'BuyBust' Mostly Lives Up to the Hype

Soon after watching the epic Indonesian action film The Raid: Redemption back in 2012, I mused how awesome it would be if the Philippines had its own version of it.  I was like, “It would be a perfect opportunity to showcase Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) – Arnis, Kali, and Eskrima – in film, in the same way the Indonesian martial art Pencak Silat was showcased in The Raid.  FMA is an underrated, practical, and violent discipline, and it would totally work on a Raid-type action movie.  In addition, a squatters’ area in Metro Manila would make a perfect deteriorated, urban setting for a Raid-type narrative.”

Uncannily, director Erik Matti seemingly had the same idea.  So he made BuyBust.  Now, I already had the inkling that this could potentially be the Philippine Raid the moment I learned of its production, for it was through a news segment about how stars Anne Curtis and former UFC athlete Brandon Vera were training in Kali for it.  Considering I liked Matti’s 2013 neo-noir crime thriller On the Job, I started looking forward to it at that point.  My anticipation grew and grew with every promo released – especially with the viral Facebook video of Anne Curtis’ training a few years ago – as the notion that it’s channeling The Raid continued being enforced.  And this was all but made certain when the trailers dropped.  In other words, I was hyped for BuyBust.

The film centers on Nina Manigan (Anne Curtis), a PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) agent who has a chip on her shoulder and has recently been added to the squad of team leader Bernie Lacson (Victor Neri).  One night, the squad (the other members are played by Brandon Vera, Sheen Gener, Mara Lopez, AJ Muhlach, and Tarek El Tayech) becomes a part of a buy-bust operation intending to apprehend a big drug lord named Biggie Chen (Arjo Atayde).  This sends them deep into the heart of a maze-like slum in Tondo named “Gracia ni Maria.”  However, the operation goes sideways, and the PDEA agents find themselves desperately fighting their way out of the labyrinth as enemies keen of killing them come relentlessly from all sides.

So does BuyBust live up to the hype?  Well, it’s not free from flaws, but it does mostly match what I pictured it would be.  It’s not as incredible as The Raid, but I never really expected it to be in the first place (though I somewhat hoped it would be so).  Overall, I think it’s a great action thriller.  It’s absorbing, tense, and entertaining.

Anne Curtis, action star.  That’s a phrase I never thought would make sense.  However,  she does pull that off well in this movie.  She’s not necessarily mind-blowingly believable, but she does give an impressive, invested performance against type.  She was adequately competent in executing her stunts and fight choreography, making Nina Manigan an engaging character to follow.

In relation to this, the action as a whole is quite visceral.  Now, there are some action sequences where the shots are too dark and shaky to see what’s happening, and the movie isn’t necessarily the glorious feast of FMA that I wanted.  Still, it delivers a good amount of brutal, hard-hitting action.  It piles up quite a body count.  Hand-to-hand combats are gritty, ungraceful, and ferocious.  And considering that the essential setup is a small group fighting off wave after wave of attackers popping out from every direction, there’s this “zombie-mob” dynamic about the whole thing, which is thoroughly exciting.  There are even scenes that I found genuinely jaw-dropping – primarily because it was the first time I was seeing such stuff being done in a Filipino film.  One of which on top of my head is this memorable one-take, tracking shot where Nina Manigan goes on a tear.

I’m not aware if Erik Matti has ever revealed that this movie is inspired by The Raid.  Regardless, it sure looks like it.  Certain plot beats are similar.  As for the script itself, it can be nitpicked for plot holes.  But the writing generally holds up well.  In addition, just like OTJ, it’s not just fluff.  It has substance.  It has an integrated social commentary.  It offers some sensible insight regarding how the current strategy and mechanics in place of the drug war can become ripe for corruption.  It’s not blatantly anti-Duterte about it, but its not-so-subtle jabs – on top of the fact that it’s no big secret that Erik Matti is an outspoken critic of the Duterte administration and its supporters – should be enough to piss off die-hard Duterte apologists.

Lastly, this deserves to be mentioned: that soundtrack is freakin’ lit!

Pinoy action films have never been known for being masterfully crafted.  However, I do maintain some fondness for the Pinoy action films of old (I especially love Mistah).  There’s just something endearing in how ridiculously predictable, melodramatic, and cheesy they are.  Nevertheless, they’re objectively lousy.  That’s why, despite being undeniably imperfect, BuyBust is refreshing and groundbreaking.  For the quality of filmmaking involved here is superior to probably all Pinoy action films ever made.  Thus, for the first time ever, my liking for a Pinoy action film is hinged on it being legitimately badass.

Postscript:
If I could add anything to the movie, it would be making Rayver Cruz’s character from OTJ show up in a post-credits’ scene.  Yep, a Split-like twist!  Let’s have an MCU – Matti Cinematic Universe!  Then a third movie would follow Anne Curtis and Rayver Cruz going up against the powerful, sinister cabal that was hinted in both OTJ and BuyBust.