Featured Blu-ray and DVD Review: BuyBust

October 14, 2018

BuyBust - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray Combo Pack

BuyBust

BuyBust opened in limited release earning reviews that were not good enough for limited release and it struggled in theaters. That said, it did better than most similar movies perform and now that it out on the home market, is it worth checking out? Is it worth picking up?

The Movie

This Filipino movie is about the cops going after a drug lord, Biggie Chen. Two cops Dela Cruz and Alvarez, are interrogating a mid-level associate of Chen, Teban, and while the man doesn’t know where Chen is, he says he can help smoke him out.

Meanwhile, we meet Nina Manigan, a cop who is training to become part of the elite anti-drop force, the PDEA. She joined, because her previous squad was killed in a drug bust gone wrong. A corrupt cop tipped off the drug dealers and she was the only survivor of the ambush. Needless to say, this has given her a bit of an attitude and she’s unwilling to obey orders that she thinks would get her squad killed in the real world.

The PDEA set up a trap for Chen and the squad Manigan joined is being sent in. Teban is sent in, but after a few minutes, Chen calls Teban to change locations. The PDEA decides to go along with this, because this could be the last chance to get Chen before he flees the country. The squad heads to the slums of Gracia in Maria in the hopes of catching Chen in their trap. It’s isn’t much of a spoiler to say this doesn’t work out and it is Chen who has laid a trap for them.

When I agreed to review BuyBust, I was really hoping it would be similar in tone and quality to The Raid. I wanted a stylish action film with a variety of fight scenes and a charismatic lead. I got one of those three. There is a lot of action in this movie and for some that will be enough of a selling point. However, instead of going the stylish route, the film tries to be more realistic, but this results in a lot of repetitive gun play and gritty close combat rather than more varied encounters. Again, this will likely be a selling point for some. On the positive side, Anne Curtis is excellent in the lead and the film has a lot more emotional impact that most similar action films have. So while the movie didn’t match expectations, it is still worth checking out.

The Extras

There are only two extras on the DVD / Blu-ray, a making of featurette and the Q&A session from the San Diego Comic Com. However, where there are only two extras, both of them are substantial and the combined running time is nearly an hour long. That’s great for a limited release.

The Verdict

BuyBust is a gritty and more realistic action movie, not the stylish martial arts movie I was hoping for. If you are looking for a gritty action film, then this film should satisfy that demand. Anne Curtis is great in the lead and the ending packs a punch. Additionally, the extras on theDVD / Blu-ray are better than most foreign imports, so it is worth picking up.

Filed under: Video Review, BuyBust, Nonie Buencamino, Lao Rodriguez, Anne Curtis, Arjo Atayde, Alex Calleja