At present, the Philippines may be popular for two reasons:

1. That infamous “major, major” answer of Venus Raj at the Miss Universe pageant in the States;
2. The recent hostage drama that involved a tourist bus full of Hong Kong nationals vacationing here.

I recently came across a Hong Kong-made movie that seems too familiar, it’s scary. ‘Fatal Vacation’ (Chinese title: An le zhan chang) is a movie directed by Eric Tsang released 21 years ago in 1989, YesAsia Editorial describes it as:

Never, ever take a vacation with Eric Tsang to the Philippines. That's pretty much the point of Fatal Vacation, the graphic 1989 shocker produced and directed by Tsang, who also stars as the leader of a tour group held hostage by a sadistic band of terrorists. Tsang's mug eventually became synonymous with the underworld mob bosses he portrayed in films like Comrades, Almost a Love Story and Infernal Affairs, but back when this picture was made, the pudgy-faced actor was best known for playing genial goofballs in lighthearted comedies. The wisecracking tour guide he portrays in Fatal Vacation's opening act is a brilliant bit of cinematic deception; what starts as another innocuous comedy suddenly becomes a taut and terrifying thriller as Tsang's feel-good tour goes straight to Hell.

Slightly sleazy tour guide Eric has a reputation for providing all-inclusive tours of exotic destinations, and his latest excursion to the Philippines is booked solid. Eric arranges for his guests to get up-close and personal with the militia forces in the country's unstable southern regions, but the dream vacation becomes a nightmare when the group is taken hostage by a pack of anti-government rebels. The women are raped and the men are tortured as the terrorists wait for their demands to be met. Once it becomes apparent that the Philippine government has no intention of negotiating, the surviving captives plan their own daring escape.

I must say, it’s quite uncanny how this movie shares 3 elements from what recently happened in the local news; the Philippines as the setting, Hong Kong tourists as characters, and a hostage crisis as plot. I know it shouldn’t be a subject for entertainment, but it really makes you think, is life imitating art? If so, let’s just hope that it imitates more beautiful and happy movies next time.

Sources:
imdb.com
yesasia.com