Malambot na bato: A bizarre trip into the past

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on how much patience you have for movies that operate on dream logic. If you like your films polished and coherent, skip this. If you enjoy seeing how filmmakers used to pull off magic tricks with basically zero budget, keep reading.

There is something inherently charming about the way this movie moves. It doesn't care about pacing. It doesn't care about keeping the audience on board.

The vibe

Watching Malambot na bato feels a bit like digging through an old box of photos you didn't know you had. The edges are frayed. The colors are faded. There’s a scene about halfway through where the action just stops for what feels like five minutes while someone stares at a wall. I don't know if it was an artistic choice or if the camera jammed, but it was captivating.

The practical effects are, well, they are trying their best. Sometimes that’s enough. Other times, you can clearly see the strings, and you just have to laugh because it’s so endearing.

Small observations

• The sound mixing is all over the place. One minute it's whisper-quiet, then suddenly the background noise is loud enough to rattle your speakers.
• Juanita Angeles has this one expression she uses for everything—joy, terror, mild indigestion—and I’m honestly kind of impressed by it.
• There’s a strange energy here that reminds me a little of the messy, unpredictable spirit found in The Mysterious Pearl.

I found myself wondering if they even had a full script on set. Some of the dialogue sounds like it was shouted across the street from another room. It’s not necessarily good, but it’s real in a way that modern stuff rarely is. You won't find any of that sleek, soulless perfection here.

It’s weird. It’s clunky. It’s occasionally baffling. But I didn't want to turn it off. 🤷‍♂️