Muslim .357 (or Magnum Muslim .357) is a 1986 Philippine action film directed by and starring Fernando Poe Jr. as an undercover officer of the Philippine Constabulary.[1] The film was both a box-office and critical success, earning nominations from various award giving bodies in the Philippines, twice winning the Best Actor award for Poe's performance.[2] This, along with Poe's earlier portrayal of a Muslim hero in Zamboanga (1966), endeared Poe even more to Muslim audiences who are known to be passionate about the outcome of Poe's movies story-wise.[3][4][5]
Plot
1st Lt. Jamal Razul, a Muslim police officer based in Mindanao, is summoned to Manila by his superior, Colonel Castro, to penetrate a massive criminal syndicate. He settles into an apartment located in a rough neighborhood controlled by the syndicate but hides his identity from the community, aided by friendly police officers who falsely accuse him of being a wanted murderer. However, his landlord Dess develops a relationship with Razul after reading his copy of the Koran and witnessing him beat up syndicate members who routinely extort her and her neighbors.
Razul undertakes a stakeout of syndicate henchmen led by Frankie, but is injured after getting into a shootout with Frankie's men. He escapes with the help of two boys, Kikoy and Buknoy, who hide him in their cart. With the help of Dess, Frankie recovers at the house of the boys' guardian, Imo, and becomes friends with everyone in the household. However, Razul's identity is discovered after he wipes out a gang posing as soldiers during a raid on Dess' apartment. As the apartment is declared a crime scene, another police officer, Captain Rios, discreetly kills a wounded gang member, revealing himself to be the syndicate's protector.
With his cover blown, Razul is ordered to return home by Colonel Castro. As he leaves Manila, Razul survives an ambush by Frankie's men, but is devastated after seeing Kikoy and Buknoy killed in the crossfire. He visits their graves and vows revenge as he is comforted by Dess. Razul then goes rogue and embarks on a killing spree of the syndicate's goons before capturing Frankie and forcing him to reveal the syndicate's headquarters. Alarmed at the deaths of his men, the syndicate's leader Jimmy panics and harangues Rios, who kills him at takes over the syndicate.
Arriving at the syndicate headquarters, Razul discovers Rios leading the group, but Frankie escapes and alerts Rios to Razul's presence, leading to a shootout that leads to Razul killing multiple syndicate members and corrupt policemen working for Rios as well as Frankie, who dies after a grenade he is holding is shot and prematurely detonated by Razul. Rios tries to escape, but is injured after his car is blown up and disabled after being shot at by Razul. Razul catches him in an alley and offers him a chance to shoot back, but Rios launches an Islamophobic tirade, prompting Razul to shoot him as he tries to reach for his gun. The film ends with Razul praying at a mosque.
The film was remade in 2014 under the title Muslim Magnum .357: To Serve and Protect with E.R. Ejercito in the title role and Francis "Jun" Posadas as the director.[6] The remake was an official entry into the 2014 Metro Manila Film Festival and was dedicated to the memory of Fernando Poe Jr. which coincides with Poe's 10th death anniversary.[7]
