SHAKE, RATTLE & ROLL: EXTREME (2023) Review
Directed by Richard Somes (Glitch), Jerrold Tarog (Mukbang), Joey de Guzman (Rage)
Regal Entertainment and the directors of the newest Shake, Rattle & Roll installment were really serious when they put “extreme” in its title.
I don’t remember the last Shake, Rattle & Roll movie that I enjoyed as much as I did watching the Extreme installment. This is probably the most solid three episodes the franchise have released in the 2000s. You get gore, you get uncomfortable scenes and of course, you get scares. This is a strong franchise comeback – bigger and bolder. All three episodes have delivered.
Richard Somes’ Glitch is the scariest among the three. Mostly because it has a supernatural element in it. And a new monster that actually feels and looks sinister. The episode could have been scarier, it could have used more build up if it was longer. But like the other two episodes, Glitch pulls off something I never imagined a local horror movie from a mainstream production company would do. It presented something horrifyingly brutal and that lead to the episode’s tension building, which if not for the actors, would not work. Iza Calzado, Miggs Cuaderno, Angel Guardian, Jewel Milag and the ever reliable actress Donna Cariaga did an amazing job in this supernatural home-invasion episode that sufficiently kicks off a new era of Shake, Rattle & Roll.
It’s a different kind of satisfaction when you get to have fun watching a horror movie. Jerrold Tarog’s return to SRR via Mukbang is a grounded take on the social media generation. You put a bunch of people who see their self-worth through likes, views and reach in the digital world in one house and thier supposed to be content collaboration is about to get disturbed by some diabolic beings.
What works best about Mukbang is that you really think that the reactions of the actors are genuinely how influencers or content creators will react in their situation. It’s fun to watch. Imagine putting Jane Oineza, RK Bagatsing, Paul Salas, AC Bonifacio, Esnyr Ranollo, Jana Taladro, Elle Villanueva, Phi Palmos, Ninong Ry, Ian Ginema and Francis Mata in one roof. You’ll be having the best time inside the cinema being engrossed in a story that’s disturbing, frightening, at times uncomfortable but at the same time funny. Jerrold Tarog fulfills his dream to do a comedy horror and it’s the audience that gets to be satisfied.
You wouldn’t be ready how far Joey de Guzman would go in terms of gore in Rage. This is probably the bloodiest of a Shake, Rattle & Roll episode ever. And even if you’re reading what I just said, you’ll still be surprised of what it will give the audience.
It’s not the most original one out there but it still delivers. Jane de Leon, Paolo Gumabao, Rob Gomez, Sarah Edwards, Dustin Yu and Bryce Eusebio delivers a believable story of survival. In terms of tension, action scenes and production value, Rage knows what it wants to present and how it wants to be presented and that’s enough for the audience to enjoy.
Overall, it is evident in the screen that the actors, writers and directors had fun doing their episodes. And that’s a win for the audience. A film definitely worth your time and money.
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
‘Shake, Rattle & Roll: Extreme’ opens November 29 in Philippine cinemas from Regal Entertainment, Inc. Rated R-13 by the MTRCB.