I caught the red carpet premiere of Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins and had the chance to talk to Regal Entertainment president Roselle Monteverde. She was beaming, excited by early audience reactions, and hopeful that moviegoers will flock to theaters this Christmas, alongside the other seven entries in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
“This installment has many references from previous SRR movies, but what’s really important is that our vision translated onto the big screen. The characters are especially memorable. I know it’s horror, but in the end, it’s uplifting. There’s horror, love teams, action—so much effort has gone into this film,” Monteverde said.
And indeed, the effort shows. From the four MMDA-organized premieres, Evil Origins immediately impressed. The CGI is top-notch and feels far from cheap. Watching all three episodes—“1775,” “2025,” and “2050” — felt like a full-course horror experience.
Fans of gothic horror, supernatural scares, gore, or dystopian zombie chaos will find something to savor. The ensemble cast, including Loisa Andalio, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, Fyang Smith, JM Ibarra, Sassa Gurl, Karina Bautista, and Dustin Yu, delivered strong performances, with several actors standing out in every episode.
The movie is largely coherent, a remarkable achievement for the 17th installment of a franchise now considered a Christmas tradition.
Janice de Belen, Manilyn Reynes, and Richard Gutierrez also shine, giving the film a strong backbone. The love teams FranSeth and JMFyang turn in stellar performances, showing their acting chops even amid the gore-heavy scenes.
Still, the film isn’t without its shortcomings. Some horror fans may find the jump scares few and far between. The third episode also falls short of the chilling intensity established by the first two, with the main antagonist coming across as unexpectedly restrained despite years of horror lore behind them.
Overall, Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins is a horror entry that delivers what fans expect: a thrilling mix of suspense, gore, and heart. It’s proof that even after 17 installments, Regal continues to innovate while honoring the franchise’s legacy.
