10,000 hours

--> Running Time: 107 minutes;  Cast: Robin Padilla, Michael de Mesa, Pen Medina, Mylene Dizon, Bela Padilla; Direction: Joyce Bernal;  Screenplay: Ryllah Epifania Berico, Keiko Aquino;; Editing: Marya Ignacio’; Producer: Philippine Film Studios; Music: Teresa Barrozo; Location: Philippines, Amsterdam; Genre: Drama/Thriller; Distributor: MMFF

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 2.5

MTRCB Rating: R13

CINEMA Rating: V14

Habang naghahandang magbigay ng kanyang talumpati si Senator Gabriel Alcaraz (Padilla) para ibunyag ang mga katiwalian sa pamahalaan ay pinagpaplanuhan naman ng Pangulo ng Pilipinas, kasabwat ang ilang matataas na opisyal, ang pagdakip sa nauna. Iuutos ng Pangulo sa matalik na kaibigan at Police Director Cristobal (de Mesa) ang paghuli kay Alcaraz. Matutunugan ni Alcaraz ang panganib sa buhay niya at sa tulong ng mga alyado ng isa pang kaibigan at NBI Director San Juan ay makakatakas siya ng Pilipinas a magtatago sa Amsterdam upang hanapin ang isang testigo (Medina) para malinis ang kanyang pangalan at lumabas ang katotohanan. Samantala, si Maya Limchauco (Bela Padilla), isang reporter sa Pilipinas, ang tutulong kina Alcaraz at kanyang pamilya para sa isang lihim na paghihiganti. At pagkatapos ng 10 libong oras ay muling babalik si Alcaraz sa Pilipinas upang ibunyag ang katotohanan.

Matalino ang pagkakahabi ng mga eksena at tamang tama ang timpla ng drama, aksyon at mga pasaring sa diyalogo. Kaya nga lamang ay natatabunan si Padilla ng mga kasamahang artista. Kung may mapipiga pa sana sa kanya si Bernal para tumapat man lamang kahit konti sa kalidad ng pagganap nina de Mesa at Medina o kahit ng bagitang si Bella Padilla ay mas magkakaroon ng lalim ang katauhan ni Senador Alcaraz. Tama ang puna ng ilang manunulat na tatapat sa mga banyagang produksyon ang istilo ng aksyon ni Bernal. Magaling ang mga kuha at nabigyang katarungan ng mahigpit at buhay na pagkakadugtong-dugtong ng mga eksena. Ang kwento, dahil hango sa mga naganap kay Senador Ping Lacson, ay maaring pagdudahan bilang propaganda, pero kung titingnan ito bilang kathang isip ay sadyang malinaw at matibay ang konsepto at mga tema.  Sulit ang panunuod ng 10,000 Hours.

Hindi lingid sa kaalaman ng madla na sangkot ang ilang matataas na tao sa pamahalaan sa kabi-kabilang krimen at kurapsyon sa bansa. Alam din ng natin na madalas, ang mga nagbubunyag ng katotohanan o naninindigan para sa bayan ay nababalewala o napapatay. Gayunpaman, ang makita ang temang ito sa pelikula ay sadyang nakababagabag dahil tila ba walang pinagkaiba ang maging tapat o maging taksil sa tungkulin sa bayan. Sa kabilang dako, kahanga-hanga na may mga taong katulad nina Alcaraz na patuloy na naniniwalang dapat panindigan at ipaglaban ang katotohanan at katapatan sa paglilingkod sa bayan.  Isang maningning na simbolismo ng pag-asa at dangal ang pagtataya ng mga matitinong tauhan sa pelikula sa kabila ng mga malalakas na puwersa ng katiwalian.  Sa panahon ngayon na kaliwa’t kanan ang nagsusulputang usapin ng korupsyon, mainam sanang makita ng mga ordinaryong Pinoy na ang paninindigan sa tama at totoo ay may saysay pa rin. Sayang nga lamang at ang huling eksena ng 10,000 Hours ay ang pagpatay sa mga testigo at ang matagumpay na pagtatakip ng mga nasa kapangyarihan sa katotohanan.

MAHALAGANG PAALALA:  May pahabol ang CINEMA tungkol sa 10,000 Hours at mga pelikulang tulad nito na base sa tunay na buhay at kinasasangkutan ng mga taong nasa matataas na posisyon ng paglilingkod sa bayan.  Payo ng CINEMA: ingat lamang sa panonood.

Batid natin na ang pelikula ay isang makapangyarihang “medium” o daan na maaaring gamitin tungo sa katotohanan o sa kasinungalingan man.  Ang imaheng gumagalaw, na higit pang malaki kaysa tunay na buhay, ay napakahusay na panghubog ng kaisipan ng tao.  Saan mang bansa na gumagawa ng pelikulang kauri ng 10,000 Hours—mayaman man o mahirap, kilala man o hindi, ano mang lahi o relihiyon—may mga pamilyang nagdurusa o nawawasak ang kinabukasan bunga ng ganitong paglalahad; at mayroon din namang mga taong nailuluklok bilang mga bayani hindi man karapat-dapat.  Anupa’t kay raming mga artistang naihahalal bilang mga lingkod-bayan, senador,  gobernador, representante, o pangulo ng bansa dahil lamang sa kanilang pagiging mga popular at kilalang mukha!  Hindi maikakaila na sa dalas nilang lumabas sa pelikula bilang mga kampeyon ng mga maralita ay nakikita na sila ng masa bilang mga “bida” sa tunay na buhay, at inaasahan bilang mga bayaning hahango sa kanila sa kahirapan.  Sa karaniwang Pilipino, tila hindi na mapaghihiwalay ang buhay sa pelikula at tunay na buhay.  

Gawin nating halimbawa ang 10,000 Hours.  Kung tatanungin natin ang mga lumalabas sa sinehan, ilan sa kanila ang magsasabing “Ah, kathang isip lang ang kuwentong iyan!” at ilang ang magwiwikang “Ah, ganoon pala ang totoong nangyari kay Ping Lacson!”  Kaya mapapag-isipang propaganda ang 10,000 Hours ay dahil binabanggit pa nito ang pangalan ng senador.  Sana’y hindi na lang ipinangalandakan na ito’y halaw sa tunay na buhay upang sabihin lamang, sa katapusan ng pelikula, na ito’y “fiction” lamang.  Madaling tanggapin iyon kung ang tema ng kuwento’y karaniwan lamang at hindi isang kontrobersiyal na kasong nagsasaad ng patayan at korupsyon.  Sa husay ng pagkakagawa, kapani-paniwala naman ang pelikula, kayang tumayo sa sariling paa—bakit kailangan pa nitong “sumakay” sa pangalan at kaso ni Lacson?  Nanggagaling na mismo sa 10,000 Hours ang dahilan upang pag-alinlanganan ang katapatan nito bilang isang dalisay na obra.  Sayang.

Ano man ang katotohanan sa likod ng mga balita, ang pagsusulong nito ng mga nagtatagisang kampo ay nakapaghahati sa bayan, at lalo lamang bumubulag sa madla sa katotohanang wala sa pulitika ang ipagbabago at ikauunlad ng ating bayan.  Wala rin tayong dapat hiranging bayani (lalo na’t nabubuhay pa o kamamatay lamang) pagka’t ang ating buhay at kaligtasan bilang isang bansa ay nakasalalay sa ating pagkakaisa, malinis na pamumuhay, matapat na pagtupad ng ating mga tungkulin, at mapagmahal na pakikitungo sa kapwa bilang mga taong may takot sa Diyos.

Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir

--> RUNNING TIME:  147 minutes  LEAD CAST: Rocco Nacino, Christian Vasquez, Robert Correa, Ryan Eigenmann, Jestoni Alarcon, Jao Mapa,  Isadora Vilasquez, Marc Justine Alvarez,  Johnron Tañada, Mercedes Cabral  DIRECTOR: Francis Villacorta  SCREENWRITER:  Francis Villacorta  PRODUCER:  HPI Synergy Group  EDITOR:  Tara Illenberger  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Noel Espenida / Emlyn Olfindo Santos  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dexter Dela Pena / Steven Flor / Randy Cura GENRE: Drama/Documentary  DISTRIBUTOR: HPI Synergy Group  LOCATION:  Batangas, Philippines

Technical assessment:  2.5

Moral assessment:  3.5

MTRCB RATING: PG 13

CINEMA RATING: V 14

Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir is a biographical picture of the second Filipino saint, who is put to death for his faith. Pedro Calungsod (Rocco Nacino), a young catechist, leaves his Visayan native soil to join Spanish Jesuit priest Fr. Diego de San Vitores (Christian Vasquez) for a mission to the Marianas Islands (Guam) in 1668. Trained as a catechist, Pedro assists Fr. Diego de San Vitores in baptizing the Chamorros, preaching the Good News of salvation amid doubts, paganism and disbelief. Together with other catechists and priests, the missionaries face the challenges and dangers of life in the missions, particularly the antagonism of the natives. Undaunted by setbacks and the death of their companions, Pedro and Fr. Diego continue their missionary work throughout the islands. In the end, both of them give up their lives for the sake of the Gospel.

Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir is a very courageous attempt in bringing the life of Saint Pedro Calungsod to the wide screen. It boasts of picturesque shots of pristine beaches, azure waters and lush vegetation, magnificent sunsets, peaceful, bucolic scenes – a visual feast of the Philippines (and Guam) as both locations were shot in Batangas. But while the nature scenes are impressive, others fall flat and monotonous. Establishing shots proved insufficient for the viewer to enter the scene or story. There is inadequate exposition of the Chamorros, their culture, beliefs, practices, etc., what makes them a people. This is exacerbated by a weak screenplay which assumes too much of its viewers. In an attempt to be faithful to scant resources, the storytelling suffers so that the viewers have to put the story together from disjointed scenes that are dull and stagey.

Flashback is used to show tender moments of the young Pedro with his father but there is hardly any development of character. Nacino shows a certain depth in some scenes but his character is not defined and ends up like a caricature of a saint from beginning to end. It would have been good if we see the development of this young man’s faith so that he can, in the end, offer his life. And enough has been said about the wig.  Vasquez looks too soft as if to convey holiness—and isn’t his character supposedf to be a sick and aging priest?  Why, he looks just five years older than Calungod!  Alarcon is more convincing as the Spanish captain, while Correa as Hirao is believable but some of his lines are too long.  Eigenmann as Choco is supposed to have a significant role in the conflict but it does not come out clearly in the film.  Dialogue, even in the most profound scenes, is too long, convoluted or stilted. At some point it feels like reading a book or listening to the radio because it repeats the same point over and over.

The material is great! What can be more inspiring than the life of our very own saint who, in spite of his youth and inexperience, left Philippine shores to share the Good News abroad, and in doing so witness to the faith, not just by his words and deeds but by the offering of his life? Pedro’s faith in God did not waver even in the face of danger. He prays and devotedly clings to the crucifix entrusted to him. He also tries to creatively make the Gospel understandable to the children, and becomes a pillar of strength for his fellow catechists. The film also highlights Pedro’s deep bond with his father from whom he learned the faith and shaped his character. It shows that parents have a strong influence in the formation of their children.

As Padre Diego’s personal assistant, Pedro eventually becomes his eyes when the priest could no longer see clearly. Pedro proved his love and loyalty towards Padre Diego when he put himself in the line to shield him from stoning, and from the spear that would take his own life. “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39).  The film emphasizes the missionaries’ dedication to the mission despite the dangers, and the conviction that nothing is won through the sword but through peace and love. Mission work will always have its risks, and missionaries need to learn to respect the culture of the people they are trying to evangelize.  Violence, even in the name of evangelization, will always beget violence. The hostility of the natives is shown without a sufficient reason for it, so much so that the lengthy and multiple scenes of bloodshed come out gruesome and unnecessary.

CINEMA commends the producer and director for the effort in transporting the life of Pedro Calungsod to the movie screen. It is a shame that a compelling story of faith and courage is not told in a more potent and inspiring way. An average film instead of a powerful witness, Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir feels like an uninspired sermon which lulls the churchgoer to sleep until the Sanctus, where the lead character is nothing but a sidekick to the main actor, Padre Diego.

But maybe that is the point of the movie. A simple catechist who does his job with love and dedication need not do anything great. Being at the right place at the right time and doing the right job with the right intention is enough. That in itself is daily, bloodless martyrdom. The grace to offer one’s life is a gift--one that is bestowed to a few privileged persons when the above conditions are present.

“Ganon lang ba kadaling maging santo?  Maging caregiver lang ng pare, santo na?” a Catholic moviegoer asks after seeing the movie.  We can’t blame him or the others who feel like him but are silent about it.  The impression is created by the lack of tension and intensity in the portrayal of the would-be martyrs, aggravated by a script that fails to delve deeply into the psyche of the characters.  Mission seemed like a mere question of baptizing as many people as possible, and sanctity appeared to be demanding nothing more than piety in a person. 

Portraying something as abstract as holiness and martyrdom is a challenge few directors and performers can convincingly hurdle.  Sanctity and the road to it is so hidden, and a person’s lifelong struggle to attain it would be extremely difficult to condense into two hours.  But for all its technical shortcomings, Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir deserves commendation, if only for its enthusiasm, devotion and noble intentions.  At least here’s one festival movie that trains the viewer’s sights on things other than bad news, politics, and the commercialism of the season.  Not bad at all.

My little bossings

-->RUNNING TIME:   1 hr 50 minutes  LEAD CAST: Vic Sotto, Kris Aquino, Ryzza Mae Dizon, James “Bimby” Aquino Yap  DIRECTOR: Marlon Rivera  SCREENWRITER: Bibeth Orteza  PRODUCER:  Octo Arts Film, M-Zet Productions, APT Entertainment, Kris Aquino Productions  DISTRIBUTOR: OctoArts Film

Technical assessment:  2.5

Moral assessment:  2.5
MTRCB:  G (for all ages) 

CINEMA rating: V 14

Si Torky (Vic Sotto), isang bookkeeper, ay empleyado ng milyonaryang si Baba (Kris Aquino), isang cash management specialist.  Malalagay sa panganib ang buhay ni Baba dahilan sa isang gusot sa kanyang trabaho na nahihirapan siyang ayusin. Para hindi madamay ang anak niyang si Justin (Bimby Aquino-Yap) sa kaguluhan, ilalagak niya ito kay Torky.  Iuuwi naman ni Torky si Justin sa bahay niya para makilala si Ice (Aiza Seguerra) at si Ching (Ryzza Mae Dizon), isang batang kalye na inampon ni Ice.  Pilyo, malikot, at anak-mayaman si Justin; paano tatakbo ang pagsasamahan nilang apat sa ilalim ng iisang bubong?

Maunawain ang CINEMA sa pelikulang Pilipino.  Batid naming bihira sa mga pelikulang Pinoy ang may malaking budget.  Tanto din namin na ang karamihan ng mga gumagawa ng pelikula ay hangad lamang magpasaya ng manunuod habang kumikita naman mula sa kanilang sining.  Kaya naman hindi kami nag-aatubiling magpikit-mata kung magkaminsa’y palpak ang editing, patay ang sinematograpiya, tagilid ang script, nakakabingi o hindi pantay-pantay ang tunog at musika, sablay ang costumes, props at sets, peke ang pag-arte, wa-class ang pagpapatawa at katawa-tawa naman ang pagpapaiyak.  Magkaroon man lamang sana ng malinaw na istorya o kapaki-pakinabang na mensahe ay okay na; puwede na naming ipasa at pagpasensyahan ang ilang kapintasan.  Pero kung naroon nang halos lahat ng kapintasan at gagatasan pa ang manunuod sa pamamagitan ng garapal na product placement, hindi ba’t maiisip mong gusto lamang gumawa ng pera ang pelikula habang nagsusulong ito ng isang hangaring personal? Ganoon ang tingin ng CINEMA sa My Little Bossings.

Isangdamakmak na media hype ang nanguna sa pelikula tungkol sa pagsisimula ng acting career ng pamangkin ng presidente ng Pilipinas.  May mga interview pa sa tv tungkol sa pagiging co-actor ng patok na patok na tv personality na si Ryzza Mae.  Kaya natural na gustuhin ng mga taong panoorin ang tambalang Ryzza-Bimby; nag-Number One diumano sa takilya noong Manila Film Festival.  Sa simula ng My Little Bossings ay mukhang may matinong tatahakin ang kuwento, pero di maglalaon, sa pagkakapatung –patong ng mga eksena, ay iisipin mo nang “Ano ba talaga ang gustong palabasin nito?”  May mga tagpong tulad ng sa bahay ampunan— ipapakita ang di-makatarungang pagtrato sa mga bata, pero sa halip na sundan ito ng matalinong pagpapalawig ng isyu, ay lulukso ang kuwento balik sa kababawan.  Ano’ng saysay ng eksenang iyon?  Taliwas din sa katuwiran ang ilang hakbangin sa istorya; halimbawa— kung ikaw ba’y isang milyonarya at gusto mong itago ang anak mo sa panganib, doon mo ba ipagkakatiwala sa isang taong nakatira sa magulong lugar?  Hindi ba’t ilalayo mo siguro, sa probinsiya, sa ibang bansa, at papaligiran ng mga bodyguards? 

Pero ang tingin yata ng My Little Bossings sa mga nanonood ay wala silang karapatang mag-isip, kaya rin ganun-ganon na lang kung magsiksik ng advertisements.   Noodles man, soft drinks sabong panlaba, o fast food chain, basta na lang tatambad sa paningin mo ang produkto, at walang pakundangang ibebenta ito sa manonood.  Ano ba yan!?  Bakit babayad pa ang tao kung makikita din sa sinehan ang napapanood sa telebisyon?  Hindi ba ninanakawan niyan ang mga tao?  Akala siguro ng My Little Bossings ay sapat na ang naglalakihang mga bituin para pagtakpan ang butas-butas nitong produksyon.  Ang kawawa dito ay ang Pilipinong manunuod, ang mga tapat na tagahanga (lalo na ni Ryzza) na sa kapayakan ng pag-iisip ay bumabayad para makita ang paslit na artista, pero napagsasamantalahan ng isang produksyong hungkag at walang kalidad.  Maawa naman sana sila sa manunuod.  Maawa rin tayo sa mga batang artistang nagmumukh na ring mga produktong ibinebenta, pinagkikitaan sa murang gulang, at maaaring nagagamit sa paraang mapanira sa kanilang kinabukasan.

The Hobbit: the desolation of Smaug

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LEAD CAST:  Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom  DIRECTOR: Peter Jackson  SCREENWRITER:  Peter Jackson  PRODUCER:  Peter Jackson, Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner, Fran Walsh   EDITOR:  Jabez Olssen   MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Howard Shore  GENRE:  Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy  CINEMATOGRAPHER: Andrew Lesnie   DISTRIBUTOR:  Warner Bors. Pictures  LOCATION:  New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States RUNNING TIME: 162 minutes

Technical assessment: 4

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating:  V 14

The story opens with Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) and dwarven king Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) clandestinely meeting at the Inn of the Prancing Pony.  Gandalf senses a dark force lurking in the world, and advises Thorin to vanquish the dragon Smaug who had originally usurped from them their mountain fortress, and to reclaim their domain Erebor.  A year later, the 13 dwarves, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the wizard Gandalf trek up the treacherous mountain to its lone peak where the fire-breathing Smaug resides.

Although those who have read the book swear that it is far superior to the film version, most viewers will agree that one need not read Tolkien’s creation in order to enjoy the film.

The Hobbit: the desolation of Smaug’s appeal rests on the novelty of the otherworldly milieu it presents.  Never mind that it’s all fiction, and fraught with bloodletting and violence—as long as it engages the imagination and puts the viewer smack in the middle of the action.  The serial offers ever-new perker-uppers to keep viewers hanging on, but maybe two are outstanding: the dwarves’ bout with the giant Mirkwood spiders that see their captives as “fat and juicy” snacks, and their dicey escape riding in wine barrels bouncing along the rapids down the river, a Bilbo Baggins stroke of genius.  Indeed, the journey to Erebor to reclaim the dwarves’ lost kingdom is so perilous that towards the end the dragon Smaug seems no more menacing than a house lizard.

Is all that excitement—in a world populated by trolls, goblins, skinchangers, elves, wild and wooly orcs and monstrous talking spiders—meant as mere entertainment?  All that gore—impalements by arrows and spears, beheadings, stabbings, skull bashing, albeit decimating the number of the bad guys—could make the viewer wonder, “What for?”  Justice for the dwarves—in recovering a “stolen” kingdom?  Extraordinary power for the victors?  The message is clear: it’s the ageless fight between good and evil, and the victor emerges even clearer—noble heroism over greed and selfishness.  The possession of power may be used for good or bad, so what would you do if you were part of that quest?

Ender's game

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LEAD CAST: Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Viola Davis, Abigail Breslin, Ben Kingsley DIRECTOR:  Gavin Hood  SCREENWRITER:  Gavin Hood  PRODUCER:  Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Gigi Pritzker, Linda McDonough, Robert Chartoff, Lynn Hendee, Orson Scott Card, Ed Ulbrich   EDITOR:  Zach Staenberg  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Steve Jablonsky  GENRE:  Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Donald McAlpine  DISTRIBUTOR:  Summit Entertainment, Lionsgate  LOCATION: USA  RUNNING TIME:  114 minutes

Technical assessment:  4

Moral assessment:  2.5

CINEMA rating:  V 14

In the not-so-distant future, a mysterious alien race attacks the Earth. But the legendary heroism of International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley) saves the human race from total damnation. Decades after, in preparation for the next alien invasion, Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training exceptionally talented children to discover another Mazer.  One candidate is  Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy, but strategically brilliant boy. He  is pulled out of his school to join the elite group. Arriving at the Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters complicated war games. Thus, Ender makes his mark and earns respect of his peers. He is soon ordained by Graff as the military's next great hope so he is promoted to Command School. Once there, he's trained by Mazer Rackham himself, to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race.

Based on the award-winning novel, Ender’s Game, the movie captures the book’s essential themes and the arresting visuals and graphics give life to the author’s imagined Earth’s future. However, the controversial story remains at the surface level and never really gets to the point of real interest for the viewers. The repeated slow motions of some scenes bore the audience especially the young who are apparently the movie’s target audience. The acting and characterization is shallow as well with one-dimensional portrayals. But then, the visual effects, and the intricate production elements and above par production values make Ender’s Game a sci-fi spectacle worthy of audience’s time. It is still a far decent adaptation of an otherwise implausible story to visualize, making the movie adaptation an achievement in itself.

A movie depicting and tackling children being trained for battle is already morally problematic. No matter how pure Ender’s character is, the movie’s theme in its entirety is disturbing. Although highlighting Ender’s qualities of respectfulness, assertiveness, courage, would somehow send message of heroism and ideal youth of the future, still, there is no denying that the film exposes the young to the harsh and violent world. The film further desensitizes violence through the use of computer games as milieu of war. But then, the absence of blood does not equate to absence of violence. The children are still exposed to the realities of war no matter who the enemy is and what the weapons are. The youth of today may pick-up the discipline and determination demonstrated in the film as they undergo military training. Leadership, teamwork and camaraderie are some of the commendable themes in the film. Ender’s position on knowing and understanding the enemy, and in the process, loving them is also commendable and is very much aligned to Christ’s teaching of loving one’s enemy. For Ender, it is not about just winning the war, but the manner of winning it that matters the most. Meaning, what would the human race really gain from fighting enemies whom they do not really know in the first place? For in all these chaos, peace should reign and it will not be attained for as long as humans remain to be in the defensive mode of the battle. Given the controversial and conflicting themes and violent visuals, CINEMA deems the movie as fit only for viewers ages 14 and up.

 

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

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LEAD CAST:  Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks  DIRECTOR:  Francis Lawrence  SCREENWRITER:  Simon Beaufoy, Michael Amdt  PRODUCER:  Nina Jacobson,Jon Kiliki  EDITOR:  Alan Edward Bell  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  James Newton Howard  GENRE:  Science fiction, Action, Drama   CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jo Willems  DISTRIBUTOR:  Lionsgate

LOCATION:  USA RUNNING TIME:  146 minutes

Technical assessment:  4
Moral assessment:  3
CINEMA rating:  V 14

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), hailed the victors of the  the 74^th Annual Hunger Games for being the first two people to  come out of the arena alive, must now tour the oppressed and underprivileged districts of Panem.  The “Victors’ tour” is part of the scheme of the Capitol’s supreme oppressor President Snow (Donald Sutherland) who, together with the game maker Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman), is hatching up The Quarter Quell, an all-star cast survival-of-the-fittest reality TV show which will pit past Hunger Games champions against one another.  But Katniss and Peeta recognize the emptiness of their victory for they were forced to kill for their crowns.  In an attempt to block the Quarter Quell, Peeta and Katniss pretend they are expecting a baby, but it doesn’t work.  President Snow sees Katniss as potential rebel leader and is determined to have her killed.

A meaty story backed up by topnotch performances from competent actors—what more does a film need to be a box office hit? Life-threatening CGI situations to match—and Hunger Games: Catching fire has them all: a rotating island, a menacing black fog that outpaces the protagonists, shrieking mysterious birds swooping out from nowhere, herds of rabid mandrills scarier than Orcs.  For full appreciation of this second of Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, the viewers must see the first, so that they would know where the story—its logic and its accompanying emotions—are coming from.  Even the costumes and the makeup have a bearing in the development of the overall plot. 

When the movie can spur you to care for the characters, you know it’s worth the price of admission.  And with Hunger Games: Catching fire, audience empathy would not be hard to come by—viewers will either love or hate a character.  They remind one of the days when gladiators were forced to fight to the death even people they love, all for entertainment of the Roman public.  Like these gladiatorial combats, in the “hunger games” organized by the Capitol to satisfy the elite’s hunger for blood and violence, nobody really wins.  This is most evident in the attitude of the hunger games survivors who cannot be at peace for having killed the way they did.  If conscience of the Capitol’s leadership has been deadened by their greed for such violent pastimes, that of the hunger games survivors has not yet been numbed.  In fact these virtual 21^st “descenfdants” of the gladiators of old bring hope to the oppressed masses as they seem to lead an impending rebellion in Panem.  Hunger Games: Catching fire is a bridging story; it is hoped that the third one, Mockingjays, will bring the trilogy into a humane and triumphant conclusion.