Yanggaw aka The Affliction 2008
Yanggaw is a 2008 horror film written and directed by Richard Somes. About a young girl who develops an unknown infection that causes her to evolve into a horrifying monster.
Directed and co-written by Richard Somes and bolstered by fine performances from Ronnie Lazaro, Joel Torre, and Tetchie Agbayani, Yanggaw is touted as one of the best films to ever come out of the CinemaOne Originals greenlighting project. Agreed. Despite obviously being made on the cheap, it humbly stands out as one of the most terrifying and satisfying horror films of the last decade, a period in local cinema that fed mostly on J-horror copycats with half-baked scripts.
Synopsis:
Stricken with an unknown illness, a young woman goes home to her family in a farflung village. Her parents do everything within their capacity to help their daughter, but to no avail. It doesn’t take long before they discover that she has fallen victim to a vicious affliction, or yanggaw. She is infected with a mysterious venom that has transformed her into a flesh-eating monster, an aswang. Yanggaw, in rather simple yet effective ways, tells this story, the story of one family headed by a strong-willed patriarch, of what they are forced to do when one of them suddenly turns into something out of the ordinary, something that poses danger not only to others but also to themselves.
While its grimy promotional materials and intriguing synopsis would suggest the opposite, Yanggaw is actually a drama film first and a horror film second. Yes, it is often scary and spine-tingling, but more importantly, Yanggaw is a bloodcurdling dramatic study of the values that bind the Filipino family, demonstrating how far one would go—as far as the fringes of morality and sanity, or even beyond—in defense, obligatory or otherwise, of one’s own kin. - Aldrin Calimlim
Yanggaw is a 2008 horror film written and directed by Richard Somes. About a young girl who develops an unknown infection that causes her to evolve into a horrifying monster.
Directed and co-written by Richard Somes and bolstered by fine performances from Ronnie Lazaro, Joel Torre, and Tetchie Agbayani, Yanggaw is touted as one of the best films to ever come out of the CinemaOne Originals greenlighting project. Agreed. Despite obviously being made on the cheap, it humbly stands out as one of the most terrifying and satisfying horror films of the last decade, a period in local cinema that fed mostly on J-horror copycats with half-baked scripts.
Synopsis:
Stricken with an unknown illness, a young woman goes home to her family in a farflung village. Her parents do everything within their capacity to help their daughter, but to no avail. It doesn’t take long before they discover that she has fallen victim to a vicious affliction, or yanggaw. She is infected with a mysterious venom that has transformed her into a flesh-eating monster, an aswang. Yanggaw, in rather simple yet effective ways, tells this story, the story of one family headed by a strong-willed patriarch, of what they are forced to do when one of them suddenly turns into something out of the ordinary, something that poses danger not only to others but also to themselves.
While its grimy promotional materials and intriguing synopsis would suggest the opposite, Yanggaw is actually a drama film first and a horror film second. Yes, it is often scary and spine-tingling, but more importantly, Yanggaw is a bloodcurdling dramatic study of the values that bind the Filipino family, demonstrating how far one would go—as far as the fringes of morality and sanity, or even beyond—in defense, obligatory or otherwise, of one’s own kin. - Aldrin Calimlim
Cast:
Ronnie Lazaro
Tetchie Agbayani
Joel Torre
Aleera Montalla
Gio Respall
Monet Gaston
Keith Cabañez
Erik Matti
6.9/10·IMDb
Featured Reviews:
"Richard Somes’ Yanggaw (2008) (“Affliction”) is the best modern Filipino horror film.
Granted, there is not much to choose from. Contemporary horror films—from Villa Estrella, Sundo, T2, Ouija, and Dalaw—are often more embarrassing than frightening. Don’t get me started on the Shake Rattle & Rolls, i.e. the horror franchise that refuses to die. But I digress.
Yanggaw’s set up is simple. A woman, named Amor (played by Aleera Montalla), comes home to her family afflicted with an unknown disease. Eventually, she turns into an aswang. The family deals. Horror ensues... "
See Complete Review Here
"With its ominous cinematography, gritty production design, guttural musical score, sharp editing, and elegant direction, Yanggaw is definitely laudable. Somes’ writing is equally commendable – deftly weaving a myriad of beautifully imperfect characters. Portrayed flawlessly by an impeccable cast, these characters’ struggles bear us direct witnesses to hard questions. That moment Nyor commands his monster child to feed on other people is chilling in moral ambiguity. That moment Nyor finds Amor feasting on his grandchild is wildly heartbreaking. Aside from being a story about an aswang, Yanggaw is an excellent film that delves into the Filipino family’s psyche. Given the breadth of Filipino blood ties, would you be able to turn your back against your family? Would you subject your family to your affliction? Can you love a monster? Where do you draw the line between unconditional love and unequivocal evil? In sympathizing with the monster, are we monstrous too? It is the family’s turbulent struggle that drives Yanggaw into an engrossing dramatic horror film.
Yanggaw is undeniably a unique cinematic experience. It delves into reality and nightmare whilst whirling us into a potent emotional arc. In the end, the monstrous Amor devours her own baby nephew, and then, momentarily returning to her senses, pleads to Nyor to kill her. There are no fancy sound effects, no exaggerated blood spurts. There is only an unsteady close up shot, a look at the wretched father murdering his aswang child. It is a fantastic, poignant, and disturbing scene that’ll forever humble and frighten me." - Ella Palileo
Ronnie Lazaro
Tetchie Agbayani
Joel Torre
Aleera Montalla
Gio Respall
Monet Gaston
Keith Cabañez
Erik Matti
6.9/10·IMDb
Featured Reviews:
"Richard Somes’ Yanggaw (2008) (“Affliction”) is the best modern Filipino horror film.
Granted, there is not much to choose from. Contemporary horror films—from Villa Estrella, Sundo, T2, Ouija, and Dalaw—are often more embarrassing than frightening. Don’t get me started on the Shake Rattle & Rolls, i.e. the horror franchise that refuses to die. But I digress.
Yanggaw’s set up is simple. A woman, named Amor (played by Aleera Montalla), comes home to her family afflicted with an unknown disease. Eventually, she turns into an aswang. The family deals. Horror ensues... "
See Complete Review Here
"With its ominous cinematography, gritty production design, guttural musical score, sharp editing, and elegant direction, Yanggaw is definitely laudable. Somes’ writing is equally commendable – deftly weaving a myriad of beautifully imperfect characters. Portrayed flawlessly by an impeccable cast, these characters’ struggles bear us direct witnesses to hard questions. That moment Nyor commands his monster child to feed on other people is chilling in moral ambiguity. That moment Nyor finds Amor feasting on his grandchild is wildly heartbreaking. Aside from being a story about an aswang, Yanggaw is an excellent film that delves into the Filipino family’s psyche. Given the breadth of Filipino blood ties, would you be able to turn your back against your family? Would you subject your family to your affliction? Can you love a monster? Where do you draw the line between unconditional love and unequivocal evil? In sympathizing with the monster, are we monstrous too? It is the family’s turbulent struggle that drives Yanggaw into an engrossing dramatic horror film.
Yanggaw is undeniably a unique cinematic experience. It delves into reality and nightmare whilst whirling us into a potent emotional arc. In the end, the monstrous Amor devours her own baby nephew, and then, momentarily returning to her senses, pleads to Nyor to kill her. There are no fancy sound effects, no exaggerated blood spurts. There is only an unsteady close up shot, a look at the wretched father murdering his aswang child. It is a fantastic, poignant, and disturbing scene that’ll forever humble and frighten me." - Ella Palileo