Pagpag: Siyam na Buhay (referred to as Pagpag: 9 Lives) is a 2013 Filipino supernatural horror film directed by Frasco S. Mortiz. The film was released on December 25, 2013, at the Metro Manila Film Festival and stars Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla with Paulo Avelino and Shaina Magdayao. The film follows a group of teenagers that are terrorized by an evil spirit after they do not follow the Filipino paranormal superstitions called "pagpag".
The film revolves around the traditional Filipino belief that one should never go home directly after visiting a wake since it risks bringing evil spirits or the deceased to one's home. The movie grossed ₱188.7 million, becoming one of the highest-grossing Filipino horror films in history.
Plot
Cedric and his friends Hannah, Ashley, Rico and Justin come upon the funeral of Roman with his wife, Lucy, which is arranged by undertaker Leni and her colleagues Dencio and Marcelo. After the funeral, Marcelo sweeps the room when Eva, Lucy's older sister, scolds him as it is a bad superstition. All of the guests violate a superstition: Hannah drops tears on the coffin when she sees Cedric holding Leni's hand; Rico wipes the coffin with a handkerchief; Justin steals bread from the funeral; Ashley looks at her reflection in the mirror; Cedric attends the funeral with a wound; Dencio steals the money below the coffin and they all fail to do "Pagpag," an act of dusting off oneself after a funeral to avoid being followed home by evil spirits.
At home, Leni's adopted brother Mac-Mac sees apparitions and draws nine figures with a number 8. Marcelo is killed by a malevolent entity while sweeping outside. Dencio blames Leni for not doing the Pagpag and tells her that the spirit is coming back for the rest of them. He proceeds to tell her the story of how Roman died. Roman and Lucy once had a son, Emmanuel, who died. Roman made a pact with the Devil to bring back his son, but had to kill nine people in order to do so. After committing his sins, he found his son well and alive inside his coffin. One night, the people from the barrio tried to burn Roman's house down after learning of his pact, leading to his death and the disappearance of his son.
Meanwhile, Hannah plans to commit suicide when she sees a shadow which she follows, thinking it is Cedric. To her horror, she receives a phone call from him, telling her that he is on his way there. Hannah panics and a demonic form gouges her eyes out and throws her into the pool, killing her in front of Cedric, who is blamed for her death. Rico is killed when the spirit emerges from his handkerchief and throws him against a wall in the shower. Cedric tells Justin and Ashley to burn the clothes they wore at the funeral.
Cedric decides to go back to Lucy's house to talk to Eva. On the way, he rescues Leni, who is being chased by Roman's ghost in a market, and brings her along. Leni realizes they have the same goal and decide to team up.
The two find Roman's empty coffin. They search the house and see three human figures in the wall drawn in blood. Leni goes to find Mac-Mac in a church and Dencio, together with Eva, arrive to warn them and reveals that Mac-Mac is really Emmanuel, having rescued him during the fire to protect him from his parents. Eva tells Cedric and Leni that Roman's body is in their old house. In the church, Mac-Mac is trapped inside, while Eva is killed after being sucked inside a tomb. Meanwhile, Ashley takes pictures of herself at her house but finds that one of the images has Roman's face. She is soon thrown to a mirror then falls down before being impaled by a falling chandelier. Justin, who witnesses her death and runs outside while calling Cedric is sandwiched to death by two trucks.
Dencio is trapped inside his car when he tries to save Mac-Mac in the church. The spirit taunts him as he tries to give back the money he stole. He rolls down the windows and tries to get out but is killed after his neck is impaled by shattered glass from a car window. When Mac-Mac is able to escape, he sees the spirits of Roman's victims warning them that Cedric and Leni are both in danger. He then follows Roman's spirit on his way to the house.