Upamanyu Biswas
A married couple’s hopes for a child are rekindled through the arrival of a mysterious girl in the Netflix Philippine film ‘Kampon.’ Directed by King Palisoc, the story revolves around Clark and Eileen Martinez, a couple whose efforts at conceiving a child have been met with failure thus far. Diagnosed with infertility by several doctors, Clark feels guilty that he is unable to give his wife what she wants and to build a strong family together. However, one night, a young girl shows up at the couple’s doorstep, claiming that Clark is her father. As the two adopt this girl into their home, a series of inexplicable events and past secrets are brought to the fore, threatening the bond between the couple and their lives.
The horror drama presented in ‘Kampon’ serves as an exploration of familial secrets, interconnected lives, and the occult. The couple at the center tries to retain a sense of normalcy in their daily routine. However, it all changes with the appearance of the young girl in their lives, specifically in the case of Clark, whose infertility is a roadblock to the family’s happiness. Diving into those elements of shame, remorse, and unfulfilled wishes, the supernatural elements of the occult narrative take their root through these negative feelings. As darkness surfaces in ugly ways in the Martinez family’s lives, their story becomes an intriguing look into relationship dynamics, forcing an examination of the film’s basis in true events.
Kampon Explores the Supernatural Horror Rooted in The Desperate Need For a Child
Co-written by David Dayao and director King Palisoc, ‘Kampon’ is a fictional story that presents a narrative brimming with inexplicable events. In the film, dark and maligned forces creep their way into the lives of two ordinary people who have become dissatisfied and insecure about their inability to conceive a child. At the center of the piece lies the girl, Jade, who shows up at the house of the Martinez couple unannounced. Once they adopt her, they let something dark and twisted into their lives, all borne from a deeper emotional craving for a child. The monster isn’t just lurking in the shape of the girl, but also in their minds, where they have internalized their feelings of frustration until it arrives at their doorstep to burn them.
While horror and occult play a big part in the unraveling of incidents surrounding the couple, their issues stem from their own personal past and behaviors. In an interview, Beauty Gonzalez, who plays Eileen in the film, said, “They’re trying to have a family but they weren’t blessed with a child. And here comes this child. She’s trying to fix the problem that she couldn’t fix by covering it up with accepting this child, and that’s where the troubles begin.” Without fully understanding the weight of their actions, Clark and Eileen make decisions that bear themselves out in ways they couldn’t have foreseen. One keeps secrets from his partner, while the other is too blind to realize that the girl she wants to take in as her own is not normal and probing into her psyche day by day.
Kampon Brings to Mind Another Horror Film About Adoption
As the narrative of ‘Kampon’ is built around Jade, the mysterious girl who is adopted by the Martinez couple, there are several displays of occultism that disconnect her from any normal child. This central element of the story is reminiscent of another movie of its kind, titled ‘Orphan.‘ In this psychological horror film, a married couple’s difficulties after a stillbirth are alleviated by the arrival of a young orphan girl at their home named Esther. Soon, however, just like Jade, this young girl exhibits macabre abilities that threaten not only those who hurt her but also her adoptive parents. Weird and demonic events ensue, which juxtapose the innocence of childhood alongside the cold-blooded nature of this enigmatic entity.
Although ‘Kampon’ features a supernatural horror story that is non-reflective of reality, the themes of strained relationships and the drive to conceive a child are rooted firmly in real-life relationships. These elements lend a sense of connection and relatability to the terrifying events taking place in the confines of the fictional realm of the film. As it sifts through these complex emotions between ordinary people, it provides an access point into how dark forces gain control over circumstances that are too raw and painful to confront as a person.
Read more: Horror Movies Based on Real Life on Netflix
