In Bata Pa Si Sabel, during their wedding night, Micaella Raz’s character Sabel and her spouse Bryan suffer a brutal attack by the mayor’s son and his two drug-addled companions. Sabel endures a horrific gang rape, and Bryan is fatally shot. The assailants dispose of their victims’ bodies in the ocean. Miraculously, Sabel survives, rescued by a fisherman, and vows vengeance against the attackers whom she has identified.
Reynold Giba directs this intense 134-minute rape-revenge thriller, which unfolds from a screenplay by the typically erratic Brillante Mendoza. Giba’s direction brings a coherent structure and sustained engagement to the film, setting it apart from Mendoza’s own directorial efforts, such as the uninspired “Pulitan” (2021) or the bizarrely narrated “Bahay na pula” (2022).
Released in 2022, the film doesn’t shy away from graphic sexual violence and copious bloodshed, particularly in its latter stages, yet it also deeply explores the drama and trauma of Sabel’s experience post-assault, especially upon discovering that her closest friend facilitated the crime.
“Sabel is Still Young” is a film not for the faint-hearted. The violence is graphic, with sexual undertones, and the imagery is stark, including occasional glimpses of male arousal, sometimes intact and at other times gruesomely severed and forced into the mouth of its previous owner.
This movie is not a retelling of the melodramatic Filipino movies titled “Sabel” from 1976 or 1981. It merely shares the title, likely as a darkly humorous nod.
Where can you watch it?
You can rent or buy Bata Pa Si Sabel (Sabel is Still Young) on Google Play Movies, Amazon Video US or YouTube.
Who is Micaella Raz?
Micaella Raz is a Filipino actor and model born in the year 2000 in the Philippines. She has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry, collaborating with some of the most prestigious production companies. Raz is known for her privacy, especially regarding her personal life and family, choosing to keep them out of the public eye.
Here are some details about Micaella Raz:
Profession: Actor and Model
Birthplace: Philippines
Nationality: Filipino
Date of Birth: 2000
Ethnicity: Asian
Debut: 2022
Weight: 114 pounds (52 kg)
Height: 5 feet 6 inches (1.67 m)
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Figure Size: 34D-24-34
Hobbies: Dance, Trekking, Watching Movies
As an actor, she is also known for High (School) on Sex, Virgin Forest, Panibugho, Boso Dos, Ang Babaeng Nawawala sa Sarili, Island of Desire.
