Ron Morales' Graceland (2012) is a very well executed, and very complex film that doesn't fit neatly into one of the simple pigeon holes of "genre".This film is certainly a "crime thriller" that will keep you emotionally "on the edge of your seat" all the way through. The crime narrative is rather innovative too, with lots of unexpected twists.Yet, because this film is set in the Philippines, the filmmaker is offered a unique opportunity to concurrently create an effective "social criticism" film about life in a desperately poor, and undeveloped nation as well. This filmmaker creates much social criticism by skillfully framing certain select scenes that silently speak volumes of social criticism simply because the images portrayed would be just morally outrageous to the average viewer.This film is also a very deep, and insightful character study of the protagonist, a very poor, and very uneducated man, but a man who seems to have a good heart, and solid moral values, but yet a man who must compromise himself on a daily basis by committing unspeakable acts every day, just as a matter of course, for the physical, and economic survival of himself and his family.The most unique aspect of this film for me was the stunning coup de theatre near the end of the film, that made it necessary for me to reinterpret the whole story up to that point, to formulate a new answer to the question: "What is going on in this film?" for myself. As mentally and emotionally unsettling as this sudden revelation of facts about the story was for me so close to the end of the film, it was a very interesting, and very refreshing, and unique film viewing experience for me as well.Overall, I would say that Ron Morales is a very good filmmaker, with a real grasp on what it takes to make not only a film with artistic merit, but a film that is commercially viable as well. This filmmaking neophyte really deserves the opportunity to make many more films.

This is an outstanding first effort by director Ron Morales. As of this writing, I don't see him attached to directing another film. Please tell me he's in the middle of a negotiation, and that others are smart enough to recognize this guy's talent.The plot is extremely interesting if a bit contrived at times. Very stylishly done, with a number of provocative twists that most won't see coming, which is why I don't want to discuss the film in very much detail, as knowing some of the twists may ruin it for you. As a bonus, the film is short and sweet...about an hour and 20 minutes long.Although this is listed as a 2012 release, I consider it a 2013 movie, as it wasn't really available in America until then. So for me, I consider it one of the better 2013 releases I've seen this year, and has a chance to make my Best 10 at the end of the year. It's that good. So if you like the thriller genre, this one is definitely worth the look.

It was a Filipino captivity thriller-drama. A story of a driver father who risks everything to save his beloved daughter from the kidnapper. Well his daughter's kidnap is a mistake, the kidnappers wrongly abduct the driver's daughter instead the girl he works for. The story begins with his boss, a corrupted minister having sex with a minor girl. The lower middle class families are the one affected by this most powerful and rich minister. So the plot was very clear about its kidnapping theme which involves political corruption and scandals.Any parents can feel the heat for this father who roams in the streets like a strayed dog. The story was hyped enough to create tension and confuse over the viewers to see a struggling father to get his daughter home safely. He was an ordinary father, definitely not like Liam Neesan from the movie 'Taken'. A police officer lands to him for a help, knowing that corruption is everywhere the desires to work alone. In other side, it get started to unfold the story of a driver's ill wife which turns him from a witness to a suspect to the law's eye.The movie looked kinda real, like a documentary or something about under aged child kidnapping and forced into prostitution. The director really did a fine research about it to nail this movie. There was a scene it was totally disturbing to catch a minor girl in the act. I don't know is it permitted to make one like that, for me I felt it was totally unnecessary. It divides the audience into two specially the family audience. The twist was great, that made the movie's value reach a little bit higher. 'Trade' was a movie about human trafficking that happened in northern America while 'Taken' in Europe and 'Graceland' is not too far from those two which take place in south-east Asia. Overall it was a movie will leave you the unbearable images even after a watch.8/10

Kidnapping has been on the rise and much more organised in the last two decades, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean. I personally have stories of close people being kidnapped in Haiti and Venezuela. Now we are hearing more of India and South Africa, but in 2010, according to the available statistics, the six countries in the world ranked highest for kidnapping for ransom were Colombia, Italy, Lebanon, Peru, the Philippines, and, perhaps surprisingly, the United States! Certainly slightly skewed by Phoenix, AZ, which has become the second kidnapping capital in the world after Mexico City, DF, the concern remains a global one nonetheless.The topic is not new, but make for potential griping dramatic storyline. We had the effective "Ransom (1996)", the delectable "Gone Baby Gone (2007)" and the steadfast "Taken (2008)" which is set for a sequel this year. "Graceland (2012)" is a marvellous addition to the genre and is surely the best film yet on the topic. It is twisted and almost tedious, until a Usual Suspect-like quality is revealed in the script and sustained by the uncompromising direction.The beginning and build-up is superb and shocking and the ending puts everything in equally appalling perspective. The middle part lags at times, with less action and suspense than its American counterparts, but instead explores themes of family, class, corruption, extortion, sexual behaviour, suspicion, sickness, trafficking, revenge, redemption, etc. with great wit and repartee.The acting shines for the victims and the dutiful detective, although the kidnappers' casting may have been on purpose to portray less cunning and calculating individuals. The 84 minutes running time keeps it relatively short and definitely not sweet, leaving you with an awkward after-taste and after-thought as you leave the theatre.Philippines 2012 | 84 min | HD Tagalog & English language (English subtitles)