''ML'' is a 2018 Philippine

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

psychological horror Psychological horror is a subgenre of horror and psychological fiction with a particular focus on mental, emotional, and psychological states to frighten, disturb, or unsettle its audience. The subgenre frequently overlaps with the related subge ...

film written and directed by Benedict Mique Jr., starring

Eddie Garcia Eduardo Verchez Garcia (; May 2, 1929 – June 20, 2019), known colloquially as Manoy, was a Filipino actor, television personality, film director and producer. With almost 600 film and television roles and a career spanning seven decades, he ...

as a retired

METROCOM The Philippine Constabulary (PC) Metropolitan Command or MetroCom ( es, Comando Metropolitana de la Constabularia Filipina, COMMET) was created pursuant to Executive Order of President Ferdinand Marcos on 14 July 1967 to supplement police forces wi ...

Colonel suffering from Alzheimer's disease, leading him to believe that he is still living in the days of Ferdinand Marcos'

dictatorship A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, which holds governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. Politics in a dictatorship a ...

. He mistakes a visiting student, played by

Tony Labrusca Anthony Angel Labrusca Jr. (; born August 7, 1995), professionally known as Tony Labrusca, is an American actor, model, and singer based in the Philippines. Labrusca first gained his popularity via a McDonald's Philippines TV ad in 2016, ''Tul ...

, as a dissident resisting

Martial Law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

, and captures and tortures him, just as he did back in the 1970s. The film was released on August 3, 2018, at the

14th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival The 14th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival was held from August 3–12, 2018 in Metro Manila, Philippines. A total of ten full-length features and ten short films competed. The festival was opened by Erik Matti's ''BuyBust'' and was closed by ...

. Along with Kip Oebanda's ''

Liway ''Liway'' is a 2018 Filipino independent film about the experiences of Dakip, a young boy growing up in a prison as the son of anti-Marcos dissident Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, better known as Commander Liway and referred to in the film by the vern ...

'', it is one of two Cinemalaya 2018 films featuring social commentary about the martial law, continuing the tradition of 2017's ''

Respeto ''Respeto'' (''Respect'') is a 2017 Philippine drama independent film starring Filipino hip hop artist Abra, and directed by Alberto "Treb" Monteras II. It was co-written by Monteras and screenwriter Njel de Mesa, who drew inspiration from th ...

'' in light of the 2016 burial of Ferdinand Marcos and the rise of his children Bongbong and

Imee Marcos Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios "Imee" Romualdez Marcos (; born November 12, 1955) is a Filipina politician and former actress serving as a Senator since 2019. She is the daughter of Ferdinand Marcos and former first lady Imelda Marcos and the o ...

in Philippine politics.

Plot

Carlo (

), a Marcos loyalist, interviews retired Colonel Juan Dela Cruz (

) at his home about his experience and service under the Marcos regime during the martial law days for a school assignment. Unbeknownst to Carlo, the Colonel is delusional and psychopathic, believing that he is still an active-duty soldier in the dictatorship. As Carlo starts interviewing the Colonel, he strikes Carlo unconscious. When Carlo wakes up, he finds himself strapped on a chair in the basement. Confused of what was happening, he demands to be cut loose by the Colonel but is only answered with physical battery. He is later tortured in numerous ways by the Colonel while asking him questions about his supposed links with a dissident movement. His best friend Jace and girlfriend Pat are later lured into the same basement through deceiving text messages. All three of them are tortured in front of each other. Both Carlo and Jace are beaten-up and electrocuted. Jace is water-boarded and later murdered by Russian-roulette. Pat is stripped naked, tied up, burned with cigarettes on her private parts and sexually violated with a bottle. Jace's corpse is dumped on a pavement and framed as a drug dealer in Duterte's drug war. Carlo and Pat manage to escape the basement but are met at the doorstep by the Colonel, who is about to kill them before being distracted by a call, upon which the couple escape. They report their case to the police but the Colonel Dela Cruz cleans his house of evidence, ensuring his acquittal. Hungry for justice, Carlo goes back to the Colonel's home one night to kill him, only to find that he has already died in his sleep. The Colonel is buried with honors at the

Libingan ng mga Bayani Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB, , ) is a national cemetery within Fort Andres Bonifacio (formerly Fort William McKinley) in Metro Manila, Philippines. First established in May 1947 as a fitting resting place for Philippine military personnel fro ...

Cast

as Colonel dela Cruz *

as Carlo * Lianne Valentin as Pat * Henz Villaraiz as Jace * Jojit Lorenzo * Rafa Siguion-Reyna * Chanel Latorre * Chrome Cosio * Jindric Macapagal

References

External links

* {{Martial EDSA 2018 films Filipino-language films Cinemalaya films Philippine independent films Presidency of Ferdinand Marcos

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links