His daughter, Monet (Judy Ann Santos), prepares for the traditional pasiyam, a nine-day mourning ritual meant to honor the dead and guide the soul into the afterlife.
Things take a turn when Pabling’s legal wife, Adele (Chanda Romero), arrives. She comes with her two children, Andie (Janice de Belen) and Roy (Mon Confiado), and they are determined to sell the family’s old ancestral house along with all remaining properties. Their plan will surely evict Monet’s family, including her son Keith (Kian Co), her mother Rosa (Lorna Tolentino), and her partner Jack (JC Santos), who are all currently living in the house.
As the family conflict unravels and intensifies, a mysterious entity which is seemingly tied to a strange painting of a scarecrow starts terrorizing the home.
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If confusion and incoherence were a movie, it would be Espantaho. Most of the time, I honestly had no idea what was going on. The film plays out like a generic family drama with some horror elements, and while that may sound interesting on paper, the horror and the drama never feel like they’re on the same page to tell the same story.
Chito S. Roño used to be a master of films like this. He’s directed some of the most terrifying and groundbreaking Filipino horror films, often centered on women and family. That’s why Espantaho is such a confusing step backward. It's a complete departure from what made his past work great. Instead of building tension or delivering real scares, we get cheap jump scares and waves of CGI insects that are more distracting than frightening.
To be fair, the film isn’t lazy; it’s just all over the place. There’s a ghostly mother, a haunted scarecrow, a family inheritance battle, and a supernatural mystery, all jammed into one story. It tries to do so much, but none of it comes together in a meaningful way as I said. Instead of weaving a rich, layered narrative, the movie feels like it’s constantly tripping over itself. It leaves you more confused than scared.
The one thing that keeps Espantaho from completely falling apart is the cast. The performances are solid. It’s especially nice to see Judy Ann Santos back on screen; she hasn’t lost her grace and acting chops.
But sadly, a strong cast can’t save Espantaho from its flaws. With Chito S. Roño at the helm and a powerhouse lead actress, you expect something powerful or at least cohesive. Instead, you're left with a muddled horror-drama that never finds its footing.
1.5/5
