HIMAS (2024) – Overview
HIMAS is a feature film from the Philippines that came out in the middle of 2024. It was directed by Christian Paolo Lat and is available on the Vivamax streaming platform. The film stars Sahara Bernales, Felix Roco, MJ Abellera, and Zsara Laxamana in a story that explores the intertwining of disability, desire, deception, and moral frameworks, serving as a domestically provocative drama infused with psychological tension.
Plot Summary
The storyline revolves around Dana (Sahara Bernales) and her spouse Ed (Felix Roco) who is a former firefighter. Ed lost his eyesight as a result of an accident while working. This man is emotionally and mentally fragile and his disability of Ed’s leads to impotence which causes considerable friction in the marriage. Dana, while trying to care for Ed, is gradually becoming unfulfilled emotionally and physically.
The two of them operate a massage spa located by the beach. Ed brings on an assistant to help with the business, Kokoy (MJ Abellera). Kokoy is a young illiterate who, through unorthodox means, blends into the couple’s life. Kokoy’s presence, albeit awkward, is harmless at first. But as the story unfolds, he becomes increasingly manipulative and predatory toward Dana.
A complex love triangle develops. Dana becomes involved with Kokoy as he overtly flirts with her, gradually pulling her into conversations and later into their sexual relations. What starts as an invitation into rekindling romance slowly evolves into betrayal and fixation. Kokoy takes advantage of Dana’s emoitional weakness, and Ed, watching from the sidelines, tries to manage his overwhelming feelings of grief, loneliness, and envy.
Zsara Laxamana plays Me-Ann, Ed’s ex-girlfriend. Ed’s ex-girlfriend, Me-Ann, returning into their lives, adds another layer to the story. The main trio surrounding her begins to balance their thoughts and emotions, combining feeling guilty and wanting to tackle their wishes to figure out to stay alive.
Characters & Performances
Felix Roco as Ed, the blind, crippled husband struggling to regain his sense of pride, offers an Ed that is sympathetic and desperate. Quiet gestures and the portrayal of Ed’s internal humiliation, impotence, and loneliness rendered his emotions with a deep, yet restrained intensity.
Sahara Bernales, as Dana, the main pivot of emotions, brings to life a character who is a mix of deep-rooted loyalty, exasperation, and yearning. While Dana makes ethically questionable decisions, Bernales softens the tale with her portrayal of a character who projects fragility and conflicting passions.
Kokoy is the assistant to the manipulative Dana, and MJ Abellera plays the role. While his character has a strong hold over Dana, with his portrayal of Kokoy, he is at times, overly blunt. Even though his part is crucial, he has a tendency to lean towards flat instead of depth.
In the cast, Zsara Laxamana as Me-Ann portrays the character who is the most emotionally stable, keeping subtlety and the use of restraint that enhances a volatile story. Laxarana’s Me-Ann character serves as a counterpart to the emotional turmoil the protagonists are experiencing.
Thematic Significance
- Disability and Masculinity
Both blindness and sexual incapacity are remarkable obstacles to Ed’s self worth’s core. Ed’s sexual inability to satisfy his wife places a wall emotionally, and so he attempts to control the situation by incorporating Kokoy into their lives. Little does Ed know, he is simultaneously obliterating his control.
- Desire and Exploitation
In pursuit of emotional and physical fulfillment, Dana places herself into perilous situations. Kokoy’s affection, which can be classified as conslier to seduction, showcases his prowess. It explores how intimacy can be perverted through power dependency.
- Jealousy, Ex-Lovers, and Forgiveness
Through Me-Ann’s character, Dana is forced to face her past and the decisions that came with it. Dana’s association with Ed and her ambiguous association to Dana creates suspense since they must grapple with the idea that emotional fidelity does not accompany physical needs.
- Trust and Betrayal at Home
What is often envisioned to be a safe household turns into the backdrop of a moral downfall. With the dissolution of boundaries, the home transforms into a warzone, encapsulating how marital vows can be shattered due to overwhelming solitude, bitterness, and clandestine affairs.
Visual Style and Tone
Given the limitations of Vivamax’s modest budget, HIMAS features intimacy of tight, low-lit framing to interiors. Subtle movements are imprinted in silence, such as Ed’s blind gaze, Dana’s hesitant silhouette, and the slow stroll of Kokoy. With these corner-cutting choices, discomfort joined by psychological tension came to the forefront.
This mix of tones; erotic drama to psychological thriller, rely greatly on tempo. Sexual tension and emotional withdrawal gradually build in the early scenes, while confrontational and violent acts escalate in the latter. Soundtracks in the form of moody cues, in tandem with ambient sounds give these shifts from sensuality to dread the necessary support.
Critical Reception
Audiences and critics have offered HIMAS a blend of various reviews. Some praising Ed’s emotionally restrained performance, and others lauding Zsara Laxamana’s calculated portrayal of Me-Ann.
Along with positive praise, these sentiments also bore common concerns.
Dana’s emotionality is nowhere to be seen. Instead, the narrative focuses on Ed’s internal conflicts, and Kokoy’s manipulation of him.
The uneven performances stood out. Some actors had good moments, but for others, the emotions were shallow or melodramatic theatrics.
Switching between erotic melodrama and moral commentary, the film’s tone felt inconsistent at times. Neither felt fully embraced, leading to a muddled result.
The film’s lines strayed towards dull and overly simplistic lines, only to snap back to being effective the next.
Reviewers seemed to score them modestly, sitting around 4 or 5 out of 10. While HIMAS was described as technically competent, reviewers noted the script and thematic imbalance were clearly limiting factors.
Release and Distribution
HIMAS virually premiered on the Vivamax streaming platform on May 31, 2024, under the R-18 category. Vivamax was known for a collection of domestic thrillers and erotically charged dramas, and HIMAS neatly followed the weekday release model aimed at adult audiences.
There was no reported theatrical release alongside major festival screenings. While the viewership performance was not publicly disclosed, it seemed to receive moderate buzz in regional streaming circles, especially among audiences familiar with Vivamax’s offerings.
Strengths & Shortcomings
Strengths:
Felix Roco’s performance anchors emotional credibility to a difficult and layered role.
The atmospheric cinematography augments the film’s mood and tension.
The return of Me‑Ann adds a needed layer of ambiguity and realism to the plot.
Shortcomings:
Major character arcs are left underdeveloped, leading to uneven storytelling.
Absence of Dana’s character as a responsive figure instead of an active character shows a lack of female perspective.
Unclear whether the film is meant as erotic fantasy, psychological drama, or a cautionary tale, genre confusion is present.
Conclusion
HIMAS is a complex domestic drama that delves into disability, betrayal, and emotional vulnerability within the framework of an unconventional love triangle. Striking moments of intimacy and tension are often overshadowed by the film’s inconsistent tone, underdeveloped characters, and imbalance of narrative.
As Vivamax broadens its portfolio of adult-themed dramas, HIMAS attempts to elevate its story with real psychological stakes, but the execution proves to be a mixed result. Viewers looking for a film that explores the relationship between people’s darker instincts will find some intrigue, though not without a measure of frustration.
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