FILM REVIEW: OTJ starring Joel Torre, Gerald Anderson and Piolo Pascual

 

OTJ: NOT YOUR ORDINARY ACTION MOVIE

I have watched a ton of action movies in my life and there is nothing compared to OTJ. It has all the ingredients of an action movie. It is fast paced, gun-toting villains, rugged sets and cursing dialogues. That alone can attest that this is a rough and tough action movie. But this action movie is totally different because of its subject. The story dwells on the never ending corruption in the government and its use of the 3Gs of politicians to get what they want and these are GUNS, GOONS and GOLD. This is the 3Gs in the present time. Totally different during the Marcos Era...This is 3Gs 2.0. Its is much fiercer. Much brutal. Much bloodier than ever before. This is OTJ ( On The Job) a film directed by Erik Matti.

OTJ: on the job

THE MOVIE

What is OTJ all about? Well as the title implies, it is the story of two hired killers namely Mario "Tatang" Maghari (Joel Torre) and Daniel Benitez (Gerald Anderson). Tatang being the veteran hired-killer and Daniel being the "back-up / trainee". The movie revolved around these two characters while Tatang teaches Daniel the ins-and-outs of being a hired killer. That, I think, is where the film title OTJ got its roots. But these two hired killers are not your ordinary hired killers. They are both captive criminals waiting for their sentence in jail. They are hired by politicians and military officers to kill certain individuals in the outside world for whatever purpose they may seem want. as long as there is money involved. Everyone was paid well. The killers, the wardens, all the jail guards and personnels are well paid in this endeavor. They are all contacted by a certain Mam Thelma. The go-between for the government officials and the Hired-killers themselves. The killers are free to go in and out of jail to fulfill their killing duties as long as they come back in to get paid. That is how the machine works. The High Government officials contacts Thelma and Thelma contacts the killers in the jail to do the dirty work.The only paper trail is the MONEY. All guns, knives, paraphernalias and evidences of the killings are all taken cared of and disposed by Thelma herself. So its a clean murder.  Because of this task both Tatang and Daniel are doing they already became monsters, heartless and souless individuals. all they think about is the Money! They even lied to their families that they are in jail. As long as they send the money home they are good.

The movie progressed to one killing after another by Tatang and Daniel that led them to the killing of Atty. Francis Coronel Jr. (Piolo Pascual) who was an NBI Agent and The son of a famous military officer who was murdered because of its principles which are against the rotten and greedy principle of General Pacheco ( Leo Martinez ), another military officer of the government, and also the friend of the Francis's Father in law. Sensing that Francis is turning its back on his plans, General Pacheco hired killers to take care of Atty Coronel. And they succeed in the end.

The story became even richer when the parole of Tatang is finally approved. He hopes that this parole will make his job easier outside of jail. So he reported to Thelma that he can be a much effective killer when he is paroled. But Thelma said otherwise. She, Thelma, hires jail inmates as killers because they are less likely to be suspected as the killers. So Tatang outside of jail his services will not be needed anymore. Knowing this Tatang's world crumbled to pieces. The situation in his life got even intense when he knew that his wife/live-in partner Lolet (Angel Aquino) was having an affair with another man (Mon Confiado). His world became even gloomier. Outside the jail he has no job, no money and no family to go back to...so he has to make a decision. He decided to kill Daniel, his protege, so he will be sentenced again to jail and keeps his job and money and insanity. That was  the tragic ending of Daniel, the boastful, young, aggressive hired-killer that could have a lot of potential as a good killer because of his aggressiveness. There goes his budding career.

The actors did a great job creating the characters for this movie.

Gerald Anderson as Daniel

GERALD ANDERSON

He is a revelation in this movie. He is full of angst and so into character as the trainee killer. Gerald has truly graduated with his teeny bopper roles in the past. His tweetums days of the kimerald are totally not seen in his acting in this movie. The only let-down with Gerald here is his looks. He is so white and clean looking, even if he is in shabby clothes he is still not believable as a jail inmate.That is only in terms of looks only. His acting is superb here. His love scene with Dawn Jimenez was hot. But it was like its just an add-on to the movie. The director can totally cut that scene and the movie will survive. But it is damn hot. Gerald is great in love making scenes. In general Gerald gave superb acting in the film He was action in this action movie.

JOEL TORRE

Joel Torre as Tatang

If Gerald was the action in this movie, Joel Torre was the soul. He acted low key but intense. He did not shout or run amok here but he managed to portray in a matter of a few scenes that he is the veteran and the old hired-killer who was being taken over by a younger one. Joel Torre's acting shone the brightest here with somber facial expressions and calm line delivery. He is truly deserving of being called a super versatile actor who can act any kind of roles to any whims he have whatsoever. Just right. Just superb. Just Joel Torre.

Piolo Pascual as Atty. Coronel

PIOLO PASCUAL

His role in the movie is not as big as Gerald's or Joel's. He is the NBI agent who tries to investigate a case of a certain individual which led him to trace the killers of his own father which is General Pacheco himself. Eventually led to the killing of his character. His acting was just okay. No dramatic scenes. Just plain NBI agent investigating a case.

surprise guest apperances

GUEST APPEARANCES

There are surprise appearances of veteran actors in the movie which gave a richer character to the movie. Of note worthy are the following: There's Joey Marquez as SPO1 Joaquin Acosta as the partner of Atty. Coronel in his investigation. Rosanna Roces as Joaquin's wife who had a drug-addict son played by JM De Guzman. There's also Nino Mulach as the drug-den operator. Shaina Magdayao as Nicki Coronel, Francis' wife. William Martinez as the greedy Jail warden Rex. Empress Shuck as Tatang's only daughter in the movie. And the mysterious hidden face of Ms.Vivian Velez as Thelma the heartless middleman.

OVER-ALL

This movie brought us to the underworld of prison. It showed us that the walls of the prison cells are silent witness to a lot of crimes and criminals of this world. It also showed us how ugly this world is. This hidden world is not for the weak-hearted and the sissies. For one to survive here, one must be tough from the skin to the bone. One must be ready to kill or yet be killed. This world is very much the same with the world of greedy politicians and military officers in the Philippines today. Greed, lust, and the less value for life littered with stolen money makes their world. The world that made them hard hearted and souless. OTJ may not be the best action film ever made. But this film delivers a timely message for those who have no conscience in stealing people's money for their own well-being. Neglecting the reason why they are in government positions. TO SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THEM.