Here's my mini review.
- the film's not bad. it's well edited and shot. But I feel the movie's trying a little to hard to be a video tour guide on the Philippines' slum areas and show non-Filipinos up close what poverty is like there. I'm not impressed with the story either. I've never felt Adam's life was in danger, and the voice on the phone was a joke (he sounds a little gay, IMO).
- I don't think "Cavite" is a hotbed for Abu Sayyaf terrorist activity. and most of the kidnappings in Luzon are done by corrupt military and police officers, not Muslim Fanatics. The Philippines is 90% Catholic IIRC. But I guess it would be much more dangerous for Gamazon to film it in Basilan, therefore Cavite, since most foreigners can't tell the difference anyways.
- How was it possible for Tariq (the phone caller), to follow Adam wherever he goes (from squatter areas to open fields to little alleys) without being seen? Is he god or something? - The unseen caller is always lecturing and preaching. The caller ordered Adam to eat a "balut", drink soda from a plastic bag, and go to a cockfighting event so that Adam can "experience" the Filipino culture and reality... Blah blah blah...
- somebody said the movie's about how poverty will make Filipinos become suicide bombers or terrorists. But I think that's wrong. The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country with only a 5% Muslim population. Most Filipinos are poor Catholics, but you don't see them becoming suicide bombers, no? And Osama bin laden and the 19 9/11 hijackers are not exactly poor people.