free Pinoy Movie Blogger's review on Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang.
Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang
Synopsis
A loving couple desperate to have a child settled down in a peaceful yet secluded community. The couple where overjoyed when Corazon finally bore a child, but such happiness was short-lived when the child died upon its delivery. Everything started to go downhill that ultimately creates the very first Filipino folklore monstrosity, the Aswang.
Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang Movie Review
Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang (2012) Film Review
Corazon:Ang Unang Aswang or simply Corazon is yet another film under the horror genre, and it only means one thing... I am drawn to it like a moth to a candle light. Besides being a big fan of horror film, I also got really hyped up after seeing the premise and the actual trailer for Corazon: ang Unang Aswang. It gave me the impression that it would bring something new to the table, it did. Unfortunately it made a big mess on the table.
There is a technique in writing which also transcends to other forms of media, specifically film called "Show, don't tell", basically Corazon breaks this by making characters narrate or make expositions about other character's back story (and even about themselves) or an origin of a specific thing. They could have at least shown what was the reason behind why the character was like this or treated like that through a series of flashbacks or any forms of creative presentation, rather than just seeing people talk about this person like they haven't talk about her before. There are a number of plot holes which were effectively foreshadowed but was later abandoned and just like that they left more questions than answers. What's the use of presenting that foreshadowing or that plot point if they are just going to throw it all away later on? I believe the film was better off without those scenes.
You know what is funny, the film brought me down memory lane. I started to reminisce the good old days. Those badly written scripts and poorly acted high school plays that I once became a part of. You know, those Values Education (classes) drama presentation activities? The lines are pretty generic, unrealistic and goes against common sense. Some performance where either over-the-top or ridiculously underwhelming. Erich Gonzales as Corazon was not fit for such demanding lead role. The young actress was trying, but it really didn't work for her. Erich' performance sometimes feel very off. While watching her "act", my mind usually drifts to who from our local talents could pull the role effectively "Vilma? Nora? Lorna? ZsaZsa?... Nah they might be TOO mature for the leading man". Derek Ramsay as Daniel on the other hand, did a nice performance. Although I still had a hard time believing that he is this farmer living in a post World War 2 Philippines. So when you pair them both up, what you get is a very unconvincing couple. They look more like brother and sister, rather than a married couple. Sure they act sweet and all, but it is really hard to get emotionally invested with them and the tragedy that befell the couple later in the film. Now we go to the dramatic parts of the film. We can only imagine the feeling of what it is like to lose a child and that can probably drive one to insanity, sadly the poor performance of Erich alienate us from feeling pity or relating to her character. I thought at first that it was just me, but when the rest of the movie goers (mostly a pack of female college students) laughed, teased and imitated the lines when she completely lost it and other supporting characters, I knew that the scene didn't get the right reaction that it truly needs.
The scenes which are supposed to elicit fear and terror came out flat and the primary suspect is the a bad use of scoring (music). I remember one particular scene were she lost her child (shown in the trailer by the way) and the film was then playing this strange creeping music which was pretty off, it was supposed to be dramatic, luckily it was eventually replace by a more dramatic theme only to be transitioned out to the next scene (DERP!). For a film dealing with the very first aswang, the deaths weren't even that grotesque. The blood and gore were heavily filtered and I feel that it was a victim of censorship (unless the film didn't really use such blood and gore). It was not just the music that took out the horror in Corazon, but Erich as an aswang herself. After Corazon sided with the "dark side" she eventually had this bad make up on her on the later half of the movie which looks pretty stupid, but cute. Erich doesn't even look remotely terrifying, well maybe it might elicit terror if you bring her to a beauty salon attendant, but for an average horror film junkie like myself and most of the movie audience in that same theater, it doesn't even comes close. The scariest moments of the film was when the other characters are using curse words towards each other, but sometimes those scenes also tends to be so over-the-top that it eventually becomes hilarious.
Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang tried to create this "actual" and "logical" origin story of the infamous Philippine mythological creature, the Aswang. In a sense the film succeeded with that mission... the film did come out, right? Unfortunately it was poorly executed. I wouldn't have minded the film's slow phase if only the performances of the main characters where top notch, little to no plotholes, and the dialogues where spot on, but it didn't. When a movie goer does not feel any sympathy or gets emotionally invested on the life of the characters then a film fails as a drama. Corazon failed. Corazon's poor use of music, laughable performance by the lead character and other supporting casts, bad make up job, and a simple miss in pulling a jump scare, a film fails as a horror. However Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang became something else, an unintentional comedy.
There is a technique in writing which also transcends to other forms of media, specifically film called "Show, don't tell", basically Corazon breaks this by making characters narrate or make expositions about other character's back story (and even about themselves) or an origin of a specific thing. They could have at least shown what was the reason behind why the character was like this or treated like that through a series of flashbacks or any forms of creative presentation, rather than just seeing people talk about this person like they haven't talk about her before. There are a number of plot holes which were effectively foreshadowed but was later abandoned and just like that they left more questions than answers. What's the use of presenting that foreshadowing or that plot point if they are just going to throw it all away later on? I believe the film was better off without those scenes.
You know what is funny, the film brought me down memory lane. I started to reminisce the good old days. Those badly written scripts and poorly acted high school plays that I once became a part of. You know, those Values Education (classes) drama presentation activities? The lines are pretty generic, unrealistic and goes against common sense. Some performance where either over-the-top or ridiculously underwhelming. Erich Gonzales as Corazon was not fit for such demanding lead role. The young actress was trying, but it really didn't work for her. Erich' performance sometimes feel very off. While watching her "act", my mind usually drifts to who from our local talents could pull the role effectively "Vilma? Nora? Lorna? ZsaZsa?... Nah they might be TOO mature for the leading man". Derek Ramsay as Daniel on the other hand, did a nice performance. Although I still had a hard time believing that he is this farmer living in a post World War 2 Philippines. So when you pair them both up, what you get is a very unconvincing couple. They look more like brother and sister, rather than a married couple. Sure they act sweet and all, but it is really hard to get emotionally invested with them and the tragedy that befell the couple later in the film. Now we go to the dramatic parts of the film. We can only imagine the feeling of what it is like to lose a child and that can probably drive one to insanity, sadly the poor performance of Erich alienate us from feeling pity or relating to her character. I thought at first that it was just me, but when the rest of the movie goers (mostly a pack of female college students) laughed, teased and imitated the lines when she completely lost it and other supporting characters, I knew that the scene didn't get the right reaction that it truly needs.
The scenes which are supposed to elicit fear and terror came out flat and the primary suspect is the a bad use of scoring (music). I remember one particular scene were she lost her child (shown in the trailer by the way) and the film was then playing this strange creeping music which was pretty off, it was supposed to be dramatic, luckily it was eventually replace by a more dramatic theme only to be transitioned out to the next scene (DERP!). For a film dealing with the very first aswang, the deaths weren't even that grotesque. The blood and gore were heavily filtered and I feel that it was a victim of censorship (unless the film didn't really use such blood and gore). It was not just the music that took out the horror in Corazon, but Erich as an aswang herself. After Corazon sided with the "dark side" she eventually had this bad make up on her on the later half of the movie which looks pretty stupid, but cute. Erich doesn't even look remotely terrifying, well maybe it might elicit terror if you bring her to a beauty salon attendant, but for an average horror film junkie like myself and most of the movie audience in that same theater, it doesn't even comes close. The scariest moments of the film was when the other characters are using curse words towards each other, but sometimes those scenes also tends to be so over-the-top that it eventually becomes hilarious.
Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang tried to create this "actual" and "logical" origin story of the infamous Philippine mythological creature, the Aswang. In a sense the film succeeded with that mission... the film did come out, right? Unfortunately it was poorly executed. I wouldn't have minded the film's slow phase if only the performances of the main characters where top notch, little to no plotholes, and the dialogues where spot on, but it didn't. When a movie goer does not feel any sympathy or gets emotionally invested on the life of the characters then a film fails as a drama. Corazon failed. Corazon's poor use of music, laughable performance by the lead character and other supporting casts, bad make up job, and a simple miss in pulling a jump scare, a film fails as a horror. However Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang became something else, an unintentional comedy.
The Verdict for Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang (2012) Film
Star Cinema and Skylight Films' Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang tried as much as it can to avoid the supernatural elements of the Aswang mythos to provide a more "realistic" feel and be the definitive origin story of the infamous Philippine monstrosity. Unfortunately the horror elements became the film's ultimate casualty. If you expect to be scared by this film or that it is what it claims to be a horror-drama, then you'll only be disappointed. Do yourself a favor and give this one a pass.
Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang is not worth the money and effort. Just wait until it gets its Philippine television premiere either on your local television network or your favorite cable channels FOR FREE. Pinoy Movie Blogger gives Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang (2012) a four out of 10 (4/10) film review rating.
Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang is not worth the money and effort. Just wait until it gets its Philippine television premiere either on your local television network or your favorite cable channels FOR FREE. Pinoy Movie Blogger gives Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang (2012) a four out of 10 (4/10) film review rating.