Why? Well, there’s a lot of reasons.
The Vega family is powerful, but they are also heartless, entitled, and dangerous. Guilly’s wife, Katrina (Mylene Dizon), is simply apathetic. She couldn't care less about her constituents. Their daughter, Nicole (Nadine Lustre), is a troubled young woman with drug addiction.
But Guilly Vega is the worst of them all. He’s a corrupt politician with a long history of wrongdoings and crimes. One of the most horrific of it is the random abduction of Lilia’s daughter (Gabby Padilla) and her boyfriend (Elijah Canlas).
Lilia knows justice will not be served through the legal system. The Vega family has influence, money, and deep political connections. Even if she takes them to court, the outcome is almost certain. She will lose.
That leaves her with only one choice.
She must take justice into her own hands.
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The word of mouth about Uninvited is interesting during MMFF. They said it's shocking. It's totally suspenseful. And after watching it, I can honestly say that most of it is spot on.
This is easily one of Aga Muhlach’s best performances. He completely transforms into a character we’ve never seen him play before. It’s the kind of role that lingers, not because it’s a surprising choice for him to play, but because it’s unsettling in all the wrong ways.
Vilma Santos is also excellent. She brings both grace and gravitas to the film, even in scenes where not much is happening. But that’s already expected from the Star for All Seasons. At this point, it’s only news if she delivers a bad performance.
I am surprised with Nadine Lustre because she does not have much screen time as I expected. But the moments she does have, she makes the most of them.
That said, Uninvited has no shortage of talent.
But truth be told, it isn’t as shocking or groundbreaking as many people claim.
The film is slow. It takes its time setting things up, but much of it feels like it’s meandering rather than building suspense. There are plenty of detours that slow the pacing, and when the revenge finally arrives, it doesn’t land as powerfully as it should. The payoff for all the backstory it sets up feels underwhelming. You’ll likely find yourself asking, “That’s it?”
Yes, it’s an intriguing revenge story with a lot of cursing and violence, but if you’ve seen enough thrillers or action films, it all feels familiar, lacking, and unspectacular.
Without its powerhouse cast, Uninvited could have easily faded into obscurity. Thankfully, the performances elevate it. The actors breathe life into a story that otherwise feels like a well-worn path.
I don’t think it’s a bad film, but it’s not as bold or surprising as it wants to be.
2.5/5
