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AFTER the video release “The Echo,” a Hollywood remake of “Sigaw,” in the US, it would only be logical for director Yam Laranas to follow it up with another horror flick. After all, he has shown that he has the natural acumen for keeping people glued to their seats in anticipating what was to happen next.

“Patient X” showing this Halloween season is an aswang or local vampire story with chilling sequences, not brought about by special effects but purely by the talent of director Yam in building up the suspense. Richard Gutierrez is not only the lead star as a doctor, but producer as well with his own outfit in cooperation with Viva Films and GMA Films. The lovely Christine Reyes is the title holder.

Why do people love to be frightened? We don’t know. We just know that there are those who patronize scary movies then go home to sleep with all the lights on for fear that what they have just watched would trail them home. At Megamall when we watched, a group of four youngsters sitting in front of us had their cellphone lights open throughout the particularly scary scenes. They wanted to make sure no aswang would be sitting beside them.

At the risk of being a spoiler we’d like to share some observations good and bad. Richard’s many action encounters including shootouts with the aswangs and running around the hospital could have been aided by more appropriate makeup. The matinee idol looked too much like the matinee idol that he is, instead of a man in the grips of the unknown. He was much too clean, his hair much too well coiffed for the role. Christine was better deglamorized which aided in establishing the tension of the movie. The aswangs on the prowl growled too much, we couldn’t tell if they were ready to transform into wolves at any moment since they appeared at a loss of what to do. For such important major support roles, there are many veteran contrabidas in our ranks who might provide better interpretation and atmosphere.

We were also disappointed by the sparse crowd at the time we watched. Possibly moviegoers were saving their movie money for the visit to the cemetery. It could also be because, especially at the Megamall, large standees announcing the coming of Twilight’s New Moon could unwittingly have given vampire movie enthusiasts another alternative.

Speaking of Twilight, we couldn’t help thinking how it could have been even more bittersweet had director Yam extended the palpable attraction between Richard and Christine a few more minutes in the ending sequence. We are certain tears would fall. Everyone loves a story of impossible love, even in a horror movie.