Don Filipo (2021)

Not very good either as horror or BL

If bare skin could compensate for other weaknesses in a film, this would be quite a good film. For no good reason, the male characters spend more screen time in just their underwear or less.

However, there isn't much of BL here except that one man has a one-sided love for another, and it doesn't feel at all like BL. As for horror, there are plenty of the usual tactics (ominous music, ghosts appearing in mirrors, etc) to scare those who would *not* want to watch horror because they are easily scared. The film isn't at all likely to appeal to those who actually enjoy horror.

Still, this isn't a lengthy film and if you are not expecting groundbreaking work in either BL or horror, it isn't altogether bad. There is a bit of a plot twist towards the end, though it seems like a twist that seems to exist for the sake of having a twist. One might also appreciate the characterization of Obet--the motivations for his behavior and the struggles he undergoes lend some semblance of depth to an otherwise superficial film.

And while I'm not averse to nudity in film, the focus on the men's bodies is pointless. The characters may simply be in their underwear, but does it serve the story for the camera to linger on ... whatever region the clothing is covering with more eagerness than an underwear commercial. It would actually seem more respectable if an underwear company had sponsored the film and asked for product placements. Perhaps the filmmakers are eager to have something to attract audiences, but if this is so, it is baffling why they have not gone for full-blown BL and steamy sex scenes.

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