| On the Job: The Missing 8 | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Erik Matti |
| Written by | Michiko Yamamoto |
| Based on | Characters by Erik Matti Michiko Yamamoto |
| Produced by | Erik Matti |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Neil Derrick Bion |
| Edited by | Jay Halili |
| Music by |
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Production companies | |
| Distributed by | HBO Asia Originals Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 208 minutes |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino |
On the Job: The Missing 8 (also known asOn the Job 2) is a 2021 Philippinecrimethriller film directed byErik Matti and written byMichiko Yamamoto. The sequel to the 2013 filmOn the Job, it tells the story of a journalist who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his colleagues, and a prisoner who is temporarily freed to carry out assassinations.[2] The film stars anensemble cast that consists ofJohn Arcilla,Dennis Trillo,Dante Rivero,Lotlot de Leon,Christopher de Leon,Leo Martinez,Joey Marquez,Eric Fructuoso,Vandolph Quizon,Agot Isidro, Sol Cruz,Wendell Ramos, Lao Rodriguez,Andrea Brillantes,Isabelle de Leon,Ina Feleo,Megan Young, Levi Ignacio, and Carlos Siguion-Rivera.
The film premiered on September 10, 2021 at the78th Venice International Film Festival, where it entered the Main Competition for theGolden Lion and won theVolpi Cup for Best Actor forJohn Arcilla. The film was later selected as the Philippine entry for theBest International Feature Film at the95th Academy Awards.[3][4]
It was also adapted into a miniseries forHBO Asia calledOn the Job, with the re-edited version of the first film serving as the first two episodes, which was nominated at the50th International Emmy Awards forBest TV Movie or Miniseries.[5]
Sisoy Salas (John Arcilla), a corrupt reporter for a local newspaper, is forced to start an investigation following the disappearance of his colleagues and pits him against his personal interests. Meanwhile, Roman Rubio (Dennis Trillo), an inmate who is routinely released from prison to carry out assassinations, is sentenced to life in prison for a crime he did not commit and, not wanting to spend the rest of his life as a hitman, begins to plan ways to regain his freedom by any means necessary.
Director Erik Matti had originally intended theOn the Job sequel to be aweb series, until it was reported in 2018 that he was making it a feature-length sequel instead.[7] WithOn the Job 2, Matti wanted to tackle corruption in the Philippinemedia and deliver a social commentary on the current state of thePhilippine government.[2] According to Matti, the film will pick up where the original left off and will feature four interwoven storylines in "a three-hour and 28-minute movie".[2] Erwin Romulo, reprising his role from the first film as musical director, has saidOn the Job 2 is Matti's "angriest work".[7] Matti agreed, having toldNME in a February 2021 interview:
I think forOn The Job, I guess… yes, it's the angriest I've been. But what I do mostly in my films is to explore. I'm interested in processes: how does a newspaper get its news? How does one build a church in the guise of getting money from its parishioners? Those are things that matter to me. There's a lot of research that went into it. Of course, we found out that in small towns mainly you have politicians taking care of newspapers and radio stations, and that's where the problems with self-interest come in.[2]
Dennis Trillo,Lotlot de Leon,Ricky Davao,William Martinez,John Arcilla,Dante Rivero,Vandolph Quizon, andEric Fructuoso were reported to have joined the cast in 2018.[7] In 2019,Rayver Cruz,Christopher de Leon, Soliman Cruz.Ina Feleo,Isabelle de Leon, andAndrea Brillantes were announced as co-stars.[8]Filming began that same year,[7] and was completed in August 2020 during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[9]Post-production was completed in June 2021, lasting for "around seven months".[10]
The film was screened for the main competition at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, with Matti and Trillo in attendance. It received a 5-minute standing ovation during the premiere. During the awards ceremony, John Arcilla became the first Southeast Asian and Filipino to win theVolpi Cup for Best Actor in the festival's history, with Matti accepting the award on his behalf and Arcilla giving his acceptance speech via online video call after not being able to attend the ceremony due to filming commitments.[11][12] It was also screened in 'Harbour' section at the51st International Film Festival Rotterdam held from January 26 to February 6, 2022.[13]
On the Job: The Missing 8 had its Philippine premiere on February 18, 2022 at theCultural Center of the Philippines as part of the "WAGI!" film screenings, an event celebrating Filipino film excellence.[14][15]
A six-part miniseries were created and developed by Erik Matti forHBO Asia. It was adapted from the twoOn the Job films— the2013 film, and its sequelThe Missing 8. The first two episodes of the miniseries are are-edited and remastered version of the first film.[16]
Matti revealed that a second sequel is in the works, which will feature "characters from the first two [instalments]" and "might be the end of the franchise".[2]
Both the film and miniseries have received largely positive reviews from critics. Writing forVariety, Jessica Kiang called the film "a sprawling, satisfying big-screen binge."[17] Keith Uhlich, ofThe Hollywood Reporter, praised the film's set pieces but criticized some of the film's stylistic choices.[18] In a review of the HBO miniseries, Marcus Goh ofYahoo News praised the dramatic elements of the series and its handling of characters, concluding that "the Philippines can be a strong contender for Asian crime thrillers, rivalling that of more established places like Hong Kong."[19]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Film Festival | September 11, 2022 | Golden Lion | Erik Matti | Nominated | [20] |
| Volpi Cup for Best Actor | John Arcilla | Won | |||
| 45th Gawad Urian Awards | November 17, 2022 | Best Film | Erik Matti | Won | [21] |
| Best Direction | Won | ||||
| Best Actor | Dennis Trillo | Nominated | |||
| John Arcilla | Won | ||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Lotlot de Leon | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Dante Rivero | Won | |||
| Best Screenplay | Michiko Yamamoto | Won | |||
| Best Cinematography | Neil Bion | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Jay Halili | Won | |||
| Best Production Design | Roma Regala Michael Español | Nominated | |||
| Best Music | Erwin Romulo Malek LopezArvin Nogueras | Won | |||
| Best Sound | Corinne De San Jose | Won | |||
| 50th International Emmy Awards | November 21, 2022 | Best TV Movie or Miniseries | Erik Matti | Nominated | [22][23] |
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