ML

Philippines, 2018, 90 minutes, Colour.
Eddie Garcia, Tony Labrusca, Lianne Valentin, Henz Villaraiz.
Directed by Benedict Mique.

ML is a genuinely frightening film.

It had audience acclaim at the 2018 Cinemalaya Festival as well as winning awards for editing and the performance of its central character, veteran Filipino actor, Eddie Garcia, making this film at the age of 88.

It is a film about Martial Law – but, with quite some differences.

The premise of the screenplay is that the younger generation has forgotten about the realities of Martial Law, strongly in the 1970s and 1980s but, coming to an end, with the overthrow of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986. In fact, the screenplay suggests that current students and the younger generation look back to this era with a kind of hallowed glow, a time of discipline, a strong sense of nationalism which they consider has been dissipated since.

A frustrated teacher gives his class an assignment to meet someone who lived through the era and to learn from their experiences. The brighter student in the class contacts retired Colonel who lives nearby. He is welcomed – but, the Colonel, suffering from some dementia and having been seen as brutal towards a dog which snarled at him, imprisons the young man, tricks his friend to come as well as deceiving the girlfriend. He tortures them all very graphically, making the young audience realise what happened in the past, the cruelty, the irrationality of the interrogations.

Some critics had a difficulty in using the harsh realities of martial law is a subject for this kind of film, touches of grim humour, a reliance on the popular horror conventions in American films of this time. The defence would be that this is the way to reach the young contemporary audience, in styles that they are accustomed to, but jolting them into some kind of realisation about and questioning of the past.

1. The title? Martial Law? The experience of the 1970s and 1980s and the Philippines? The ending of Martial Law? The defeat and exile of the Marcos family? The decades after the end of Martial Law?

2. The memories of those who lived through it, the victims of torture, memories of those were killed or disappeared? The contrast with the younger generation, in school, callow, the beginnings of fascist attitudes, the criticisms of the rebels of Martial Law, the accusations of communism? The condemnation of later generations, not managing freedom, mismanagement of politicians, their not understanding the past and not interested in examining it?

3. The setting, school, the suburbs and streets, the houses? The Colonel’s house? Upstairs, welcoming, the basement, the torture chamber?

4. The atmospheric musical score?

5. The director and his screenplay, the use of the conventions of the horror genre – and effective at that level? Criticisms that the memories of Martial Law were too serious to use horror conventions, playing to the younger generation and the love of violence without understanding themes?

6. The director’s decision to be very graphic in the portrayal of torture? Urged on by the other filmmakers? To make the points about the horror of what happened under Martial Law?

7. The opening, the Colonel, his age, getting the haircut, payment and the tip, putting on his beret with its metals? His going home, fumbling with the key? The savage dog, its teeth and barking? The criminal defying the dog? Preparing the bowl with the food, whistling for it to come? Then bashing it to death with a hammer?

8. The teacher at school, the offhand attitudes of Carlo and Jaze? Jaze as defiant and mocking? The teacher being upset? Giving the assignment, to investigate and talk with somebody who lived through the period?

9. Carlo, playing basketball, the Colonel passing by, the players indicating him and his experience of Martial Law? Carlo and the contact with Pat? Her studies, texting, phoning, love for Carlo?

10. Carlo, at the house, the Colonel watching, Caarlo coming in, his explanation, the Colonel offering water? Hitting him, taking him to the basement, tying him up, the bashings, the interrogation? The impact on Carlo? The phone, Jaze and his contact, his being invited, coming in, the Colonel welcoming, bashing him, tying him up?

11. The nature of the humour in the Colonel’s Alzheimers, his living back in Martial Law days, wanting information about headquarters, leaders? The friends going to the Valkyrie club and the Colonel’s interpretation of it as headquarters?

12. The intensity of the Colonel, his appearance, look, interrogation, sadistic, reliving his past – and this becoming more vivid for the audience as they watched was happening to the carefree students in the present?

13. The range of torture, the urine in the cloth in the mouth, taped, tied up, the extraction of the fingernails, the nodes on chest and genitals? Audience response to such graphic presentation?

14. The clever writing of the visit of the daughter, her husband and children, the other aspect of the criminal, the discussion about Martial Law and torture, the joking of the husband, the comments about extrajudicial executions? The children playing, hearing the noise, the victims overturning the table, audience expectations, but the children going home?

15. The Colonel, the contact with Pat, the phone, her coming to the house, being hit, tied up, the brutality of the bottle and her virginity, the cigarette burns on her breasts and genitals? The impact of this on the audience watching?

16. The Russian roulette, the initial threats, his shooting Jaze, taking his body, dumping it in the road, with a sign that he was a drug dealer?

17. Carlo and Pat getting out, coming upstairs, the confrontation with the Colonel, his getting the phone call, the playful conversation with his granddaughter and her request for a gift for her birthday? The couple escaping?

18. The Colonel cleaning up the blood, his denial of wrongdoing, the police having no evidence, not believing the young people, suggesting drugs? The photo of Jaze dead and showing it to Carlo’s parents?

19. Carlo, his desperate nightmare, his getting the knife, going to the Colonel’s house, the Colonel dead, his frustration?

20. The Colonel, his funeral, his being honoured?

21. The repercussions for Carlo and Pat, their lives?

22. Return to school, the teacher, asking Carlo his opinion – and Carlo unable to speak?