This is a Filipino action drama set during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II. The film revolved around Alex (Fernando Poe Jr.), a guerrilla assassin tasked with eliminating Filipino collaborators and sympathizers with the Japanese forces.

Mangliligpit translates to a variety of words but can be gently directly translated to one who cleans up or keeps something tidy vis-a-vis getting rid of someone. Alex, can be said as having poor judgment as an assassin. He visits a female friend en route to a mission. As an able bodied man, he is profiled by local authorities as a guerilla and gets picked up. From here a series of events unfold that blindsides the guerrillas and places Alex at a crossroad.

Shot in black and white this movie has a fairly uneven pace with usually good performances from its leads. FPJ being already a bonafide action star shows a little bit of range. Battle scenes were quite lacking and clearly inadequate on historical fact.

Fans of war movies could be disappointed. FPJ does what he does but less action chops. This is a wasted potential of a very interesting topic of assassins during the second world war.

The action genre features fast-paced, thrilling, and intense sequences of physical feats, combat, and excitement. The characters of these stories are involved in daring and often dangerous situations, requiring them to rely on their physical prowess, skills, and quick thinking to overcome challenges and adversaries.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The war genre features armed conflicts, both historical and fictional, and the experiences of individuals and groups involved in warfare. This genre explores the physical, emotional, and moral challenges faced by soldiers, civilians, and others affected by war.

Alex returns to a place familiar with a plot to rid of Japanese sympathisers.

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