Aswang (1994) User Reviews

Relatively Entertaining Low-Budget "Vampire" Outing...

[EVOL666 · 7/10 · 14 January 2007]

I wasn't really expecting a whole lot out of this one, so ASWANG really didn't disappoint. I knew pretty much nothing about it before I threw it in and at least I can say it wasn't a total waste of ninety minutes.An Aswang is some sort of Filipino vampire that feeds off of fetuses (and dogs, and adult humans, apparently...), so now you have an idea about where this one is going'.

A guy claims to need an heir in order to claim his inheritance, and employs a pregnant young lady to pose as his wife for the matriarch of the family. Along the way, we find that the family is a little "off", and we figure out the connection between them and the whole Aswang business when the audience learns that the family was raised in the Philippines - though no other real connection is ever made. Anyway - the family turns out to be the vampires and they are out to feed off of the pregnant girl's unborn child...

A couple of nifty gore scenes, a relatively interesting (if not very "fleshed-out") storyline, and a few creepy moments make ASWANG worth a look. There is no nudity, save for a brief titty shot in the opening credits, but other than that - I'd say this one is worth at least a one-time-view for fans of lesser-known, low-budget horror...7/10

Effective little-known shocker

[noahbbrown · 6/10 · 8 August 2009]

I had never heard of this film, I must confess. The 90s were a horrible dry time for horror, but this isn't bad at all. It's pure schlock, frustrating at times and plot exposition isn't handled as well as it could be, but it's worth a watch if you like obscure horror.

The film plays like a cross between The Evil Dead (with the backwoods, claustrophobic feel and some 'running fast with the camera' bits) and the superior recent French movie Inside (the central concept, albeit given a supernatural angle). It's quite professionally done (although due to a lot of the nonsense I subject myself to, my standards are low!), the effects are good enough and the performances capable. Some of the concepts are a little distasteful, and in the gloomy netherworld of tame mid-90s horror, were probably quite nasty. I wasn't aware of Aswangs before watching this movie, very creepy mythical beasts. It's a shame this film didn't do better, as there's quite a bit of mileage in these nasty bloodsucking creatures, I reckon

( I really, really recognise the guy who plays the central male role, but this is the only movie he's done apparently...strange. He looks just like somebody else. Who could I be thinking of?)

Dark, gory, scary indie

[angelynx-2 · 7/10 · 16 December 2003]

I've seen a lot of vampire films but never one like this. Tense, dark tale of a pregnant girl who thinks she's selling her unborn child to a rich family with inheritance issues but comes to realize that what they really need is something a whole lot worse. With terrific use of color AND lack of color (look how the scenes in Claire's house are all shot in the same bleached-out reddish sepia, like partly-washed-out bloodstains), neat twists on Gothic horror conventions, nasty use of garden implements, and an overall Blair-Witch-meets-Texas-Chainsaw vibe of unnerving low-budget conviction, this is a cheap but effective little chiller. Vamp fans who've stayed in the familiar Eastern European and urban American traditions should definitely give this Filipino-based oddity a try.

strange, unsettling vampire outing...

[EyeAskance · 12 February 2003]

A young lady with child marries(for pay) into a family of "Aswang"...bloodthirsty creatures from Phillipines-regional lore with an appetite for fetal humans(which they extract from a living mother's womb using elongated wriggling tongues...a rather sexually manky and squirm-inducing distinction of these mythical beasts). Also, it is interesting to note that these beings are devout Catholics(!)

ASWANG is a flawed but intriguing low-budget film, and there are scenes which will likely offend very sensitive people. Technically a tad grotty at times, but atmospheric enough to hold the interest of many horror buffs. A unique other-cultural study of vampirism, and one the likes of which I have personally not seen before

Despite the frequently negative criticism of this film, I maintain that it has some great moments, and is an overall fairly impressive minor-league effort.

5.5/10

A unique idea spoiled

[ekaun · 3/10 · 13 July 2007]

This film started with a great idea, something most people haven't heard of, and did a reasonable job with setup and creepy suspense. Then it decomposed into nonsense, like too many horror films. The straight-laced, serious Peter starts singing, mocking, carrying on and generally goofing around. Cupid is seen to be very strong, but both she and Peter stand there doing nothing as Kat escapes again (though not for long). Why the repeated near-escape-then-recapture scenes? Why yet another can't-quite-reach-the-tool-they-left-just-out-of-arm's-reach setup?

Too bad they didn't have a decent writer; the base concept is chilling.

Good enough original take on the vampire horror genre.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 6/10 · 23 June 2011]

You could call this movie like "Rosamary's Baby", only done way worse. Not saying that "Aswang" is an horrible movie though, on the contrary actually. It's being saved by the fact that it's taking an original approach to a well known genre, without ever becoming a great movie as well though.

The movie is being a big of a mixed bag. On the one hand it's being a quite original and also atmospheric movie but on the other, it isn't a really well told one. It's a movie that takes a more slow approach but in its slower moments it doesn't manage to build up any tension. The movie is really lacking in some good interesting mystery and some well done horror. It doesn't make this the most interesting movie to watch.

With a more experienced director at the helm this movie would already had been a better one. A more experienced director would had know how to handle this story more properly and make it a more interesting and effective movie. Instead now the storytelling is too often lacking in its pace and approach.

Still it remains a somewhat refreshing movie to watch, due to its original take on the genre and also because it often isn't holding back on its gore. I therefore still consider this movie to be a watchable one and even a recommendable one as well, especially when you also consider that this was an extremely low-budget production.

6/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Just Bad

[kjs-2 · 2/10 · 29 August 2003]

The DVD cover made out like this 1994 film was not released before because of its shocking content. Shockingly bad maybe. There are few horror films that are less shocking than this lame-in-all-ways film. More than half this film is filler and all of it is bad.

This is Ed Wood quality film making (but probably bigger budget) that is trying to be taken serious. Avoid at all cost. Avoid these film-makers at all cost.

USA DVD released 2003. (1 out of 10)

Phillipino Southern Gothic Horror

[doctorschlock · 6/10 · 24 May 2005]

I enjoyed this blend of horror. Something old. Something new. Of course, we old schoolers have seen this before....an old family with a sinister secret is hiding something and it's up to an outsider to find out what it is before they themselves are destroyed or consumed by it. In this film, it's something we didn't really expect so therein lies the true horror element. Not just a true horror element, but a taboo one at that. One of the best uses of horror in this film is the off screen presence of lurking doom. What is it? When will it strike. Who will it strike? How do you destroy or kill it? Is it human? Was it human? It's the same fear you get when walking in the woods near dark. A good creepy fear.

I'm getting sick of people giving bad horror flicks good reviews

[snshn2 · 1/10 · 27 February 2004]

This falls under the "when a good idea happens to a BAD movie. Utter garbage. Low grade Z entertainment. Only 83 minutes long but you'd swear it was over 2 hours. Bad acting, directing, writing...you name it... do not buy into the hype on the cover..its the same con used on box covers in the 80s. Story about a Filipino Vampire called an Aswang..problem number one: There isnt ONE Filipino Vampire in the movie! You get 3 rich WHITE Americans who only say they were from the Phillipines...oh to be fair there IS ONE Filipino..shes the nurse caretaker who supposedly looks after the "vampires"..man this film was horrendous tripe. Nothing shocking...even if this was in the 70s, it wouldnt be shocking..... the charactors behave BEYOND dumb, and even move SLOW at times to help the bad people catch up to them! STAY AWAY!

Gory Updating Of ROSEMARY'S BABY

[dmsesquire · 6/10 · 27 May 2005]

An unwed mother-to-be ostensibly signs her unborn baby over for adoption, but the adoptive family has other plans. Long on suspense, short on scares, the film still manages to create a genuinely creepy and claustrophobic setting for its cast of bizarros (the low-budget production values contribute to the movie's sense of impending doom) but it is Tina Ona Paukstelis's plucky (not to mention physically grueling) performance that saves the day. Proof positive that performances contribute as much to the suspense of a film as lighting, sound, and cinematography. Joe Bob Briggs called this one "nasty". He's right. (6/10)

(useless to summarize; very disappointing, inaccurate movie)

[zhouryuuen · 1/10 · 18 September 2009]

I have seen the movie and honestly, I STRONGLY DISLIKE it. Being "aswang" isn't like being a vampire that is contagious. I doubt if the writers ever made thorough research. Not because you've ever been to the Philippines and got acquainted with an "aswang" you'll eventually turn into one. I am Filipino who grew up listening to my grandmother's stories about this creature. As a modern day student, I have been researching extensively and read numerous books written by fellow Filipino professors who have traveled and investigated all over the country for many years. They all share common information about "aswang" -- information which remained consistent even in Filipino movies. This so-called "A" movie internationally produced is a big slap on our faces, an insult, and humiliation to us. It opposes our culture and beliefs on how "aswangs" really are. Please writers and producers, be responsible in researching and providing your audience precise information; and not just making it gory to scare the hell out of us and earn. SHAME ON YOU!!!

Shockingly different effort

[christopher-underwood · 8/10 · 19 March 2005]

This starts off being something of a cross between Society and Rosemary's Baby and for the first half hour is really quite creepy. For the rest of the film things are distinctly more nasty and occasionally almost too repulsive to watch. Possibly budgetary restraints led to most off the movie being shot in just the one colour, brown, but not without effect. In fact the gloom is about as cheerful as this nasty film gets, there are splashes of humour but you are rarely in the mood for smiling and from the spooky Filipino maid, Cupid, to the manic leading man and his almost dead mother and crazed sister all is very, very wrong. I cannot understand the bad reviews this film has received because to me it seemed a shockingly different effort in the horror field. I suppose much has been borrowed from earlier horrors but there is enough that is different to certainly set it apart from much more celebrated films.

Not bad for 90's indie horror

[Heislegend · 6/10 · 19 September 2009]

This movie is certainly interesting in many ways and for different reasons. It was the first horror movie ever shown at Sundance. It's also a serious departure from the usually tired and done-to-death western vampire stories. Plus, for a movie made in 1994, it doesn't suffer from the usual woodenness of pretty much all horror films that came out in the 90's.

I guess I watched this because I always thought the idea of aswangs (a vampire/witch type creature from Filipino folklore) was kind of cool. I suppose the promise of some gore didn't hurt either. Although, on the gore front I was somewhat let down. The version I watched said it was uncut, but if that's the case I'd really hate to see the cut version. There's not much going on here in the way of gore or really much physical violence period. The horror aspect comes more from the tension than anything else and it seems to work rather well. The story is fairly simple, revolving around a pregnant girl who is tricked and led to a remote home where a family of aswangs attempts to steal (or eat?) her unborn baby. While not entirely original, it's done well and doesn't drag on as one might expect. The acting is above par for the budget, but only slightly.

All in all it's not a bad time. I do wish they would have touched on the mythology of the aswang, especially since the family is about as white as they can be but it's just mentioned that they used to live in the Phillipines. Fair enough, but without any back story that's just a bit lame. I'd really like to see the original uncut version (I have to assume that the one I watched was the "R" version), but still it's not too bad.

Okay and not as gory as reputation suggests

[Elespantosurgedelatumba · 4/10 · 6 February 2021]

I saw this film on DVD thanks to Mondo Macabro, the front of the cover declared the film to be a gore fest as did the blurb at the back, and even though it did have some bloody moments, it was no more gory than say , the Evil Dead or Friday the 13th , the story tells of a pregnant girl who has hit hard times and doesnt particularly want the child , she is given a very generous offer by a wealthy couple to stay with them in luxury and then hand the baby over and get generously paid , the dream becomes a nightmare as she realises that the family are Aswang , a breed of Filipino vampire with a taste for babies in or out of the womb, they eat the babies with their huge snake like tongues, the story plods along at a slow pace and you know thats the case when you start thinking what shopping you have to get tomorrow, a one off watch type movie

"It's a girl."

[Backlash007 · 28 May 2006]

The Unearthing is a film I'd had been wanting to see for a long time and now wish I hadn't bothered. The movie succeeds at being disgusting and nothing else. It does offer a bit of a different spin on the vampire lore. The film's villains are based in the Philipino legend of the Aswang (don't laugh). The Aswang is demon or vampire that feeds upon unborn fetuses. Unfortunately it is never utilized in a way that is new or interesting. It's just a boring mess. And it's drawn out to a point where I wanted to start fast-forwarding to the conclusion we all knew was coming. The acting is appalling, the direction slack, and there is so much padding here that the movie could have been a 30 minute short. Trust me and avoid this one.

Great Atmosphere, Good acting, Bad edits

[captainpass · 7/10 · 12 March 2020]

So Norman Moses ("Peter Null") looks quite a bit like James Widdoes (circa 1978/Animal House). With that out of the way:

The atmosphere in the movie reminds me a lot of the really early to mid 1970s experimental/low budget horror movies like "Messiah of Evil," "Lemora: A Child's Tale" or the Robert Quarrels movies. It is a slow burn, but manages to use its low rent properties effectively, creating a really creepy environment where the action takes place.

The actors are all unknowns. But they are surprisingly good. If there is a downside, it is that some of the shots and the edits are really poor at certain points. Some of the action is hard to make sense of, based upon the way things were shot and then edited. I realize in the pre-digital age, this was quite a bit more difficult and expensive. Still . . .

People seem to love this movie or hate it. On the whole, I have to recommend it. It's not as good, say, as "Messiah of Evil;" but it is worth the watch.

fantastic indie horror

[andystarke · 9/10 · 9 September 2003]

Aswang is a great low budget horror movie... made for next to nothing in the tradition of the evil dead, the film is a knowing and loving treatment of the horror genre. Bizarrely taking philippino foetus sucking vampires ( now relocated to wisconsin!!!) as its storyline the movie packs more set pieces, story lines, deliciously camp moments into its 84 minutes than most big budget horrors could dream of. With a calibre of acting much much higher than could be expected for its budget the film delivers plenty of shocks and gore as well as keeping its tongue firmly placed in its cheek. A real pleasure to watch.... you see it doesnt take an army of computer graphics designers and a hundred million dollars to make a good movie...just some brains, commitment and a thirty foot rubber tongue! great stuff!

A Combination Film

[ripper_421 · 9/10 · 10 May 2004]

This movie caught my eye on the shelf with it's impressive sounding reviews printed on the front. Words such as, "original", "gory", and, "shocking". As the movie plays on, these things turn out to be at least slightly true. Parts of the movie seem to be mildly reminiscent of, "Rosemary's Baby", "Friday the 13th", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", and Lucio Fulci's "House by the Cemetery". Even if sometimes only in directing style. Plus much like Coscarelli's "Phantasm", things get just a little stranger continuously as it unfolds. I did have a good idea of what was coming next a lot of the time. HOWEVER, the minor details in between my kind of knowing what was going to happen made it worth waiting to see exactly how it would turn out. The special effects were good enough for a bizarre little tale of horror on film. People complain too much about that kind of thing in most instances. There is an in between area on the excellent to awful spectrum that this film fits into nicely in that department. Go ahead and check it out if you like to see something just that tiny un-explainably bit different than everything else. At least you already know it HAS to be better than "House of the Dead", right?

I can't find any word in my thesaurus to describe how bad it is

[ShazaliSharaini · 26 June 2004]

Damn! I've been fooled again! I still don't learn from previous lessons not to trust comments on DVD covers.

I don't know WHAT I was thinking when buying this DVD. Whoever wrote those comments and synopsis should be shot. It says here this movie was a sensation when it hit Sundance in 1994? What kind of sensation? Puking?

Let me quote some of what's written on the back cover:

"After a brief theatrical release, nervous video chains refused to carry the film and the shocker [BWAAAHAHAHAHA] all but disappeared."

When it disappeared, why did they bring it back? IT DISAPPEARED FOR A REASON, GODDAMMIT!!!!

I WANTED TO GET RID OF THIS MOVIE, BUT NOONE WANTS IT. I gave it to a friend for his birthday, and he posted it back to me a week later. that goes to show how bad it is. I hope more people would buy this film because I won't be the only one stoopid enough to see it.

Hey, i didn't even spoil it for you.

cool idea... possible spoiler

[histstudent · 19 October 2004]

Seems as though I too, like so many others, was convinced to rent this based on the comments on the jacket. It said something about video stores not carrying this movie.....but I don't know why. I kept thinking they were going to do something gruesome to the baby but they didn't. What else would prevent video stores from carrying it? The old woman's tongue thing was really gross but not THAT gross. I've seen worse for sure!!

I thought overall the concept of this type of vamp was really interesting. I had never heard of it, which will always pique my interest. It seems to be a genuine myth from the philippines....but what an inefficient method of bloodsucking!! Is all that really necessary?

Problems: what is with the maid? Why did she kill everyone but the little girl? Who are all those other janines? Where are all those dead babies coming from? The doc. says "scores" of them...so they can't all be from the former janines.

Overall, not a bad low budget effort. Interesting monster, weird story but not tied together well at the end. Not really scary, but the tongue thing really grossed me out.

Strange story, poorly executed film

[Katatonia · 7 October 2003]

+---------------- WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD ----------------+

Aswang is a strange movie, but that does not mean it's particularly a great movie. Obviously shot on a shoestring budget, it would have helped to have had a larger budget and a better developed script and cast. The script itself has an interesting premise, but it's never really explained in detail and many things in the movie make little or no sense. Sometimes that works in movies, but at the end of this movie I was seriously asking many questions, and not really in a good way. They paradoxically reveal too much and too little of the story in this movie.

The movie leans on a popular Philippino mythic vampire/creature called the "Aswang". I looked up the definition after the film and learned that an Aswang looks like a normal human during the day, and like an Aswang creature at night assuming various animal forms. They are sometimes thought of as flying creatures and are afraid of metals. They are especially fond of human babies and human intestines. The movie correctly dwelled upon the Aswang extracting the baby from a mother's womb by extending their tongue. Okay, that explains the basics of an Aswang. I don't think it would have mattered too much if I did know this information before watching the movie.

There is some gore in the film, but I never found it to be necessary for the overall story. Gorehounds will enjoy this much more than the majority of viewers. One scene where a hand gets chopped off was so obviously fake it was utterly hilarious. The weird thing is, the camera was so close to the fake hand. As if the viewer wouldn't notice it inches away? Was this an inside joke perhaps? It's not like an original "Evil Dead" gore effect that works mostly because it doesn't take itself entirely seriously. It was as if the director was actually proud of that special effect.

The acting in Aswang is a mixed bag. The lead performances are fairly natural and believable. But, a few of the performances are downright terrible, even as far as indie films are concerned. I doubt those people had ever acted before (or since) in their life, it was as if they were drugged and reading lines off a screen with no emotion.

Aswang was made in 1993 or 1994 from what I gather. Supposedly it wasn't released due to the "shocking things that go on in the movie". I personally didn't find this movie all that shocking. Strange and bizarre as far as the story goes perhaps...but shocking even for the early 1990's??? I somehow doubt it wasn't released for so long simply due to that one factor. I suppose some people will automatically think this is a "campy cult film" due to it's long delayed official release. In some aspects it is, but there are many films out there superior to Aswang that actually deserve the cult status. Just because Aswang was an independent B-Movie doesn't make it brilliant or even particularly memorable.

So, Aswang is worth one viewing simply because the storyline is somewhat interesting and unique. On closer examination, an original idea for a film is only as good as it's execution in the production.

Well, lets be fair here.

[garland-schaefers · 13 September 2003]

First off, if you are not a fan of Low Budget Horror Movies, go no further. You will not enjoy this movie. It appears to have been shot on 16mm film. Either that, or the stock they used was VERY old, because even in the new DVD transfer, there's a fair amount of grain.

HOWEVER, the plot is at least original (and you can't say that about ANYTHING out of Hollywood in the last few years) and the acting earnest.

That said, gore hounds will be disappointed, as this the new DVD appears to be a cut down "R" version that expunges some of the more graphic scenes. (I know they exist, at least one is shown in the trailer).

All told, this is an enjoyable Independent movie.