Film Review: 'Buy Bust'

‘BuyBust’ is an action film about drug squad embers fighting for their lives in a maze-like Manila slum. It is co-written and directed by Erik Matti who is known of his ‘On the Job’ 2013, which is also an action thriller movie. Matti delivered an explosive film that offers potent commentary on the devastating social consequences of the Philippine government’s war on drugs. It certainly sparked controversy and attracted large audiences with massive opinions and critique that had helped with the movies popularity.

The film started in an interrogation where a man was held captive to dish out information to where a “Biggie Chan” is. The man who was obviously, because of the bruises on his face, beaten up to ditch information to the two men. When he was promised of protection, the beaten man speak up and answers “Tondo” to Mr. Alvarez’s question, one of the two who as they looked are police officials.

They did not buy his answer. In this scene, you will notice how the shot was made close-up, showing every emotion of the characters. The camera following their movements, a little shaky. From the nervous tremble of the captive, his hands shaking the dust off his cigar, to the impatient expel of smoke out of Mr. Alvarez’s mouth, to the scarlet red of blood blending with water as “Teban”, the informant, sip water from a glass given to him. It is also important to note how the camera, intendedly hit the photos of the president Duterte and some police officials hanging on the wall at the back where the interrogation is happening. It is as if it wants to insinuate something.

That introductory scene of the film will give you the glimpse of what the story will be. The plot centers on a team summoned by the PDEA to conduct a drug bust. Upon learning based on the interrogation that Biggie Chen is hiding at the Barangay Gracia ni Maria in Tondo, Manila, the authorities launch a "buy-bust" operation to capture Chen. A rookie police officer Nina Manigan (Anne Curtis) joins the team after surviving the slaughter of her entire former squad in a drug raid compromised by corrupt cops.

The entrapment is to take place in Plaza Rajah Sulayman. Teban is used as a bait to lure Chen, but the latter did not appear. The squad then proceeds to the slums of Gracia where actions will take place. The squad split up into Alpha and Bravo team.

The Alpha team went with Teban to meet a ‘Chongki’ who will take them over to Chen. The operation was revealed as bait to massacre the PDEA officers. The Alpha team is slaughtered, leaving Dela Cruz as the only survivor. The Bravo team fall back but find themselves trapped by slum settlers and drug mafias in which they must fight their way out. Fed up with the relentless operations conducted by authorities, the dwellers of Gracia erupted into a violent riot against the PDEA officers and the drug lords where hundreds were killed.

As the actions take place, it is important to note how sounds and different music score give a different level of experience for the audience,complementing with the present image on the screen, intensifying the weight of the actions. The loud utterance of prayer at the beginning of the battle will give you chills. The use of traditional instruments will awaken your patriotism making you feel that it is your story and the sound of the National Anthem as Manigan and her team tries to escape the chaos will surely put you to tears. Though, the films majority is chaos and noise the use of silence was highlighted as it is used to add tension to the scene like when the team were at the top of a house’s roof trying to look for a way out and the rain suddenly stopped. One wrong move or noise will cause their lives.

The man who's phone rings shot by Chongki

Also, when a cellphone rings in the middle of silence as Chongki was trying to let Manigan and her team went out from where they were hiding will make you jump in surprise. While the twisting of arms and necks, splatters of blood, endless shots of guns, gore killings and groans and moans of pain will twist your heart and stomach. I just don’t know if it’s realistic for the troop to shout “Change mag” in the middle of the battle.

Nevertheless, the emotions of the characters were fairly emphasized by frequent close-up shots all throughout the movie. It may also be that because of the setting being on small, tight passages in slum that the type of shot was done. Medium to close-up shots dominant shots used along with POV shot of Manigan and bird’s eye view shot showing some of the fighting scenes and taking a shot on the massive casualties because of the riot.

The film is dark, heavy and serious action. It is dark from the beginning to end reflecting the weight and mood of the scenes achieving the photographic image desired for each of the scene.

But I personally like how in the midst of the chaos, riot and all the director was able to insert jest using the character of Teban, giving a little light take of the film which for me reflects very much the Filipinos. That we still find ways to smile and laugh in spite of the circumstances we are facing.

It gets brighter towards the end indicating the resolution of the story.

The movie as of my opinion deserves to be applauded!

We need more movies like this in the Philippines.