They say we are a country that has a short attention span; and that we forgive too easily.
That should be a positive thing but when we’re dealing with heinous crimes against the nation (i.e. Martial Law), being too forgiving might not be the best thing because we’re bound to make the same mistakes.
Add to that the this-is-how-I-think-I-don’t-care-what-you-say mindset most youths have today and the proliferation of fake news and you have a mob with skewed views of society.
Benedict Mique Jr’s “ML” couldn’t have come at a better time.
Carlo (Tony Labrusca), a millennial who’s unapologetic about his views of Martial Law, suddenly finds himself in a life-and-death situation after an innocent assignment goes wrong.
Sharing the same views with his friends, Carlo thinks there’s nothing really wrong about Martial Law, that it’s not as horrible as most people are trying to paint it to be.
Carlo finds a retired soldier (Eddie Garcia) to interview about the landscape during Martial Law. But things take on a drastic turn as he soon becomes a prisoner and victim of torture. Soon enough, he discovers the real horrors of Martial Law–first hand. Carlo, along with his friends, are tortured relentlessly by the deranged colonel who thinks they are part of a rebel group. With no one to help them, Carlo and his friends hope for a miracle to get out of the hellhole they’re in.
There’s no doubt about it, “ML” is the most shocking movie in this year’s festival. It also easily becomes one of the most petrifying films in recent history.
Unlike Oebanda’s “Liway,” “ML” shows us the more gruesome side of Martial Law. It’s searing. Traumatic, even for some audiences. Mique threw all caution out the window and depicted Martial Law’s horrors for what they are: vicious, without reason, unforgiving, and downright heinous.
It’s so awful it’s effective–and good. That’s exactly how one learns about something: by experiencing it firsthand. In the case of Carlo, it’s a dreadful wake-up call. And a little too late too.
Labrusca shows promise in this movie. Although he was gagged and tied most of the time, his eyes and other nuances did the acting for him. It was impressive. But the real star is Garcia, who, despite his frailty, can still induce terror with a mere stare. His role is a physical one and it’s commendable to see him commit.
“ML” is absolutely terrifying and might make you dread school homework.
