Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Vampire protects the woman he loves; violence, blood, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Time That Remains
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE TIME THAT REMAINS is a Filipino vampire story about Lilia (Bing Pimentel), a woman now in her 80s with a seemingly young boyfriend named Matias (Carlo Aquino). When she ends up in the ER, she tells her strange story to Isabelle (Beauty Gonzalez), an ER nurse with a lot of time on her hands. Flashbacks abound and we learn that in the 1940s, when the Japanese invaded the Philippines, young Lilia and her family grabbed a few things and fled to the country. There she met a black cat who, somehow, was also Matias. Flashbacks go further back, to the 1500s, when Matias was an indigenous warrior attacked by Spanish conquistadors with guns and armor. One of the soldiers is a vampire and his bite changes Matias' life. Not until the 1940s does Matias begin his relationship with Lilia. Despite the fact that he never ages, it takes her a remarkably long period of time to figure out what his deal is. What will come of their love affair?
Is It Any Good?
This vampire film bows to style over substance. Scenes have dark tinges. Pacing is slow. Plotting is repetitive. Darkness may suit the vampire genre given a main character's penchant for coming to life only at night. But when the police station is in complete darkness so that one cop can study a file in dramatic lighting, it just feels silly. Ditto when he searches through a dark room filled with police files but for some reason needs to use a flashlight to find his way around.
And the math seems shaky, too. For four hundred years, the vampire has been killing townspeople. It's a wonder he hasn't completely depopulated the place by the time this movie begins. And how is it possible that police are so mystified by the killer. The victims not only have fang marks on their necks but also don't have much blood left in their bodies. Don't the forensic examiners notice? For good measure, the filmmakers throw in about a second's worth of commentary on Colonialism, Japanese occupation, the horrors of war, the crushing patriarchy, the drug problem, and police ineptitude. Whatever. Love conquers all.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different ways that vampire stories are told. Do you have trouble figuring out the different rules of vampire-hood in different tellings? Do you wonder why some victims of vampires die and others are turned into vampires?
Why do you think about Lilia's decision on the offer of eternal life, youth, and strength? What would your answer be if a vampire made that offer to you?
How successful is this attempt to make a vampire, who kills people every night, a sympathetic character?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 16, 2025
- Cast : Carlo Aquino , Bing Pimentel , Beauty Gonzalez
- Director : Adolfo Alix Jr
- Inclusion Information : Asian Movie Director(s) , Filipino Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s) , Filipino Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Writer(s) , Filipino Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Fantasy
- Run time : 116 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 30, 2025
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