''Sundo'' is a 2009 Filipino

horror Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction ** Japanese horror, Japanese horror fiction **Korean horror, Korean horror fiction * Horror film, a film genre *Horror comics, comic books focusing o ...

suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it aff ...

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

from

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

Topel Lee Topel Lee is a Filipino film director, TV director and music video director known for the cinematography in his movies and his strong female characters. Filmography as director Television * 2019 Bukas May Kahapon * 2018 Spirits: Reawaken * 201 ...

, with screenplay written by his

Ouija The ouija ( , ), also known as a spirit board or talking board, is a flat board marked with the letters of the Latin alphabet, the numbers 0–9, the words "yes", "no", occasionally "hello" and "goodbye", along with various symbols and grap ...

screenwriter

Aloy Adlawan Aloy Adlawan (also credited as Alfred Aloysius L. Adlawan), a chemical engineer by profession, is a multi-awarded Filipino filmmaker- writer, producer, director, composer. He attended filmmaking courses at the Mowelfund Film Institute in the Philipp ...

. The film stars

Robin Padilla Robinhood Ferdinand Cariño Padilla (; born November 23, 1969), known professionally as Robin Padilla, is a Filipino politician, television personality, martial artist, actor and director currently serving as a Senator of the Philippines since ...

Katrina Halili Maria Katrina Iren Pe Halili (born January 4, 1986) is a Filipino actress and commercial model of Chinese descent. She made her screen debut through the reality talent search '' StarStruck'' in 2003, and became more popular playing several role ...

Rhian Ramos Rhian Denise Ramos Howell (; born October 3, 1990), professionally known as Rhian Ramos, is a Filipino actress, commercial model, singer, host and race car driver. She is an exclusive talent of GMA Network Career Ramos started working in com ...

Hero Angeles Hero Gervacio Angeles (born December 8, 1984) is a Filipino actor. Hero Angeles bested four other contestants in the Grand Finals for the title "Grand Teen Questor" in the first season of ABS-CBN's popular reality star search in the Philippines, '' ...

Mark Bautista Mark Arazo Bautista (born August 10, 1983) is a Filipino singer, actor and commercial model. Bautista received his career break when he became a grand finalist on the Philippine reality TV talent search ''Star for a Night'' where he placed third ...

and

Sunshine Dizon Sunshine Dizon (born Margaret Sunshine Cansancio Dizon; July 3, 1983) is an award-winning Filipino actress, director and producer. She is often called as the “''Daytime Drama Queen''” by various media outlets for her acting prowess and a s ...

. The film was released on March 18, 2009.

Plot

The film opens with Vanessa (

Iza Calzado Maria Izadora Ussher Calzado-Wintle (born August 12, 1982), known professionally as Iza Calzado (), is a Filipino actress, television host, dancer and model. She is dubbed as the "''Goddess of Horror Films''" by local media for her acting prowes ...

) who was killed when she was visited by her long dead husband as her companion. The film then cuts to

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

Romano (

), a retired military operative who goes into seclusion after being seriously wounded in battle and almost died, discovers that he has the uncanny ability of seeing ghosts around people who will soon encounter sudden, disastrous deaths. Worried of his brother, Romano's blind sister Isabel (

) persuades him to return to Manila with the help of Louella (

), Romano's childhood friend who is a doctor and harbors affection for him. An aspiring actress, Kristina (

), a widow, Lumen (

Glydel Mercado Flordeliza Sanchez-Gutierrez (born March 10, 1975), better known by her screen name Glydel Mercado, is a Filipina singer actress and politician in the Philippines. She won a number of Best Supporting Actress awards her role in 1999 film ''Sidhi' ...

), and her nephew, Eric (

) hitch a ride with Romano, Isabel and Louella along with Louella's driver, Baste (

). On their van's way back to the city, the group manages to avoid a fatal accident on the road as Romano woke up just in time to warn Baste - having just dreamt of the impending tragedy. As he steps out of the van to survey the scene, he started seeing ghosts surrounding the van and eventually looking at him. The ghosts are an old man, a young woman with hair covering her face, two more adult men, and a woman who Romano thinks look like his mother. He also hears a baby crying though he is unable to see it. After this, the group stopped to eat dinner and rest in a small eatery in

Baguio Baguio ( , ), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...

. Just as Lumen mentioned that she needs to use the ladies room, one of the adult male ghosts showed himself to Romano and interacted with him. Soon after, Lumen died as a

rail spike A rail fastening system is a means of fixing rails to railroad ties (North America) or sleepers (British Isles, Australasia, and Africa). The terms ''rail anchors'', ''tie plates'', ''chairs'' and ''track fasteners'' are used to refer to parts ...

pins her head. The next tragic event happened as Eric died of electrocution while attending Lumen's husband's wake, right after the other adult male ghost grabbed Romano to get his attention. The group now consulted with a local elder who informs them that Romano can see ghosts because of an open third eye. Moreover, the ghosts that he sees are "Sundo" - or those who the grim reaper uses to fetch a person who is about to die. The Sundo can be anyone such as a spouse, siblings, parents, or a friend - anyone who has previously died and has a close relationship with the person. Because Romano prevented the earlier road accident from happening when they are "meant" to die, they still "owe" the grim reaper their lives and this debt will be collected no matter what. After leaving the local elder, the group discussed that there are 7 people in the van but Romano only saw 5 ghosts. Romano is unsure whether the ghost of their mom is his or his sister Isabel's Sundo. Baste and Kristina also died right after their Sundo show themselves to Romano. Baste's Sundo is the old man who turned out to be his grandfather who raised him. Kristina's Sundo is the young woman with hair covering her face who is a twin sister that she is not aware exists. After these deaths, Romano, Isabel and Louella decided to stay in Louella's apartment and spend the night. Louella, feeling emotional and scared, finally confessed to Romano that the remaining mysterious ghost - a crying baby - is her Sundo. She got pregnant while in medical school, felt that she was not ready to be a mother and had an abortion. Later on, Romano was lured to the balcony by Isabel as his Sundo. As he realizes that his sister is already dead, the grim reaper pushed him over the balcony. Romano lands into the pool and regains consciousness. As he ascends from the pool he saw a distraught Louella crying. She tells him that he can't be her Sundo, as she already repaid the grim reaper with a life - that is Isabel's life and not her own. She insists that she cheated death by doing so and he can't fetch her. Romano realizes that Louella killed his sister and a flashback of Louella smothering a sleeping Isabel with a pillow is shown. Louella continued to plead to Romano and look visibly scared. Romano then looked at the pool and saw his dead floating body. It turned out that he has died in the water and is now Louella's Sundo. The end scene show the grim reaper going for a screaming Louella as she dies.

Cast

as Romano *

as Louella *

as Isabel *

as Kristina *

as Eric *

as Baste *

as Lumen *

Jacklyn Jose Mary Jane Santa Ana Guck (born October 21, 1964), better known by her stage name Jaclyn Jose, is a Filipino cinema and television actress who has earned international critical acclaim. She is best known for her roles in the films ''Private Sho ...

as Mercedes *

as Vanessa

Reception

The film opened with favorable reviews, obtaining a B grade from the Cinema Evaluation Board, and a

PG-13 The Motion Picture Association film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion pictures ...

rating from the

MTRCB (English: "For Intelligent and Responsible Viewing") , employees = More than 33 , chief1_name = Diorella Maria Sotto-Antonio , chief1_position = Chairperson , agency_type = Film and television classification , parent_agency ...

(Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) - the country's film rating system. Critic Nitz Miralles described the film as "a high octane horror", she continuous to praise director

for his ability to genuinely scare the audience, as like from his previous horror film efforts like

and Yaya. However, the film is criticized for being "too violent" for a PG-13 movie by critic Veronica R. Samio, whilst praising the film for its fast pace and screenwriter

's "shocking" twist ending.Bakit bayolente ang Sundo?
philstar.com The final gross of the movie is P100,079,566 according to box office mojo.

Media Release

The series was released onto DVD-format and VCD-format by

GMA Records GMA Music (formerly known as Infiniti Music and GMA Records) is a subsidiary of GMA Network Inc. and is engaged in the production, marketing and distribution of music and concerts. GMA Music is a member of PARI and has the distinction of having ...

. The DVD contained the full-length trailer of the movie. The DVD/VCD was released in 2009.

Deaths

* Vanessa (droppin phone and suicide) * Mercedes (mirror illusion and fell off the stairs) * Lumen (wapping the ball and sword) * Eric (wapping floor and the electric fan burn) * Kristina (shower and burn face) * Baste (burning the eyes and truck accident) * Isabel (suffocated by Louella) * Romano (blacking shadow monsters and killed monsters) * Louella (getting into the monsters)

References

External links

* * {{IMDb title, 1274650, Sundo GMA Pictures films 2009 horror films 2009 films Philippine ghost films Philippine horror films Philippine haunted house films