4/5 Stars
Director Carlos Rivera (fictional name for the post) utilizes Manalo’s stoicism as a weapon. There is a ten-minute stretch in the middle of the film where Manalo has no dialogue; he simply drives through the rain, watching his rearview mirror. You can see the calculations, the fear, and the simmering rage in his eyes. It is a masterclass in subtle acting.
For years, Jay Manalo was often cast as the handsome antagonist or the brooding leading man. In Huling Hatid , he gets to play tired . And he does it beautifully.
His newest film, , is currently making waves on digital streaming platforms and select cinemas. And if you are a fan of slow-burn thrillers with emotional gut punches, you are in for a treat. What’s the Movie About? Without giving away too many spoilers, Huling Hatid follows the story of Ramon (Manalo), an aging former bodyguard trying to make an honest living as a motorcycle taxi driver in the chaotic streets of Metro Manila. When a routine passenger turns out to be the daughter of a crime lord he crossed twenty years ago, Ramon is pulled back into a world of violence he desperately tried to escape.
Jay Manalo has aged like fine wine. He no longer needs to shout to be intimidating, and he no longer needs a love scene to be compelling. He just needs a motorcycle, a dark road, and a reason to keep driving.
Huling Hatid is a solid comeback vehicle for Jay Manalo. It proves that while the industry is busy chasing young love teams and fantasy epics, there is still a hungry audience for grounded, adult-oriented dramas.
