Damnation Through Devotion: A Psychological and Historical Examination of Mallari

By: Andreia Lourisse A. Basi

Introduction

          Damnation has always been a relevant concept in Roman Catholicism, helping people understand what is righteous and sinful. The film Mallari (2023), directed by Derick Cabrido, takes place during the Spanish colonial period and tells the story of Fr. Juan Severino Mallari, a Catholic priest who lost his grip on reality and became the first recorded serial killer in the Philippines. The film shows his tragic downfall, revealing how guilt, duty, and colonial rule pushed him over the edge. Moreover, the film explores how faith and madness can sometimes look the same when viewed through both a historical and psychological lens.

Body

          The film Mallari explores the life of Fr. Juan Severino Mallari, delving into his psychological struggles amidst the rigid religious doctrines, societal expectations, and oppressive Spanish colonial rule that shaped his turbulent existence. As his thoughts got worse, he began killing people. The film tells his story by mixing real events with his struggles, showing the strictness religious rules and the Spanish rule made things even harder for him. The film also looks at how power and doing what is right do not always go together. The story focuses on guilt and extreme belief, telling a scary tale of a priest torn between being holy and losing control (Roces, 2020). Mallari shows that faith can help people but can break them as well (Mojares, 2018).

          The main theme of the film Mallari is the danger of extreme religious beliefs. The priest feels deep guilt, fears God's punishment, and strictly follows religious rules, which slowly break his mind. As his paranoia gets worse, he starts believing that his violent actions will save his sick mother, showing how blind faith can lead to destruction (Gonzalez, 2005). Furthermore, the severe rule of the Spanish government is also a dominating theme in the film. The colonizers controlled both religion and society, leaving people similar to Fr. Mallari with no means to deal with their struggles outside of sin and salvation (Santos, 2010). The film also shows how people misunderstood mental illness, often thinking it was either a curse from God or a sign of being possessed, which stopped individuals from recieving medical help (Dela Cruz, 2016).

          By combining history and psychology, Mallari shows a disturbing story of a man stuck between faith and madness. The film highlights how religious beliefs, personal suffering, and colonial rule can affect a person’s mind and lead to tragic consequences (Villanueva, 2022).

Critical Analysis

          Mallari dwells at how faith, mental illness, and Spanish colonial rule are connected. The film not only provides historical insight but also serves as a psychological study of how repression and blind faith can lead to tragic consequences (Carandang, 2016). His actions do not seem to come from pure evil but from a twisted belief that he was doing something justified by his faith (Bulatao, 2015). The idea that extreme religious devotion can lead to mental breakdowns is similar to real historical cases where deep guilt and fanatical beliefs caused people to act unreasonably.

          Historically, the film shows how people in Spanish times saw mental illness. During the Spanish colonial period, conditions namely psychosis were thought to be signs of demonic possession or punishment from God. As a result, people like Fr. Mallari did not get medieval help and were left to struggle unaccompanied (Santos, 2010). The Catholic Church strictly enforced Catholic teachings, making it hard for its believers to deal with personal struggles in any way other than through sin, repentance, and redemption. The film highlights how fear and strict rules created a cycle of suffering and violence, trapping people in a world of guilt and repression. From a psychological perspective, the film effectively portrays paranoia and religious delusions. It highlights how too much fear and religious guilt can lead to violent actions (Bulatao, 2015).

          However, Mallari does not talk about other root cause for mental illness, like genetics. The film also altered some historical facts to fit the horror theme, which might make viewers misunderstand how colonial society handled mental health (Salazar, 2000).

         Even with these issues, the film helps people think about religion, mental health, and history. It shows how extreme beliefs can be harmful and how Spanish rule still affects Filipino society today (Villanueva, 2022).

 Conclusion

          The film Mallari presents a haunting depiction of religious guilt, psychological deterioration, and the oppressive influence of colonial rule. Through psychological and historical analysis, the narrative exposes the fragile boundary between faith and madness, offering a thought-provoking reflection on the consequences of extreme devotion and repressed trauma. Strengths lie in its compelling character study, symbolic cinematography, and thematic depth, though occasional narrative inconsistencies and historical embellishments slightly weaken its impact (Hau, 2014). Despite these limitations, Mallari remains a significant contribution to Philippine cinema, shedding light on the intersection of faith, power, and psychological afflictions. The story serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding mental health within historical and cultural contexts, urging reflection on the lasting effects of religious and colonial impositions (Alfonso, 2004).

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