Shake, Rattle & Roll 12 - Movie Review

I don't exactly remember when Shake, Rattle & Roll or SSR started scaring audiences but what I remember is the creature "Undin"(starred by Manilyn Reyns and Ai-ai Delas Alas) gave me ghost bumps every time I'm left in the rest room alone. Several years have passed and technology has become more sophisticated, SSR reaches its 12th films but unfortunately delivered less scary stories compare to its predecessors (talking about the films released in 90's).

Just like the usual trend of the series, SSR 12 comes with three different episodes, "Mamanyika", "Isla", and "Punerarya". While the first two episodes were disappointing, the movie as a whole was concluded with a great one.

Mamanyika: Is a story of a possessed doll that kills every one or everything (including its fellow dolls) who gets its way. The episode was not scary at all, everything was ridiculous. First time director Zoren Legaspi apparently wasn't ready to take the director's seat. Starred by Shaina Magdayao and Ricky Davao.

Isla: The second episode focuses on a heartbroken woman who let things cooled down in an island haunted by "engkato". Though it got better visual effects, the second story was even more boring and totally a waste of time. Dir Topel Lee should have focused on the story line than working more on the effects and the killing scenes. Starred by Andi Eigenman and Rayver Cruz.

Punerarya: The final episode is the most suspenseful story among the three, one of the best episodes I've watched in SSR series actually. The plot was simple and I believed was used in horror films before but still made into a real shocker. Focusing on a story of a teacher who takes a private tutor job for two children of a family whose business involving funerary services. Intrigued with the family being different from normal people, the tutor realizes that she has to run for her life before the whole family prey on her. Starred by Carla Abellana and Sid Lucero.

Don't know why our local movie makers can stand with ridiculous stories that are not even worth of a single peso to spend for. With the strong final episode, SSR 12 obviously could have been better. The movie is watchable but you just need to suffer on the first part of it for you to enjoy what has been stored at the end of it. (My rating is 3 out 5 stars)