For years, negative film reviews in the Philippines have drawn hostility. Film journalists, vloggers, and content creators who publish bad or unfavorable reviews often get attacked — by filmmakers, industry insiders, and sometimes fans. Harassment has, sadly, become the go-to response to criticism.

Ironically, the same people who bash or bully critics for bad reviews are often the first to share them when they’re glowing.

The pattern is familiar. A critical review comes out, and suddenly egos are bruised — followed by anger, scrutiny, and retaliation. Over time, this has turned into a convenient accusation: that bad reviews weaken Philippine cinema, scare audiences away, and even hurt the box office.

So the thinking goes: if critics just softened their tone, “supported” local films, and shut up when they hated the movie, the industry would be better off. Really?

What audiences actually say

I asked more than a dozen people online — across different ages, professions, and cities — about their cinema habits and how they decide what to watch.

Their answers were astonishingly consistent. People aren’t skipping Filipino films because of critics. They’re skipping them because of price, access, habit, and trust.

Teacher Myn Tinio, Pampanga, said her last Tagalog film in a cinema was Starting Over Again, which she watched nearly a decade ago. “Ang mahal ng sine (Movie tickets are already too expensive),” Tinio said. “Inaabangan na lang namin lumabas sa mga online platforms (We just wait for them to come out on streaming platforms).”

Finance professional Mei Esguerra, Mandaluyong, said home viewing became her norm during the pandemic. “Sanay na po akong manood sa bahay dahil sa Netflix simula noong pandemic (I’ve gotten used to watching at home because of Netflix since the pandemic),” Esguerra said.

For Air Urquiola, managing director from San Juan, ticket price isn’t the issue at all. “Main factor talaga is the storyline (The main factor is really the storyline),” Urquiola said. “Malaking bagay din ‘yung cast (The cast also matters a lot).”

Access, cost and habit

Cost came up again and again.

Freelance virtual assistant Jeff Cacho, Manila, said ticket prices now range from P400 to P600. “That’s almost the daily wage of a minimum-wage earner,” Cacho said. “That amount already pays for a month of Netflix.”

Lower prices alone don’t automatically bring people back. When asked if they’d watch more Filipino films if tickets went down to P250, most said price alone still wouldn’t be enough.

Newswriter Marimelle Figueroa, Quezon City, last watched a local film in 2015, Heneral Luna. “Still no,” Figueroa said. “May Netflix na so parang mas sulit siya for me (There’s already Netflix, so it feels more worth it for me).”

High school teacher Michael Gallos, Pasig, considered it. “Posible (Possible),” Gallos said, “pero depende sa kalidad ng movie (but it depends on the quality of the movie).”

Cacho agreed. “That’s a fair price and that can be a consideration,” he said. “Lalo na if indie films o mga bagong mukha at refreshing stories ang mapapanood ko (Especially if it means watching indie films or new faces with refreshing stories).”

Content fatigue

“Sobrang daming baduy na Tagalog movies (There are just so many bad Tagalog movies),” Cacho said. He added that years of mainstream Pinoy movies left him with “trauma,” saying he now often “skips” the Metro Manila Film Festival.

Billing officer Carol Punzalan, Malabon, echoed that sentiment. “Tinatamad, feeling ko ’pag local movies parang same story lang (I get lazy — local movies feel like the same story),” she said. Her last cinema visit was in December 2024 for Green Bones.

Gallos described many Tagalog films as “corny at mababaw (corny and shallow),” adding that he now prefers foreign films on streaming platforms.

Even people who still go to the cinema choose carefully.

Joseph Darren Centeno, a legal prosecutor in Vigan, pointed to geography. “About two years ago was the last time I saw a Tagalog movie,” Centeno said. “Since I am from the province where malls are not conveniently accessible to travel to, and I’m not very much into Tagalog films.”

The role of critics

Critics don’t set ticket prices. They don’t decide where cinemas are built, how many screens a film gets, or how long it plays. At most, they influence the conversation.

For Ching Santos, customer service manager from Baguio, reviews matter because watching a movie is already a financial risk. “Mahal ang sine eh (Movies are expensive),” Santos said. “Gusto ko ma-make sure na sulit ‘yung pera. Effort din lumabas para manood sa sinehan. Nagbago na mga tao since pandemic (I want to make sure my money is worth it. It also takes effort to go out just to watch in a cinema. People have changed since the pandemic).”

Social media manager Allen Nico Bañares, San Juan, said he checks reviews before committing. “Heavily reliant ako sa mga movie reviewers o critics before watching a film sa sinehan kasi sobrang daming baduy na Tagalog movies. Kapag maglalabas ako ng sariling pera para manood, gusto ko maganda na agad ang reviews para kahit papaano ‘sulit’ ang panonood (There are so many bad Tagalog movies. When I’m spending my own money to watch a film, I want the reviews to already be good so it feels worth it),” Bañares said.

Creative director Jonathan Tresvalles, Manila, said reviews help him decide if a ticket is worth it. “Hindi mura ang sine (Movies aren’t cheap),” Tresvalles said.

Finance team manager Nell Bermejo, Quezon City, said reviews are only part of the equation. “Minsan, I read reviews to check kung worth it, pero hindi siya deciding factor (Sometimes I read reviews to check if it’s worth it, but it’s not the deciding factor),” Bermejo said. “If I like the actor or story based sa trailer, panoorin ko pa rin kahit may bad review (If I like the actor or story based on the trailer, I’ll still watch it even if there’s a bad review).”

Bank employee Chris Alera, Makati, described a more selective approach. “I always make it a point to watch it myself,” Alera said. “Then I look for a critic who echoes my thoughts.”

Lawyer Lynn Elevado, Marikina, said she watched three Filipino films in theaters in 2025 — Sunshine, Mudrasta and Quezon. “Sometimes I watch movies when I’m curious about them, regardless of reviews.”

Just careful

Trust, however, is fragile. Audiences know some online reviews come with free screenings, perks, or gifts. That reality blurs the line between critique and promotion.

Tinio acknowledged this directly. “Baka iba ‘yung taste or perspectives nila (Their taste or perspectives might be different),” she said. “Or baka paid reviews (Or they might be paid reviews).”

College instructor Mikee Brosas, Cavite, doesn’t reject critics — but he doesn’t treat them as gospel either. “Mas naniniwala pa rin ako sa feedback ng mga taong malapit sa’kin (I still trust feedback from people close to me more),” Brosas said.

He still sees value in criticism. “May punto din naman ang mga kritiko, lalo na sa teknikal na aspeto (Critics do have a point, especially on technical aspects),” Brosas said. “Pero mas maingat na ako ngayon kung sinong pinakikinggan (But I’m more careful now about who I listen to),” he added. “Sa huli, ‘yung kuwento at puso ng pelikula ang tumataya sa’kin, hindi ‘yung rating (In the end, it’s the story and heart of the film that matter to me, not the rating).”

The real damage

Criticism does not weaken Philippine cinema. What weakens it is an ecosystem that treats criticism as sabotage. It is also weakened by an industry divided by political factions, cliques, and loyalty-based support systems.

Criticism plays a role here, and it’s not a destructive one. It helps draw lines between what works and what doesn’t. It helps audiences decide how to spend limited time and money. And for an industry that keeps repeating itself, criticism is often the only external pressure pushing it to evolve.

Cinema still matters. But it won’t survive on guilt-driven calls to “support local,” or by attacking people who are honest about what they watched.

Critics are not the enemy. The industry’s problems run deeper. Fixing them will require far more than silencing those who point them out.