Muslim.357 is a 1986 Philippine action film directed by and starring Fernando Poe Jr. as an undercover officer of the Philippine Constabulary. 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. This, along with Poe's earlier portrayal of a Muslim hero in Zamboanga, endeared Poe even more to Muslim audiences who are known to be passionate about the outcome of Poe's movies story-wise.
Plot
When his superior sends him to Manila to unmask a powerful syndicate, 1st Lt. Jamal Razul, an undercover cop, takes a job posing as the bodyguard of an influential police major. But when the syndicate's cronies uncover his motives, Jamal finds himself running for his life. Meanwhile, his Muslim faith has him doing everything in his power to avenge the deaths of two innocent teens who helped him conceal his true identity.
Synopsis
1st Lt. Jamal Razul is a Muslim undercover Philippine Constabulary officer, who is sent to Manila to help curb the runaway crime rate. Convinced of his abilities as an undercover agent, he is summoned by Lt. Col. Castro to assist in unmasking the head of a big and vicious syndicate. In Manila, he is able to track down the warehouse where the syndicate drops off their illicit goods, but a firefight ensues. Razul survives and his anonymity still maintained, but is left wounded. Fortunately for Razul, two young boys found him and, along with their grandfather and Razul's landlady, nurse him back to health. After ascertaining the identity of one of the syndicate's high-ranking official, Frankie, he applies for work as a hired hand in the syndicate. However, before Razul could begin work, he was exposed as an undercover agent and the roles are suddenly reversed - Razul now becoming the hunted instead of the hunter. Lt. Col. Castro advices him to return to Mindanao, but the syndicate would rather have him dead as he has already caused considerable damage to be let go scot free. Failing to silence him, they turned their ire on the two kids that helped him. They kill the two boys. The killing strikes a sensitive chord in Razul, the Muslim in him surfaces and vows revenge on all the remaining members of the gang. He picks apart the members of the gang one by one until all that is left is Frankie. With the barrel of the eponymous Magnum.357 pointed at him, Frankie reveals the stronghold of the syndicate in Santa Cruz, Manila. While surveiling the area, Razul discovers that the syndicate's protector is a senior official in the Philippine Constabulary, Capt. Rios, who has up to that point assumed the leadership of the syndicate after eliminating the syndicate's former head. Another firefight ensues which ends in a showdown between Razul and Rios, with the former emerging the survivor. Razul, having finished his mission and avenging the boys that have become unwitting victims in his mission, thanks Allah.
