BuyBust

BuyBust
Theatrical release poster
Directed byErik Matti
Screenplay by
  • Anton Santamaria
  • Erik Matti
Story byErik Matti[1]
Produced by
  • Vic del Rosario Jr.
  • Erik Matti
Starring
CinematographyNeil Derrick Bion
Edited byJay Halili
Music by
  • Erwin Romulo
  • Malek Lopez
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • June 29, 2018 (2018-06-29) (NYAFF)
  • August 1, 2018 (2018-08-01) (Philippines)
Running time
126–128 minutes[2][3][4]
CountryPhilippines
LanguageFilipino
Budget₱86 million (US$1.6 million)[5]
Box office₱97 million[5]

BuyBust (stylized as BUYBUST) is a 2018 Philippine action thriller[6] film co-written and directed by Erik Matti. It stars an ensemble cast top-billed by Anne Curtis and Brandon Vera. The plot centers on a team summoned by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to conduct a drug bust in a Manila slum. Realizing the mission is poorly executed, the team find themselves trapped by settlers and attempts to escape by fighting their way out. The film has been viewed as a social commentary on the controversial Philippine Drug War initiated by the Duterte government.[7]

Production on Matti's "first full-on action film" began in 2016, and Curtis and Vera were cast as leads the following year. On a budget of ₱86 million, principal photography began in March 2017. The film premiered at the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) on June 29, 2018, had a wide Philippine release on August 1 and a limited North American release on August 10. Critical reception to the film was generally favorable, attaining praise for its action scenes, theme, technical aspects and Curtis' against-type performance, but was often criticized as a rip-off of the 2011 Indonesian film The Raid. It grossed ₱97 million worldwide.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference interaksyon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference tsui was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference kuipers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference berra was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference gross was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference august was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cabana, Ysh (August 24, 2018). "Anarchy in anti/pro-drug war film - Film Review: BuyBust". The Philippine Reporter. Retrieved September 20, 2018.