Like the rest of the world, the Southeast Asia region has added its touch to the evolution of the horror genre. It is not so long ago that the region started emerging for its ‘cultured’ telling of stories that embrace history, art, culture and so on. Mikhail Red, best known for works like Birdshot and Deleter, is one of the few who really embraced the culture of horror filmmaking in the Phillipines. In 2024, he was able to release a personal project: Nokturno, which is a dark folk horror about personal trauma, generational guilt and the terrifying myth of the Kumakatok that is embedded deep in lore.
Although it’s premiere was scheduled for Halloween, 2024, the film was brought to the public sooner dolling out a delayed film festival appearance. The film does everything to induce uneasiness and psychological paranoia while juxtaposing the horror and family realms, and encompasses everything to do with Kuthi lore. Kuthi in general blends cultural horror with the psychological aspect, which is very commendable – though it’s success can only be deemed wishful thinking.
Summary
The story takes place in the fictional town of San Sebastian, and the main character is Jamie—Nadine Lustre—a woman who has been away from her family for years. After her sister Joana, who was played by Bea Binene, dies suddenly and mysteriously, Jamie is called back from overseas.
Jamie is unwilling to head back, still suffering from issues left unresolved with her mother Lilet (Eula Valdez) who adheres to the traditional ways. Lilet believes that Joana’s demise was not an incident of nature, and that their family is being haunted by the Kumakatok—three masked Filipino death spirit folklore beings who knock thrice on a door before announcing death.
The moment Jamie steps on the familiar welcoming land that is her hometown, she is pushed back into the life she wishes she could forget: an entire family haunted by ghosts of the past, a hometown filled with delusions, and an increasingly sinister supernatural entity lurking nearby. The tension escalates as new ominous dreams and unexplained diseases are constantly being added alongside the Kumakatok’s presence drawing ever more ominously closer.
While chasing the mystery of her sister’s death, Jamie is forced to relive her painful memories and confront the decisions that led her to walk out on her family. Family friend Manu assists (Wilbert Ross) alongside younger cousin Julius (JJ Quilantang) together enabling her to solve the chilling mystery of her family’s legacy.
The haunting culminates in Jamie’s last-ditch struggle to save what is left of her family and to try to alter the cycle of death. The final confrontation happens on the night of ritual and reckoning where Jamie meets the Kahumatok and the Kakatok and the psychological specters of shame she has long sought to forget.
Nokturno is directed by Mikhail Red, who is becoming known in Southeast Asian circles for his blend of social criticism with genre work. He works with his brother, Nikolas Red, and Rae Red, who collaboratively write the movie. This trio is able to formulate a screenplay that intertwines elements of the supernatural with deep emotional complexities.
Principal Cast:
Nadine Lustre as Jamie – The emotionally numb and troubled heroine forced to battle generational trauma and literal demons the moment she steps home.
Eula Valdez as Lilet – Jamie’s fiercely loyal and resolute mother who is a firm believer of folklore which becomes both a boon and a bane.
Bea Binene as Joana – The sister of Jamie whose unexpected demise becomes the impetus for the entire storyline.
Wilbert Ross as Manu – A family associate who assists Jamie in coming to terms with the socio-spiritual intricacies of her town.
JJ Quilantang as Julius – A younger brother who becomes involved in the case and looming danger.
Ku Aquino as Tito Jun – A resident raconteur of the Kumakatok lore.
Taking on the role of cinematographer, Ian Alexander Guevara wraps the town of San Sebastian in thick shadows and perpetual dusk, creating an unsettling atmosphere. The Film also has its own unique score courtesy of Sigua and Magsaysay-Sigua, transforming the traditional and more contemporary ‘horror’ themes into the story telling of the film where dread and silence reign supreme over the cacophony of sound.
Themes and Symbolism
Nokturno is not only a tale of a ghost. It is a reflection on estrangement, tradition, and the burden of obligations. The Kumakatok are not just plain figures of horror. They symbolize the inescapable nature of history and the consequence of roots denial. Jamie’s journey is a manifestation of countless overseas Filipinos struggling with the duality of starting anew while yearning to return—physically and psychologically.
Additionally, the film analyzes the tension between contemporary skepticism and traditional belief systems. Jamie’s dismissal of her mother’s superstitions reflects, on a broader scale, a societal strain in the Philippines: a clash between rational thought and mythology, science and the metaphysical. Ultimately, the film seems to argue that some truths—particularly the ones concealed within layers of culture—defy rational analysis.
Jamie’s journey back to her past, and the reminisce of her childhood, allows her to uncover the hidden family secrets, or “knocks,” waiting to be brought to light. Throughout the film, the motif of knocking reflects this notion. The Kumakatok knocks three times, each serving as an omen, but they also act as a device for the narrative.
Reception and Critique
Nokturno seems to be stuck between a rock and a hard place as it attempts to meet genres of culturally rich material and a compelling premise; however, the reception was mixed to negative. It was noted how the film incorporates Filipino folklore to mainstream media, alongside stunning cinematics, but critics argue that the dubbing lacked something. More specifically, they pointed out issues with pacing, stagnant character development, and an overreliance on typical jump scare tactics.
Kumakatok’s origin and reasoning are particularly fascinating ideas that were sorely underdeveloped. Especially in the second act, the film’s emotional investment seemed to dissipate, becoming lost amidst set pieces and exposition.
Nadine Lustre’s performance carries a litany of praise, as she captures a far more muted intensity to Jamie. In adding to the film’s weight, Eula Valdez becomes a spiritually withered, grief-stricken mother, deepening the generational drama wrapped in the horror of it all.
Conclusion
Modern psychological horror is a lens through which Filipino folklore can be reframed, and supposedly, that is what is aimed for in Nokturno. It is admirable, if not in every detail perfect, in achieving the aim of rekindling media, such as Indigenous myths and superstitions, for contemporary audiences. Stronger still, they did provide engaging performances along with the stunning visuals, leading to a memorable, and yet, unsatisfying entry into Southeast-Asian horror cinema.
If jump scares are not your cup of tea, and deep-rooted cultural identity horror is what you’re after, these ghosts are the scariest ones we carry inside: a haunting reminder provided by Nokturno.
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