It's a sin not to watch "On the Job" by Erik Matti

Hi everyone,

from bidakapamilya.blogspot.com

Goodness, i can't believe that the last time I posted was for Rock of Ages. Well, anyway.. I will make it up by posting about a really worthwhile topic, the stellar and much celebrated movie by Erik Matti, entitled OTJ or On the Job which stars Piolo Pascual, Joel Torre, Gerald Anderson, Joey Marquez, etc.


 If you search about this film in social media, you will find that a lot of movie goers loved it. And for good reason,.. I am no movie critic but I can say it is top notch. There was only 1 perfect Filipino film in my list, Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag by Lino Brocka, which I belatedly watched in some website posted by a kind user. Hopefully I can secure it legally in the future. Anyway, as I said, I used to think there was only 1 Filipino film that is perfect, now, in my mind at least, there are two, and that was since I have watched OTJ.

Basically the film is about hired killers and I don't think I plan to say much about the story because it is yours to find out. The only thing I can say about it is how wonderfully written it was. Wow, for many years, I have been watching Filipino films, paying just to help the industry and though it may be true that there are some that are entertaining or hold promise, this is the one that is perfectly made. I can say that this is better than 1896 or Muro Ami, for a different market, but that's just my opinion. This is better than most Hollywood films I know. It's quite weird to note that we might be raving about it, because a good Filipino film (admit it) is such a rare gem. I must say, the way the shots of the camera  were planned, the pace of the story, the action scenes, .. I truly can't be more proud to claim that this is a Filipino film. Even the scoring (sounds), the props, the venue where they shot were really good. (you can tell im no movie critic haha). Okay, there are probably a few needful improvements but I plan on overlooking those, and you can't read about those in this blog. Anyway, I wish George Estregan would watch this film and see that this is an example of a good movie. MMFF filmmakers, take note! Indie film makers, please, also take note.

from imdb.com

Joey Marquez was a revelation. He is an effective actor and even if he is known for comedy roles, films such as this make me esteem him as a serious actor that need to utilized more for films of this caliber. I am glad Star Cinema entrusted the role of the honest policeman to him. You also wouldn't believe that 2 men probably in their fifties (Joel Torre and Joey Marquez) were unbelievably believable in the action sequences.
 

 What I also love about this movie is that it is almost seditious in a sense. Okay, how do I explain this. It embodies everything that is bad in this country, the corrupt, the adulterous, poverty, drugs, murders. In the first few minutes, I experienced a feeling of dread only to be felt while watching horror films. It's a characterization of the worst men from the bowels of the earth.. I was truly scared. I am a Filipino, and you know what being a Filipino is like sometimes? You know for a fact that things have to change about the way this country is run and you just cannot do ANYTHING about it. The movie strangles hope which is very reminiscent of Rizal's El Filibusterismo. I love that this film is so socially relevant. I felt like grieving afterwards for the state of this country.

Anyway, hopefully you can still get to catch it in the big screen or DVD. I can't stress it enough. You need to watch this film.

Sincerely, Kcat

(I do not own any of the photographs used in this post)