Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids

Last updated

Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids
Directed byVincent Soberano
Written byVincent Soberano
Based on Blood Hunters (2016) by Vince Soberano
Produced byElaine Carriedo Lozano
StarringVincent Soberano
Monsour del Rosario
Sarah Chang
Cinematography
  • Miguel Cruz
  • Takeyuki Onishi
[1]
Edited byDavid Benjamin Ignacio
Music byTamara dela Cruz
Production
companies
  • IndieGo Pictures
  • RSVP Film Studios
  • Cinefenio Films
Distributed byIndieGo Pictures
Release dates
  • November 9, 2019 (2019-11-09)(United States)
  • November 19, 2020 (2020-11-19)(Philippines)
Running time
70 minutes
CountryPhilippines
Language
  • Filipino

Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids [2] is a Philippine fantasy martial arts film directed by Vincent Soberano and is costarred by Soberano and Monsour del Rosario. The feature film is based on the 2016 short film, Blood Hunters.

Contents

Synopsis

Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids revolves around a bid of a secret organization called Blood Hunters [3] to kill the Queen of the aswang Maya (Mayling Ng). [4] The aswang are an "underworld species" with the intention of using her blood to revive deceased humans back to life as aswang beings. [5] Former soldier Jun, who injected himself with the queen's blood and is the first hybrid, leads the aswang hybrid army with his minions Gundra (Mekael Turner) and Naga (Temujin Shirzada). [6]

Gabriella Chen (Sara Chang) an aswang hunter, aims to kill the aswang hybrid Naga to avenge her family's death. She was caught in an explosion [7] but was rescued by Max (Ian Ignacio) and Kali (Roxanne Barcelo) who lead her to their group. [4] The group's leader Monte (Monsour Del Rosario) also summoned Bolo (Vincent Soberano), another hunter who injects himself with aswang blood and also lost his family like Gabriella. [4] Realizing that the aswangs are planning an attack, the other aswang hunters launch a preemptive attack [1] on the aswang hybrid lair. [3]

Cast

Feature film [5]

Short film

Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids, a feature film was derived from a short film entitled Blood Hunters by the same film production team. The feature film was described by its director, Vince Soberano as an expanded version of the short film. The story of the film will "pick up" from the short film. The short film was awarded the best short film at the 2016 Cinemax HBO Action Film Competition and the Urban Action Showcase and Expo. The short film featured an all-Filipino cast. [8]

Soberano, also directed the short film remarked that people thought that filming techniques similar to what is used in Hollywood were devised in the making of the short film but said that the production team used cheaper and improvised equipment such as using cigarette boxes as cushion instead of mattresses. He also remarked that the production team can't afford to rent Arri Alexa or Black Magic digital camera systems or to use cable wires for the short film's production due to a limited budget. He attributed the short film's success to what he calls "Filipino ingenuity" and said that the team refused to compromise the film's quality despite time constraints. [8]

The short film was shot entirely in Bacolod and features a group of people labeled as aswang. An all-female cast portrayed the group were characterized by Soberano as a misunderstood and "kinda witches" who has an ability to transform themselves which they do to scare but not kill people. They are depicted as protectors of the forest, scary-looking and vegetarians – not carnivorous like the aswang. [9]

Feature film

Production

Director Vince Soberano is also the writer and producer of the film and one of the film's starring actors along with Monsour del Rosario. A martial artist himself along with Del Rosario, Soberano made the film to promote awareness on Filipino martial arts. He noted that the fighting method was used in foreign films such as John Wick , Jason Bourne , Frankenstein but said that Filipinos are not aware of its use since it was practiced by Hollywood actors. [10]

Concept

The film have both fantasy and action elements. Aside from Filipino martial arts, the supernatural creatures known as the aswang will be featured in the film. The beings in the film according to Soberano will have different types of breed. The feature film will have Kumander Jun, a mercenary who injected himself with aswang blood, as protagonist. He characterizes the aswang in the film as beings who used to be predators but are now victims. He cites the phrase Don't judge a book by its cover, remarking that the aswang in his film must not be assumed as killers. [9]

Filming

The filming of Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids (then with the working title of just Blood Hunters) began in October 2016 in Morong, Bataan. By November 2016 filming was on halt and was scheduled to resume in January 2017. The film's cast will compose of actual practitioners of Filipino Martial Arts. Fight rehearsals were also scheduled in December 2016. [8] Scenes were filmed in a day while rehearsal lasts for a week. The cast rehearsed about 12 hours daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Soberano said that he has already planned the editing and set designing aspects of the film before working on the set. [9]

The last day of filming was done also in Morong on March 7, 2017. [10]

Release

On March 7, 2017, it was announced that the producers of Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids intend to participate at the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival. They were reportedly the first to express interest to participate in the annual film festival traditionally held every December, but was not selected to be shown. [10]

Blood Hunters was released on November 19, 2020, in the Philippines as part of the main feature showcase of the 2020 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP). Entries of the PPP was streamed online through the FDCP Channel platform of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Manananggal</i> Vampire-like creature from Philippine folklore

The manananggal is a mythical creature in the Philippines that is able to separate its upper torso from the lower part of its body. Their fangs and wings give them a vampire-like appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aswang</span> Philippine mythical creature

Aswang is an umbrella term for various shape-shifting evil creatures in Filipino folklore, such as vampires, ghouls, witches, viscera suckers, and transforming human-beast hybrids. The aswang is the subject of a wide variety of myths, stories, arts, and films, as it is well known throughout the Philippines. Spanish colonists noted that the aswang was the most feared among the mythical creatures of the Philippines, even in the 16th century. Although with no specific motive other than harming others, their behavior can be interpreted as an inversion of the traditional Filipino's values. The aswang is especially popular in southern parts of Luzon, and some parts of Mindanao and Visayas, especially the Visayan province of Capiz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monsour del Rosario</span> Taekwondo practitioner, martial arts actor

Manuel Monsour Tabib del Rosario III, known professionally as Monsour del Rosario is a Filipino actor, martial artist, producer, and politician. He is popularly known as a Filipino taekwondo champion and actor who starred in several Filipino and international action films. He is the Secretary General of the Philippine Taekwondo Association and a member of the Philippine Olympic National Sports Association Martial Arts Council. He has also served as a city councilor from the 1st district of Makati from 2010 to 2016 and later as congressman representing the same district from 2016 to 2019.

<i>Super Noypi</i> 2006 Filipino film

Super Noypi is a 2006 Filipino action superhero fantasy film released on December 25, 2006, directed by Quark Henares and produced by Regal Films. It was an official entry to the 32nd Metro Manila Film Festival. This was the last movie appearance of Sandara Park throughout her showbiz career in the Philippines.

When Eagles Strike is a 2003 war action film co-produced and directed by Cirio H. Santiago. The film stars ex-bodybuilder Christian Boeving, Stacy Keach, Davee Youngblood, Nate Adams, Eddie Garcia, Rey Malonzo, and Monsour del Rosario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert del Rosario</span> Filipino diplomat (1939–2023)

Albert Ferreros del Rosario Sr. was a Filipino businessman, diplomat, and government official. He served as the secretary of foreign affairs of the Philippines from 2011 to 2016 under the Benigno Aquino III administration. During his tenure as foreign minister, he was notable for representing the Philippines in a case against China's claim of the South China Sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Del Rosario, in Spanish and Italian languages, and do Rosário in Portuguese language is a surname that has as its etymology, the Latin preposition, "de" meaning "of the" and the Latin noun "rosarium", meaning "rosegarden" or "garland of roses" but in this case, takes the meaning of "rosary", the Roman Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary.

<i>Juan dela Cruz</i> (TV series) Filipino TV series or program

Juan dela Cruz is a 2013 Philippine superhero television series starring Coco Martin. The drama series is broadcast in full high definition and is dubbed to be ABS-CBN Studios' "most expensive and biggest drama" to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liza Soberano</span> Filipino actress (born 1988)

Hope Elizabeth Hanley Soberano is an American and Filipino actress. Born in Santa Clara, California, she relocated to the Philippines with her father and relatives to pursue an acting career. She started her career with supporting roles in dramas and comedies before playing lead roles in television series and blockbusters. She had her breakthrough in the series in Forevermore (2014), marking the first of her successful collaborations with Enrique Gil. She has received a FAMAS Award, a PMPC Star Award and four Box Office Entertainment Awards, and was named by Tatler twice as one of the most influential Filipino personalities in Asia.

The 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the 43rd edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival held in Metro Manila and throughout the Philippines. It is organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). During the festival, no foreign films are shown in Philippine theaters (except IMAX, 4D, and large format 3D theaters).

Enteng the Dragon is a 1988 Philippine comedy film directed by Romy Villaflor and written by Tony S. Mortel. It is a parody of the film Enter the Dragon.

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, abbreviated as PPP, is a film festival held in the Philippines in celebration of the Buwan ng Wika. It is organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines. Similar to the Metro Manila Film Festival, only shortlisted films will be shown in cinemas except in select 3D cinemas, VIP cinemas and IMAX theaters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippines at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games</span> Sporting event delegation

The Philippines participated in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan from 17-27 September 2017.

<i>The Trigonal: Fight for Justice</i> Filipino action film

The Trigonal: Fight for Justice is a 2018 Philippine action film written and directed by Vincent Soberano starring Rhian Ramos, Epy Quizon and Monsour Del Rosario. The film was distributed by Viva Films and it first released in Singapore during the film festival of Cannes Film Market and was released in the Philippines on September 26, 2018. It is the first Philippine film that uses all English.

Sarah Chang is an American actress, producer, stunt coordinator and martial artist. Chang is best known for her work in the title role in the DJI/Wanda film, The Teacher (2018), Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids (2018), Karen Wu in Circle of Bones (2019), Mei in The Trigonal: Fight for Justice (2018), and for her stunt coordination work in Gandarrapido: The Revengers Squad (2017).

Gabi Na, Kumander is a 1986 Philippine action war film edited and directed by Pepe Marcos. The film stars Phillip Salvador and Dindo Fernando. The film is based on a popular radio drama. It also marks the film debut of Monsour del Rosario.

The 2019 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino is the 3rd edition of the annual Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines. It featured 10 locally produced films which was screened from September 13 to 19, 2019.

The 2020 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino is the 4th edition of the annual Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

References

  1. 1 2 Anelli, Don (March 18, 2020). "Film Review: Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids (2020) by Vincent Soberano". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  2. ↑ Calderon, Ricky (March 17, 2017). "A new era for Pinoy action films". The Freeman. The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids- A What's a Geek Review!". What's A Geek. April 17, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Morazzini, Jim (March 12, 2020). "Review: BLOOD HUNTERS: RISE OF THE HYBRIDS (2019)" . Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  5. 1 2 "About - Blood Hunters". Facebook. Blood Hunters. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  6. ↑ Hawson, Fred (November 28, 2020). "PPP 2020 reviews: 'Kintsugi,' 'Blood Hunters,' 'The Helper'". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  7. ↑ econdor. "Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids – Review – Eastern Film Fans" . Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 Cruz, Marinel (November 28, 2016). "What makes PH filmmakers a cut above the rest". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 Donato, Jerry (November 25, 2016). "Vincent Soberano's fresh take on action and aswang". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 Bonifacio, Julie (March 11, 2017). "MMFF pinakinggan ang mga suhestiyon ni Grace Poe". Bandera (in Filipino). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Main 'Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 4' begins today". The Manila Times. November 19, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.