Adolfo Alix Jr.’s horror-drama “Poon” (The Hallowed) arrives in cinemas this week (opened on Sept. 9, Wednesday) with all the makings of a major cinematic event, seamlessly blending whodunit intrigue with gritty atmospheric horror.
On the surface, what’s driving its commercial potential is a multigenerational powerhouse ensemble. The film cleverly links respected icons like Gina Pareño and Bembol Roco with established leads JC de Vera and Martin del Rosario, while securing the magnetic pull of rising young stars Will Ashley, Althea Ablan and Kelvin Miranda.
For all its star-studded flash, however, the film’s theatrical run carries a bittersweet weight. All eyes will naturally be on the Philippines’ first and only Cannes Best Actress winner Jaclyn Jose (“Ma’ Rosa”) and character actor nonpareil Ronaldo Valdez, who passed away in 2024 and 2023, respectively. Thankfully, their final roles for the big screen are not mere cameos; they deliver the pivotal gravity that drives “Poon’s” entire mystery forward.
For Alix, navigating a film set in Jose and Valdez’s presence carried significant weight, transforming the production into a definitive “masterclass in restraint and subtlety,” as he described it. In an exclusive interview with CoverStory last Monday, the director behind such indie gems as “Donsol,” “Kadin” and “Isda” marveled at the veteran actors’ magnetic presence.
“They had this rare ability to command a scene without ever overplaying a moment,” Alix noted. “Tito Ron brought quiet dignity and vulnerability that kept the tension entirely believable, while Ms. Jane could convey a lifetime of grief and turmoil with a slight shift in posture or a single glance.”
Creative sanctuary
While the story itself targets the grim and deeply distressing, the two actors spared their costars from carrying that emotional baggage home. Alix looked back on the shoot not as a somber affair, but as a tight-knit creative sanctuary.
He recalled: “Despite the heavy material, there was immense warmth, generosity and mutual respect on set. We had no idea at the time that this would be their final screen appearance together. So it accidentally became a monument to their craft—and I am grateful for the soul they poured into their characters until the very end. On a personal note, Ms. Jane is family to me. I will truly miss her.”
Be that as it may, if “Poon” serves as a final bow, Jose and Valdez make certain it is unforgettable, imbuing their roles with a vivid life that defies their passing. The production anchors its chills in familiar territory: a fractured family forced into close quarters.
When patriarch Peping (shared by Valdez and a young-soldier iteration by Martin del Rosario) dies under highly suspicious circumstances, his three estranged granddaughters grudgingly return to their Bulacan roots, unknowingly entering the crosshairs of both a supernatural dread and Bembol Roco’s probing Detective Michael Datun.
The domestic battlefield breaks down into a brilliant microcosm of resentment. Adele (Lotlot de Leon) is the unmarried, stay-at-home eldest sibling tasked with looking after grandmother Berta (portrayed by Gina Pareño, with Elora Españo embodying her younger years as a novice nun).
Ria (Janice de Belen) provides the story’s desperate hustle, navigating the dark delusions of her troubled husband, cult leader Daniel (Allen Dizon), while aggressively lobbying to sell the family estate along with the ominous wooden apostles it harbors.
Then, there’s the jobless and debt-ridden Mae (Ara Mina), newly returned from Canada and hopelessly distracted by the secretive infidelities of her husband Richard (JC de Vera). Ultimately, the family relies on their mother Sol (Jose) to buffer the psychological frenzy, balancing the siblings’ clashing motives with a performance that exquisitely hints at hidden truths.
Meanwhile, a parallel dread unfolds among the clan’s young members (Will Ashley, Joao Constancia and Kelvin Miranda) as they watch over Faye (Althea Ablan), whose sleepwalking masks a deeper, more sinister possession.
From drama to horror
As these various narrative threads begin to lock into place, the production shifts from a grim family drama into outright horror in which a vengeful entity—tethered to a disturbing statue known as the 13th Apostle (portrayed with unsettling physical grit by Gohi Aaron Hewson)—claims Faye as its vessel, forcing the family to confront a history of hidden abuse, infidelity and betrayal.
Surviving this onslaught requires more than just standard ghostbusting; it demands that they unearth the reality behind Peping’s inexplicable death. The ultimate horror of “Poon” lies in this terrifying epiphany: The family’s silent wooden icons have seen every transgression—and the truth they harbor is deadlier than the paranormal force lurking beyond the walls.
Alix and screenwriter Jerry Gracio craft a story brimming with taut suspense, brought to vivid life by a powerhouse ensemble led by the anchoring presence of the late Jaclyn Jose. While Ronaldo Valdez’s limited screen time restricts his physical presence, his character’s past actions serve as the dark engine driving the film’s central conflict.
Cinematographer TM Malones’ exquisite framing captures a palpable sense of place, giving this Moscow International Film Festival entry a rich texture of decaying grandeur. Though the story risks becoming convoluted by a dense web of character subplots and psychological baggage, the film deftly tightens its grip, tying its various pieces together with remarkable control.
For Alix, the genre elements were always secondary to the internal drama. “At its core, ‘Poon’ uses the framework of supernatural dread and the mystery of the 13th Apostle not just to frighten, but to peel back layers of buried family resentment,” he explained. “In our culture, religious icons (poon) are treated with deep reverence—they are present in almost every home, witnessing everything. I wanted to explore what happens when that symbol of faith becomes a mirror reflecting the rot, guilt and unspoken sins already festering within a household.”
Asked what he wishes viewers to take away from the movie, the director said: “The production’s supernatural elements simply serve as the catalyst for what was already broken. I hope audiences realize that real horror often isn’t what’s scratching at the windows outside, but the things we refuse to confront among the people closest to us.” CS
