Lilim (2025) Review: A Cult Nightmare Hidden in the Forest

Our Lilim review starts with a simple promise: this Philippine drama-horror hybrid wants to scare you with folklore, a creepy setting and a real historical backdrop. Directed by Mikhail Red and released in 2025, it is a tight 108-minute chase that turns into a cult nightmare. It is not groundbreaking, but it is slickly made.

Lilim Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Lilim plot opens in Northern Luzon in 1983, during the Marcos-era period of enforced disappearances. Issa and her younger brother Tomas are evading the police and need somewhere to hide. They find a secluded orphanage in the forest that seems like the perfect refuge.

It doesn't stay that way. The siblings soon sense that the place hides something sinister, tied to a sacrificial cult and a fearsome deity of the night. That is as far as this review goes, because the film is best met with as few details as possible.

The setup mixes political fear with supernatural dread. The danger is never only outside the walls.

What Works in Lilim

The biggest strength is atmosphere. The forest setting, the isolated building and the night-time scenes give the film a steady sense of unease. Critics who liked it, including ScreenAnarchy, described it as a basic but solid shock-fest that looks polished.

• Folklore at its core: The film draws on the Filipino "Lilim" myth, which gives the horror a local identity rather than a generic one.

• Historical backdrop: The 1983 setting adds weight to the idea of people vanishing and authority being untrustworthy.

• Lean pacing for a genre film: At 108 minutes, the story keeps its focus on the siblings' escape.

Mikhail Red is a confident genre director, and it shows in the framing and the control of tension. The jump scares land for many viewers, which is exactly what a cult horror thriller needs.

Lilim Cast and Performances

The Lilim cast is anchored by Heaven Peralejo as Issa, the protective older sister. She carries the film's emotional line, balancing fear with determination. Skywalker David plays her brother Tomas, whose vulnerability keeps the stakes personal.

The orphanage brings in a strong set of supporting players:

• Eula Valdez as Marga

• Ryza Cenon as Helena

• Mon Confiado as Fred

• Rafa Siguion-Reyna as Darwin

The adult characters generate much of the menace. Their calm, controlled presence makes the refuge feel more suspicious with every scene. The script by Nikolas Red gives them clear roles, though some are more archetype than person.

Where Lilim Stumbles

Reception has been mixed, and the complaints are fair. Critic Mike Thorn called the film sturdily made but ultimately a mechanical exercise, and that matches a sense that it follows familiar cult-horror beats. If you have seen a few films about sinister communities, little here will surprise you.

Some viewers also found the pacing draggy and the effects unconvincing. Letterboxd opinions are split, with some people praising the scares and others calling the film forgettable. The IMDb score sits around 5.3/10, which reflects that divide.

The historical context is also more of a backdrop than a theme. The film points at real-world horror but doesn't dig deeply into it, so the drama side feels lighter than the horror side.

Is Lilim Worth Watching?

Yes, if you like atmospheric horror with a strong sense of place, Lilim is worth watching. It is polished, tense in the right moments and anchored by a committed lead performance. Just don't expect a reinvention of the genre.

The film works best as a genre piece. You get an eerie location, a vivid piece of Philippine folklore and a story that moves. The criticism is that it plays things safe, and that is a reasonable concern.

If you enjoy the genre, you may also like other tense thrillers on the site, such as Hell in Paradise, where a getaway turns into a fight for survival. You can also browse more horror movie reviews or drama movie reviews. For full credits and user ratings, see the Lilim page on IMDb.

The Lilim release date was 12 March 2025, and the film is in Tagalog with subtitles for international audiences to follow.

Who Will Enjoy Lilim

• Horror fans who like cult stories, folklore and eerie rural settings.

• Viewers curious about Philippine cinema and Mikhail Red's genre work.

• Anyone who wants a short, focused scare film rather than a slow-burn art piece.