Character Relationship Map: Expressway

Characters

• Ben (played by Alvin Anson) — protagonist

  A professional hitman and Morris's partner. Initially follows orders to kill targets but develops deep regret after being forced to murder children. After failing to assassinate Tatang, he attempts to...

• Morris (played by Aljur Abrenica) — supporting

  Ben's unstable and psychotic partner. Exhibits extreme violence and lack of remorse, notably forcing Ben to kill children and later murdering bystanders. His traumatic backstory involving his father's...

• Kato (played by Kiko Matos) — supporting

  One of the initial targets of Ben and Morris's assassination mission. Briefly mentioned as sharing a house with Budoy, but plays no further role in the narrative.

• Morris' Father (played by Arpee Bautista) — supporting

  Appears only in Morris's flashback, where he teaches his son how to use a .38 caliber revolver. His influence is implied to have shaped Morris's violent tendencies and psychopathy.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Morris' Father → Morris (father)
• Ben → Morris (Professional Partner) — They work as professional hitmen assigned to the same operations.

  Ben and Morris are sent together on assassination missions, including the mission to the target house and the order to kill Tatang.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Morris → Kato (Conflict Assassination Target) — Morris encounters Kato as part of the assigned hit.

  Morris accompanies Ben to the house shared by Budoy and Kato during the opening killing mission.

• Ben → Kato (Conflict Assassination Target) — Kato is connected to Ben through the opening assassination assignment.

  Ben and Morris are sent to the house of Budoy and Kato as part of a mission to kill its occupants.

Story Analysis

A remorseful hitman tries to escape violence, only to confront the unstable partner responsible for his son's death.

Plot Progression

1. The Cost of the First Hit — Ben and Morris carry out an assassination mission, but Morris forces the killing of children after they had initially been spared. Ben's regret establishes the moral divide between the partners.
2. A Son's Unanswered Death — Ben dreams about his dead son while continuing to work as a hitman. A final assignment arrives as Morris's violent memories begin to expose the roots of his instability.
3. The Failed Execution — Ben is ordered to kill a fugitive but cannot complete the assassination and chooses to save him. This decision marks Ben's first clear break from his criminal life.
4. Violence Follows Them — Ben leaves his gun in a church, yet danger reaches him through an ambush. Morris saves Ben, then escalates the chaos by stealing the car and killing bystanders.
5. The Sunrise Ambiguity — Morris reveals that he killed Ben's son, turning their partnership into a revenge confrontation. Gunshots are exchanged, but the film leaves the survivor and driver uncertain.