Filipino director Brillante Mendoza's gritty street-level crime drama is a mixed bag to be honest. I've had fairly high expectations given that it superficially resembles films like Tropa de elite series - tough, uncompromising action thrillers that show the dangers of being a cop in the slums. Unfortunately, after a brief raid scene in the beginning that is also the film's high point, Alpha settles into a slower tempo while following two protagonists trying to outrun the long hand of the law. It doesn't illuminate them much, though, because there's little dialogue or introspection here. When the film ended, I just shrugged my shoulders even if I wasn't really bored while watching it. It's just too predictable and unexceptional to linger in your memory, but it does have potential to reach a wider audience than many other Filipino films, based on Mendoza's reputation and its easy-to-follow narrative.
6 Reviews
This movie is Just Really Bad...
carlos51216 January 2019
Filipinos can make really good awesome movies. BUT NOT THIS ONE.
THIS movie is just very bad in every way. The story takes you nowhere, cinematography is mediocre and amateurish.
But worst is the acting. Indeed acting (if you can call that acting) is atrocious to say the least.
Plus, characters are all evil, including the wives. The wife of Elijah (the small time drug pusher) uses one year-old baby to smuggle the little bag of meth, which she an Elijah hid their little daughter's diaper.
Even the pigeons are used as mules in this horrible twisted tale, where betrayal in every corner.
The scenario is negative, gloomy and pessimistic from frame one and don't expect a shed of light to come thru the empty hopeless darkness.
In addition, there is no message of positivism and hope, and there are no heroes in the story. In fact, at the end it is revealed that even the chief of a the pilipino police (PNP) is a corrupt officer who gets a box of money at his home's swimming pool.
It was the police chief who likely ordered the killing of Moises.
Lots of killing? Not indeed. It's all bad, cheap drama. The only shooting took place in one first and only operation from where everything derives.
Not surprisingly I was the only one person in the cinema for the show at 4:30 today Wednesday (Jan 16) at SM City Cebu.
In conclusion, watching this movie was a perfect waste of time and a waste of money. I should have watched the movie "Glass" with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson or "Replicas" with Keanu Reeves.
THIS movie is just very bad in every way. The story takes you nowhere, cinematography is mediocre and amateurish.
But worst is the acting. Indeed acting (if you can call that acting) is atrocious to say the least.
Plus, characters are all evil, including the wives. The wife of Elijah (the small time drug pusher) uses one year-old baby to smuggle the little bag of meth, which she an Elijah hid their little daughter's diaper.
Even the pigeons are used as mules in this horrible twisted tale, where betrayal in every corner.
The scenario is negative, gloomy and pessimistic from frame one and don't expect a shed of light to come thru the empty hopeless darkness.
In addition, there is no message of positivism and hope, and there are no heroes in the story. In fact, at the end it is revealed that even the chief of a the pilipino police (PNP) is a corrupt officer who gets a box of money at his home's swimming pool.
It was the police chief who likely ordered the killing of Moises.
Lots of killing? Not indeed. It's all bad, cheap drama. The only shooting took place in one first and only operation from where everything derives.
Not surprisingly I was the only one person in the cinema for the show at 4:30 today Wednesday (Jan 16) at SM City Cebu.
In conclusion, watching this movie was a perfect waste of time and a waste of money. I should have watched the movie "Glass" with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson or "Replicas" with Keanu Reeves.
A compelling portrayal
meteroid28 February 2019
A compelling, critical and discomforting portrayal of impoverished lifes and corrupt policing in the Philippines.
Indeed it uses a grounded and unfussy style. And that is simply refreshing in departure from the usual mainstream US law enforcement gloss.
A film of critical realism and unapologetically so.
Indeed it uses a grounded and unfussy style. And that is simply refreshing in departure from the usual mainstream US law enforcement gloss.
A film of critical realism and unapologetically so.
Manilla exposé
searchanddestroy-119 April 2019
Or Manilla Confidential.
That's a true gritty, tough, brutal, rough crime movie I am talking about now. Another product from this part of the world, in the line of METRO MANILLA and CROSSROADS ONE TWO JAGGA. Realism is here at its peak, not for all audiences. 99 % of people won't like this film, a biliion years from Hollywood cliché features. No hero here, only misfits, rogue cops, brutal facist methods using heats. You have to know that the Philippines government openly authorizes force abuse from the police against drug traffic, methods which would be forbiddden in Western world and disapproved by Geneva convention. I loved the scene where the petty punk, the drug pusher hids his drug inside his baby's napkin.
Realism at his best in this outstanding movie.
Warts and all depiction of the Philippines war on drugs
andrewcollins-8665325 January 2022
Having been to Manila a few times and understand how the crack down on anyone associated with illegal drugs works then this movie was true to life. Nothing Hollywood here just the way it is and how they deal with it, no long trials just rough justice which comes across in this well constructed depiction of that !
3 Reviews, 1 Honest
dcarroll7430 July 2020
I am no Filipino movie expert however, as a movie buff, this pile of garbage, stank. I read the 3 reviews and only 1 stood out. Ironically the 1, encapsulated perfectly, the other 2 were blushing brides at a terrible wedding, stinks of nepotism.
This movie was horrible from start to finish. The only reason why I watched was because of one of the best Filipino movies I've ever seen, Metro Manila. THAT was a stunner, movie wise, I was hoping for the same, all I got was movie crap.
Don't waste your time on this. It is degrading to the Filipinos, it's degrading to movie making and, it's just degrading. I'll say no more, it upsets me.
This movie was horrible from start to finish. The only reason why I watched was because of one of the best Filipino movies I've ever seen, Metro Manila. THAT was a stunner, movie wise, I was hoping for the same, all I got was movie crap.
Don't waste your time on this. It is degrading to the Filipinos, it's degrading to movie making and, it's just degrading. I'll say no more, it upsets me.
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