A decent Pseudo-Ghost Story. A neat Psychotic Ending via 'Seguna Mano'

The ingredients of an old-school horror: a tiny bit of jump scares, a melodramatic caused by the attachment of the protagonist to something, poltergeist effects or psychotic fiendish villain. Put these all together of their right amounts then you have your mind-blowing horror flick. What suckage that Segunda Mano didn't have all that; but, it managed to sew its good parts.

Here's what is about to happen: Mabel (Kris Aquino) is an "all-for-her-mother" owner of a filthy antique shop trying to recover from an incident happened years back. Ivan is Dingdong Dantes, a self-assumed widower who is on the same direction trying to build a better family for her kid. They got involved with each other, but hauntings followed Mabel like a shadow once Ivan proposed for marriage. Mabel is then about to find out sticky secrets that will truly test her love for Ivan.

SEGUNDA MANO IS HALF-SCARY. LITERALLY. If you are an enthusiast of the genre, then hopes must be put lower--a disappoint might come beneath your seats. If you're a happy man, just watching a movie, then this one is a bloody well-worth money movie.

The movie isn't much scary. Jump scares, the cheap ones, filled the first parts of the movie. The credibility of the film as a slick shocker lowers down until the second part of the movie when the tension and quality shocks build decently. The last twenty minutes were the most shocking and scary of all the time of the duration of the film. A wise twist in the end salvages the film from certain downfall.

KRIS AQUINO, DINGDONG DANTES, AND ANGELICA PANGANIBAN. They are the main leads of the movie. Kris Aquino said once in a show that this film is going to be a movie tangling three characters' story. To my surprise, Angelica Panganiban wasn't much involved with the story. The reason is, for some odd events, they decided to cut down some scenes of Angelica's character (Mariella), with her daughter that would somehow lead to a better attachment and development of her character.

Kris Aquino--oh shit. At some parts--I don't know if it's her character or her acting--she was inconsistent. At one sequence he would play the losyang kind of girl, and then in one scene you'd see her too rude, then back to the geeky outcast type again. Though the final confrontation scene was convincing. Her shock-expression troubles me a bit.

Dingdong Dantes is a lifesaver. A life-vest in this titanic-sinking-acting of this film. He consistently played his character superbly. He is like the Jerry (Collin Farrel) of Fright Night. The shark in Jaws. He's a show stopper this flick. Admission is given to Bangs Garcia, adding an over-acting character to the stir, leaving us with a pinch of fun mixed with the drama and scares.

SEGUNDA MANO IS FINE. It resembles a lot with her previous Dalaw, a bitchy ex-girlfriend/wife comes back from the grave to finish something unfinished. However director Bb. Joyce Bernal, a shocker to me, that she could do well in this genre, managed to make the film even more interesting adding a little twist in the end.

I'll say it once and for all. She used a two-pronged horror in this flick. One is supernatural, and the other psychological, making the film a delicious mix. But before I end up spoiling too much, I'd end it right here. You guys have to watch.

Segunda Mano sewed all of the good parts of a horror film. Some jump scares, melodrama, decent shocks, and a poltergeist or a psycho on the loose. However, it still left some awkward edges. With all that said, recognition still it deserves. 3.5 stars!