Philippines is indeed a versatile environment for movies. Be it war-related, controversies, or proxy location, some international film productions have chosen our country as the setting for their movies through the years. In case you are interested to take a peek at some of them, here is a list of 10 movies shot in the Philippines!
10 International Films Set in the Philippines
10. Apocalypse Now (1979)
Dubbed as one of the greatest films ever made, Apocalypse Now depicts a grand adventure during the Vietnam War in 1970. With the American military bases in place, though, the producers decided to film it here in the Philippines within the span three years. The shooting was done at various locations, such as Quezon, Baler, and Pagsanjan, Laguna.
9. Missing in Action (1984)
Missing in Action is a successful Vietnam War-related movies which used Quezon, Laguna, and Cavite as a substitute for Vietnam. Some of the crew memers were from our country, as well, and a few Filipino actors were also seen in the movie.
8. Broke Down Palace (1998)
Since Thailand refused the shooting of the movie in their place due to its critical view on the Thai legal system, the production was filmed in the Philippines instead. Nonetheless, our government declared Claire Danes as a persona non grata for bad-mouthing Manila and calling it “a ghastly weird city.”
7. Born on the 4th of July (1989)
Starring Tom Cruise, this war drama film was adapted from the autobiography of Kon Rovic, a Vietnam War veteran. Since the US-Vietnam relationship was not that good, though, the Philippine jungles were the production’s best option to use as a setting.
6. Thirteen Days (2000)
The Philippines was again chosen as a proxy, but for Cuba this time. The action-thriller film portrays the conflict-turned-into-nuclear-war threats between the United States and the Soviet Union.
5. Cast Away (2000)
After Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) experienced a grievous plane crash, he found himself on an isolated island and survived alone for four years. A lot of people commended the beauty of the uninhabited island (and it soon became a tourist attraction), found in Monuriki, Fiji, which is said to be a part of the Philippine Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
4. Manila (2000)
The German drama film shows the hassle that the German passengers encountered in Manila International Airport after the delay of their flight. Filipino actresses such as Anna Capri and Cez Quesada were also part of the movie.
3. Mammoth (2009)
Since the plot involves a Filipino nanny serving a couple in New York, the Swedish movie needed to shoot some parts of the film in the Philippines. Part of the plot focuses on the maid’s struggles of being a mother working far away from her children to earn money.
2. Amigo (2010)
This internationally-praised American-Filipino movie also filmed scenes in the country. Amigo displays the disputes during the Philippine-American War, including the chase for Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. The majority of the cast involved Filipinos, such as Joel Torre and Rio Locsin.
1. Bourne Legacy (2012)
News quickly spread when it was announced that the majority of this action film would be filmed in the country, particularly in Manila. Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz even shot some of the scenes in the slums, which helped the movie become more realistic. El Nido, Palawan was also seen at the end of the movie.
