Thor Ragnarok

Direction: Taiki Waititi; Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkin; Screenplay: Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost;  Based on Thor by Stan Lee; Cinematography: Javier Aguirresarobe; Editing:  Joel Negron, Zene Baker; Producer: Marvel Studios; Music: Mark Motherscaugh; Genre: Sci-Fi Action; Distributor: Walt Disney Motion Pictures; Location: Asgard, Sakaar;  Running Time: 130 minutes

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V14

MTRCB rating: PG13

Thor (Hemsworth), imprisoned by fire demon Surtur learns that the prophesy of Ragnarok – the destruction of Asgard – is going to happen soon because of the absence of his father Odin (Hopkins). Thor returns to Asgard and finds his brother Loki (Hiddlestone) impersonating Odin. He forces Loki to look for their father and finds him in Norway. As Odin dies, Hela, his firstborn daughter imprisoned long ago because of her ambition to take over the Galaxy escapes. She destroys the Mjolnir and upon return to Asgard kills the loyal soldiers and resurrects her ancient army. Before she is able to expand the Bifrost Bridge and expand Azgard’s empire, Heimdall steals the sword controlling the bridge and hides the rest of the Asgardians as a resistance against Hela.  Meanwhile, Thor and Loki crash land on Sakaar. The Grandmaster (Goldblum) forces Thor to compete in the contest of champions and faces off with Hulk.  Eventually, Thor, Loki, Hulk and a former Valkyrie team up to escape Sakaar and save Asgard. A fight ensures with Hela proving to be too powerful despite the combined forces and powers of Thor and company. Left with no choice, Thor asks Loki to allow Surtur to reunite his crown with the Eternal Flame under the city. Hela is destroyed but so is Asgard. In the end, Thor and the remaining Asgardians escape in the Grandmaster’s ship enroute to Earth.

Thor is a combination of a sure win blockbuster: comical heroism, kick ass villain, mesmerizing visuals, recognizable characters, and action-packed scenes. There was no way Thor Ragnarok could have failed in the box office with its irreverent comedy and lighthearted storytelling. You more than relate with the situation because you fall in love with the characters. Overall, the film is enjoyable despite occasional difficulty in keeping up with the names, characters and subplots. But the visuals and action make up for these.

Amidst the predictable courage and teamwork in superhero films, two ideas stand out. First, we are shown the meaning of citizenship. Love of country supersedes self-preservation. Both Loki and Thor made their choices while on Sakaar. Loki saved himself and was contented to be at the beck and call of the Grandmaster, Thor would not stop until he returns to Asgard to save his people. Love of country is not conquering others or expanding an empire as Hela wants. It is protecting the people and making sure they have a decent life. Second, people can always become a better version of themselves. Loki, Valkerie, Hulk and Scourge recognized their past mistakes and followed their heart to take the higher road and fight for what is good. Of course, the transformation comes after admission and with the willingness to embrace selflessness. The movie is a superhero film and naturally would entail fighting and violence. It is advisable to have a mature adult accompany young audiences.

Bes and the Beshies

DIRECTOR: Joel Lamangan  CAST: Ai Ai delas Alas, Carmi Martin, Beauty Gonzales, Ms. Zsa Zsa Padilla, Nikko Natividad, Jon Lucas, Wilbert Ross, Emilio Garcia, Sanch Vito Delas Alas, Alan Paule, Mark Joseph Tam, Heaven Peralejo  WRITTEN BY: Ricky Lee, Alpha Habon, Rod Marmol  EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Patrick Neil F. Meneses, Ladylyne de Guzman-Ilao  GENRE: Comedy­  EDITED BY: Vanessa Ubas de Leon  DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRPHY: Miguel Cruz  MUSIC: Emerzon Texon  PRODUCTION DESIGN: Cyrus Khan  PRODUCTION COMPANY: CINEKO Production Inc.  DISTRIBUTED BY: Regal Entertainment, Inc.  COUNTRY: Philippines  LANGUAGE: Pilipino  RUNNING TIME: 105 minutes

Technical assessment: 3

Moral assessment: 2.5

CINEMA rating: V14

MTRCB rating: R13

Matalik na magkakaibigan sina Charla (AiAi delas Alas), Mabel (ZsaZsa Padilla), Tisay (Carmi Martin) at Sophie (Beauty Gonzales).  Batid ng bawat isa ang kani-kanilang pinagdadaanan at gayun na lamang ang suporta na ipinakikita nila sa isa’t isa kung kinakailangan.  Mag-isang itinataguyod ni Charla ang anak na si Benjie habang umaasang babalikan sila ng ama nito sa kabila ng matagal na panahon mula nang iwan sila. Martir na asawa naman si Mabel at sinisikap na manatiling buo ang pamilya sa kabila ng pangangaliwa ng asawa.  Si Tisay naman ay isa sa mga kabit ng police general na naghahangad mabuntis upang di sya iwan nito. Si Sophie naman ay pamangkin ni Tisay at di hamak na mas bata sa kanilang tatlo. Hilig ni Sophie ang sumali sa mga beauty contest na lagi naman siyang natatalo dahil sa magaspang niyang pananalita at personalidad.

Maayos ang daloy ng kwento ng Bes and the Beshies. Madali itong masundan ng mga manonood at kapana-panabik ang mga eksena. Kakaiba ang sumpaan ng pagkakaibigan sa bandang huli na nakaset-up ng kasal. Samantalang di nakaligtas sa tipikal na ending ang pelikula na may bigyan ng bagong partner ang nabigo sa pag-ibig na si Charla.  Bagamat may mga eksena na kung hindi corny ay eksaherada, sa kabuuan ay maganda ang pagkakadirek sa mga nagsiganap at ang trato sa temang comedy na napanatili hanggang sa huli.  Epektibo sa pagpapatawa ang mga nagsiganap at nailabas nila ang pagkakaiba ng mga karakter na kanilang ginampanan. Mahusay ang disenyo ng produksyon—naipakita ang iba’t ibang katayuan sa lipunan ng apat na magkakaibigan at kung paano nagkakasundo at nagkakaisa sila para sa bawat isa. Maganda rin ang mga kuha ng kamera at ang iba’t ibang anggulong ginamit para sa mas makahulugang komposisyon. 

Ang tunay na kaibigan ay isang kayamanan. Katulad ng pamilya, nagsisilbing takbuhan o sandalan din ang matapat na kaibigan sa panahon ng pangangailangan. Ito ang pangunahin mensahe ng Bes and the Beshies at naihatid naman ito.  Kahanga-hanga ang samahan ng mga magkakaibigan dahil sa walang pag-aalinlangang pagsuporta sa isa’t isa at sukdulang itaya ang sarili sa pagharap sa kalaban ng kaibigan at ipagtanggol ito.  Positibo ding mensahe ng pelikula ang pagtanggap sa katauhan ng kapwa katulad ng ginawa ng mga kaibigan ni Benjie ng matapang niyang ipagtapat sa harap ng mga kaibigan at nagugustuhan niyang lalaki na siya ay isang bakla.  Subalit nakababahala ang mga nakapaloob na munting tema ng pelikula katulad ng paghahangad ng anak sa lalaking may-asawa upang manatili siyang kabit nito, magaspang na pananalita at paghikayat pa sa nobyo na maging katulad nya, ang cheap na paraan ng pang-aakit ng lalaki, at ang hayagang paghahangad at pagsasakatuparan ng pagpapaopera upang magpalit ng kasarian ang isang bakla. Ang ganitong mga paksa ay mas akma sa manonood na may hinog na kaisipan.

The Barker

DIRECTOR: Dennis Padilla  LEAD CAST: Empoy Marquez, Shy Carlos, Wilma Doesn’t, Ronnie Lazaro  PRODUCER: Vic del Rosario, Arlyn dela Cruz-Bernal  GENRE: Romance comedy/action  RUNNING TIME:  76 minutes

Technical assessment: 2

Moral assessment: 2.5

CINEMA rating: V14

MTCRB:  PG

Maganda at mabait na, mayaman pa.  Ano pa ang hahanapin ng probinsiyanong si Coco (Empoy Marquez) sa isang sinisinta, si Bella (Shy Carlos).  Nasa kanya nang lahat, kaya lang strict si papa (Ronnie Lazaro), ilalayo si Bella.  Hindi maglalaon, makikipagsapalaran sa Maynila si Coco, maghahanap ng trabaho, at para hanapin si Bella.  Pipisan muna si Coco sa pinsan niyang si Gorio, at makakakita ng trabaho bilang isang “barker”—tagatawag ng pasahero sa pilahan ng dyip.  Aatake ang budol-budol gang, mangloloob ng bahay, at sa paghahabulan ng mga pulis at mga kriminal, iiitsa at maiiwan ang isang bag na puno ng salaping ninakaw sa dyip na minamaneho ni Gorio.  Lingid sa kaalaman ng magpinsan, hahantingin ng sindikato ng mga kawatan ang dyip na iniwanan nila ng bag.  Maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan, at dito magkakatagpong muli si Coco at si Bella.

Pagkatapos “makilala” ng CINEMA si Marquez sa Kita Kita, nasabik kaming makita kung anong putahe naman kaya ang ihahain niya sa The Barker.  Tila limang minuto pa lang kaming nanonood ay nayamot na kami, pero tiniis namin hanggang matapos, sa pag-asang baka may maganda namang sorpresang naghihintay sa bandang dulo.  Wala, wala, at wala.  Hindi madaling isa-isahin ang mga kapalpakan ng pelikula, dahil sa dami—ang sabog na kuwento, ang makupad na daloy nito, ang komedyang hindi nakakatawa, ang romansang matabang, ang sobra-sobrang halikan na walang kapararakan—pero ang “pinaka” ay ang nakakasawang pagtitig ng kamera sa mga paandar ng mukha ni Marquez.  Ito ang ugat ng kabiguan ng pelikula—ang pamumuhunan sa tagumpay ni Marquez sa Kita Kita.  Dahil pumatok sa takilya, inulit.  Parang pagtitinda ng hot pandesal—dahil naging mabili nang unang ilabas, binaha ang palengke ng hot pandesal, hanggang sa nalimutan nang ang unang benta ay pumatok dahil may masarap itong palaman—corned beef!—samantalang ang palaman nitong sumunod ay Star margarine at asukal lamang, o gatas kondensada, o latik—matamis pero nakakaumay.  Buong buo at makahulugan ang kuwento ng Kita Kita; sa The Barker, pilit, parang inimbento na lang para makagawa ng pagkakakitaang pelikula.  Kungdi sana sinobrahan ang pagpapatawa, na corny naman, baka umangat ito nang konti, at siryosohin ng manonood.  Sa halip na hamunin si Marquez na higitan ang pagganap niya sa Kita Kita, kinopya lang ito.  Minsan nga, mukhang pinulot lang sa mga retaso ng Kita Kita ang ilang eksena.  Ang mga pakyut at pakyeme ni Coco pag kaharap si Bella ay walang pinag-iba sa ginawa ni Marquez sa Kita Kita, pati na ang close up na paghigop ng mami noodles—siyang siya, iba nga lang ang babaeng kaharap.  At kailangan bang i-close up pa ang ngala-ngala, kampanilya, at tonsils ni Marquez para ipakita sa manonood na ang puhunan ng “barker” ay ang kanyang makapangyarihang bunganga?  Hay, ‘nako!

Meron isang mahalagang bagay ang dapat sana’y lumutang sa istorya ng The Barker—ang katapatan at prinsipyo ni Coco na huwag galawin at bagkus ay isauli ang natagpuang salapi sa may ari nito, pero napawalang saysay ito nang bumigay si Coco dala ng awa sa batang magbe-bertdey nang walang perang ipangpa-party.  Di ba’t pareho lang ito ng di katanggap-tanggap na ugali ng mga Pinoy (sa probinsya), na mangungutang, magsasanla ng bahay, o magbebenta ng kalabaw para lang may ihanda sa piyesta?  Gusto lang siguro ng pelikula ay masaya, hapi lahat, tutal, talo din naman ang mga bad people sa katapusan.  Pero hindi yon sapat; sa kabila ng lahat, wala pa kaming natanong na manonood na hindi nagsabing “nadaya” sila ng The Barker.  Sa habang isang oras at 16 na minuto, pwede naman itong tabasan na lang at gawing kalahating oras na komedya sa telebisyon—bakit gagasta ka pa ng mahigit 200 piso para “madaya” ka lang?  Mas sulit pang panoorin ang The Foreigner (Jackie Chan) o Bad Genius (pelikula mula sa Thailand).   

Across the Crescent Moon

(Editor's note: "Across the Crescent Moon" won Best Global Feature Film and Best Ensemble Acting awards at the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) last Oct. 18 in New York.  The following is the English version of the review in Pilipino CINEMA published in this blog last January).  DIRECTOR: Baby Nebrida  LEAD CAST: Matteo Guidicelli, Alex Godinez, Dina Bonnevie, Christopher de Leon, Sandy Andolong, Gabby Concepcion SCREENWRITER: Baby Nebrida  PRODUCER:  Baby Nebrida LINE PRODUCER:  Christina Nebrida  EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ana Clemena, Amado Tan  GENRE: Drama, Action  MUSIC: Von de Guzman  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Topel Lee  PRODUCTION DESIGNER:  Erwin Sanchez  PRODUCTION COMPANY:  Gold Barn Media  INTERNATIONAL  DISTRIBUTOR: Silver Line Multimedia  COUNTRY:  Philippines  LOCATIONS: Tawi Tawi, Simunul Island, Tanay, Clark, Subic, Zambales RUNNING TIME: 130 minutes

Technical assessment:  3.5

Moral assessment:  3.5

CINEMA rating:  V14

MTRCB rating: PG13

“Across the Crescent Moon,” opens with a bitter fight between mother Mita Garcia (Dina Bonnevie) and daughter Emma (Alex Godinez).  Devout Catholics, Emma’s parents are strongly against the love relationship between Emma and her boyfriend Abbas Misani (Matteo Guidicelli) but they will fail to stop the union of the two.  To their dismay, Emma and Abbas get married in Muslim rites, and stay in Mindanao.  Abbas is a soldier in the Special Action Forces (SAF) tasked to deal with the drug and human trafficking problem in Mindanao.  After their wedding the young couple reside in Mindanao with Abbas’ parents Karim (Christopher de Leon) and Sitti (Sandy Andolong) who warmly welcome the Emma to the family.  When Emma becomes pregnant, she pleads with Abbas to return to Manila until she gives birth; fortunately, Abbas is granted his request at work to be transferred to the SAF contingent in Luzon.  Missing her parents very much, Emma pays them a surprise visit.  She finds her mother home, but Mita cruelly disowns her.  In spite of Emma’s delicate condition, Mita’s heart remains hard and cold, without a whiff of mercy for the pregnant daughter.

Local film critics have contrasting reactions to “Across the Crescent Moon”.  There are those who praise it to high heavens, suggesting that the film be seen by every Filipino; others see nothing but the perceived shortcomings of the film, from camera angles to the story flow.  Some say watching the movie is a big waste of time and money; while others aver that one stands to miss much by not seeing it because “it is so special”, being a unique film that courageously tackles and portrays situations that no Filipino movie in the past had ever done.

It is easy to see why critics differ in their view of “Across the Crescent Moon”—a fact that does not augur well for the fate of the film at the box office.  Like average Filipino moviegoers, many critics merely look for entertainment, or amazement at the technical perfection of a movie, to the extent that they become oblivious to the film’s substance and its potential to open doors leading to a society’s redemption.  The theme of “Across the Crescent Moon” is hardly entertaining, but what is amazing about it is that it was produced at all—a film that owes its existence to people who gambled their talents, treasure, and conviction in their desire to contribute towards peace and reconciliation in the land.

Actors de Leon, Guidicelli, Godinez and Andolong.

Interviewed by CINEMA, its director and screenwriter Baby Nebrida said her intention was to bridge the gap between Christians and Muslims by focusing on correct information and right knowledge of the situation—thus she deemed it best to highlight the goodness and benevolence of a Muslim family in this film.  With this purpose in mind, Nebrida persuaded veteran actors (Bonnevie, de Leon, Andolong) to play alongside neophytes (Guidicelli, Godinez) in this trailblazing movie.

The excellent performances the actors delivered are thus rooted not in acting techniques but in the sincere belief that participation in the film is infusing new meaning in their art. At a press conference prior to the launch of Across the Crescent Moon last January, the actors—both the seasoned ones and the newbies alike, all Christians from Luzon—admitted that in studying their respective roles, and in mingling with the Muslims while on location shooting in Mindanao, their eyes were opened to the beauty of the customs and prayer life of the Muslims.  For the actors, being in the film was not “just a job” but also a “learning moment”—their exposure to a different cultural environment enriched their lives and imbued their performance with freshness and intensity.  The result: whatever technical flaws the film had were overshadowed by the heartfelt performances of the cast.

The core of the plot is the love between two young persons coming from different backgrounds, and its message is the hope of a people’s healing springing from the understanding that love brings.   The role of Bonnevie—Mita, the narrow-minded mother who is complacent in her comfort zone, and has good intentions but lacks genuine understanding of her daughter or her fellow Filipinos—serves as the heart of the movie, for she reflects the transformation that Filipinos need to go through to liberate the predominantly Catholic nation from prejudice against their long neglected Muslim brothers. 

CINEMA won’t wonder if “Across the Crescent Moon” does not become a box office hit in the country, because as surveys made by the film industry itself reveal, the average Filipino goes to the movies to laugh, to get tickled or terrified, to be entertained and wowed by fantastic CGI (computer generated images)—never to meditate upon the future of their country.  The film may not rake in millions at the tills, but as CINEMA views it, a deep regard for its message can heal millions of wounded hearts in the country.  Showing and discussing the film in schools and parishes, particularly in key cities, may help broaden the horizons of the young who are in danger of being engulfed in mediocrity prevalent in the entertainment media, the internet, and society as a whole. 

Director Baby Nebrida (in white) and crew receive the trophies at the IFFM.

Seven Sundays

DIRECTOR: CATHY GARCIA-MOLINA; LEAD CAST: RONALDO VALDEZ, AGA MULACH. DINGDONG DANTES, CRISTINE REYES, ENRIQUE GIL; SCREENWRITER:  VANESSA VALDEZ, ROUMELLA MONGE, KIKO ABRILLO, JORELL GONZAGA; PRODUCER:  CHARO SANTOS-CONCIO, MALOU CONCIO; EDITOR:  MARYO IGNACIO; GENRE: FAMILY DRAMA DISTRIBUTOR:  STAR CINEMA   LOCATION:  PHILIPPINES  RUNNING TIME:   128 MINUTES 

Technical assessment: 4 

Moral assessment: 4 

CINEMA rating: VA

Kaarawan ni Manuel Bonifacio (Veldez) at inaasahan niya ang pagdating ng kanyang apat na anak upang makipagdiwang.  Kaya nga lamang kailangang isugod sa ospital ang asawa ng panganay na si Alex (Muhlach), habang nasa Singapore naman si Bryan (Dantes); ang pangatlong si Cha (Reyes) ay may importanteng kliyente, at hindi naman mahagilap ang bunsong si Dexter (Gil). Tanging ang kaibigang doktor lamang anv makakahabol. Kaya nga lamang ay may dalang malungkot na balita—may cancer si Manuel at dalawang buwan na lamang ang taning. Dahil dito ay mapipilitan ang apat na saluhan at pasayahin ang ama sa huling pitong Linggo ng kanyang buhay. Ang kaso nga lamang ay bukod sa may kani-kanyang personal na pinagdaraanan ang apat, ay mga kimkim na sama ng loob pa sila sa isa’t isa.  Ang tanong, magkakasundo ba ang magkakapatid bago matapos ang pitong Linggo? 

Sa ngayon ay alam na nang nakararami ang sagot dahil unang araw pa lamang ng Seven Sundays ay pinag-usapan at pinilahan na ito. Bakit nga hindi e bukod sa powerhouse casting, tema ng pamilya na malapit sa loob ng Pinoy ito at may halong drama at komedya pa na kinagigiliwan ng mga manunuod. Pero sa totoo lang—hindi ang pormula ang naging dahilan ng tagumpay ng pelikula. Unang una, ang matalinong pagkakapili sa mga nagsiganap dahil ang pagka-angkop ay hindi lamang pisikal kundi sa kanilang ugnayan sa mga eksena. Walang naging pabigat, kalabisan o nang-aagaw pansin. Lahat ay may tamang kinalagyan. At hindi lamang ito usapan ng husay sa pagganap kundi kakayahan na bigyan ng balangkas ang emosyonal at pagganyak ng mga kaeksena. Sa madaling salita—naging natural ang dating at nakakaugnay ang mga nanunuod dito. Ikalawa: ang mismong kwento. Hindi naman ito bago o katangi-tangi. Marami nang nagdaang pelikula na ganito rin ang tema (mula Tanging Yaman hanggang Four Sisters and a Wedding) pero ang balanseng timpla ng drama at katatawanan ay madaling sabayan. Madudurog ang puso sa hinagpis na pinagdaraanan ng mga tauhan, sasakit ang tiyan sa kalokohan ng mga eksena, mangingiti sa kulitan ng magkakapatid at sa likod nito, matatalupan ang buod ng hinanakit, kasaysayan at pagmamahalan sa loob ng pamilya. Ang kwento ay simple pero isang paglalakbay sa buhay. Dapat rin bigyan nang puna ang mabusising disenyo ng produksyon dahil mahigpit ang pagkakahabi nito sa mga mensahe ng eksena. Sa kabuuan, ang tagumpay ng Seven Sundays ay ang tamang paggamit sa mga elemento ng produksyon na tumulong upang maisulong ang kwento at mangibabaw ang mensahe. 

Sabi nila, ang pagiging magkapatid ay nangangahulugan ng pagpapatawaran, pagbibigayan at pagmamahalan lagi. Madaling sabihin, mahirap gawin. Dahil kadalasan, kung sino pa ang kapatid ay siyang mas pinagseselosan, pinagkikimkiman ng sama nang loob, pinagdaramutan ng pasensya, kinakalimutan,isinasantabi. Siguro, iniisip na porke’t kapatid e hindi na kailangang maging maingat sa pakikitungo, “tutal kadugo”.  At dahil sa katwirang ito, madalas nasisira ang samahan. Nagkakanta-kanya hanggang tuluyan nang mawalan nang pakialam sa isat isa. Pero sa huli, ang makakahilom ayang pagkakabuklod, hindi lamang dahil kadugo kundi dahil iyon ang mismong kalikasan ng pagiging tao… pagiging kapwa…pagiging kapatid. Ang kwento ng mga Bonifacio ay kwento ng bawat pamilya--nagkakatampuhan, nagkakainggitan, may napapabayaan… may nasasaktan. Pero sa huli, nagkakapatawaran. Nagmamahalan. Ang kwento ay angkop sa lahat ng gulang—lalo para sa mga bata dahil makikita nila ang halaga ng pagiging buo at kahulugan ng pagiging kapatid. 

Geostorm

DIRECTOR:  Dean Devlin  LEAD CAST:  Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Ed Harris, Andy Garcia  SCREENWRITER:  Dean Devlin, Paul Guyot  PRODUCERS:  David Ellison, Dean Devlin, Dana Goldberg  EDITOR:  Ron Rosen, Chris Lebenzon, John Refoua  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Lorne Balfe, Steffen Thum  GENRE:  Science Fiction, Fantasy  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Roberto Schaefer  DISTRIBUTOR:  Warner Bros. Pictures  LOCATION:  New Orleans, Dubai, Hongkong  RUNNING TIME:  109 minutes

Technical assessment: 2.5

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V13

US space scientist Jake Lawson (Gerald Butler) leads an international crew that builds Dutch Boy, a space station that controls satellites designed to counteract the effects of climate change. But Jake antagonizes the political bureaucracy and loses his post. His brother Max (Jim Sturgess) in the State Department is put in charge of Dutch Boy, causing a rift between the brothers. Dutch Boy malfunctions and causes extreme weather events in various countries two weeks before US President Palma (Andy Garcia) is to turn over Dutch Boy to an international team. Max’s boss Dekkom (Ed Harris) orders Max to bring in Jake to fix the problem. A series of accidents convinces Max and Jake that a key government official is causing Dutch Boy to fail. Max seeks the help of his girlfriend Sarah (Abbie Cornish) of the Secret Service to find who the culprit is.

Geostorm has the perfect material to build a monumental doomsday film comparable to director Devlin’s Independence Day, his previous work of the same genre. The love and allegiance between brothers complicated by rivalry unravels in a backdrop of political ambition and the overriding call for international cooperation to mitigate the impact of global warming. But the film disappoints. The characters are off. Max is anything but a disciplined State Department insider as he gets agitated at the slightest provocation. Jake’s teenage daughter seems to have skipped adolescence and throws lines and actuations typical of an adult. And most confusing of all is Sarah who values her Secret Service duty so much yet readily agrees to give away classified information.  Humor and drama, banter and romance are introduced with such bad timing. Dutch Boy lacks the sophistication of a futuristic space station. Weather events that turn people to ice are executed so gawkily they look absurd.

Like any doomsday movie, expect action, destruction and violence—all within the context of the story. Never mind that once again, America emerges as savior. The key messages underpinning the messianic plot are more important: that of love of country, and the use of technology to contain the destruction caused by man on the very same planet where he lives. The film, too, is replete with family values. There’s a good angle about the effect of adult behavior (in this case, brothers Jake and Max) on the emotional state of a child (Jake’s daughter). However, overall, despite positive values, the film fails to communicate its messages well because of poor technical execution. 

Blade Runner 2049

DIRECTOR: Denis Villeneuve  CAST: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, Dave Bautista, Jared Leto  SCREENPLAY: Hampton Fancher, Michael Green  STORY BY: Hampton Fancher  BASED ON: Characters from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick  PRODUCERS: Hans Zimmer, Benjamin Wallfisch   GENRE: Science Fiction, Drama, Action  EDITED BY: Joe Walker  CINEMATOGRAPHY: Roger Deakins  PRODUCTION COMPANY: Alcon Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, Scott Free Productions,Torridon Films, 16:14 Entertainment, Thunderbird Entertainment Inc.  DISTRIBUTED BY: Warner Bros. Pictures  COUNTRY: United States  LANGUAGE: English  RUNNING TIME: 2 hours 43 minutes

Technical assessment:  3.5

Moral assessment:  2.5

CINEMA rating:  V18

Thirty years after Blade Runner, we are shown the future by Blade Runner 2049, a dystopian Earth where cars can fly and humans and androids co-exist.  In this world Officer K (Ryan Gosling), a new blade runner of post-apocalyptic Los Angeles Police Department, is tasked with hunting down the remaining replicants—synthetic humans who had staged a rebellion before in much the same way slaves would.  His job is to put the rebellious replicants out of commission and retrieve their eyeballs which bear identity—their serial numbers.  On the job, Office K gets to meet blade-runner-in-hiding Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), the hero of Bladed Runner, who has settled in his comfortable lair where he enjoys holograms of Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra plus all the booze to last him three lifetimes.  Officer K will soon discover a secret that will break his heart.

Blade Runner 2049 succeeds in portraying a gloomy future for humanity through stunning visuals enhancing the murder-mystery plot.  For one, the thick yellow fog shrouding Los Angeles circa 2049 seems to forebode death-by-pollution for homo sapiens 30 years or so from now.  Holding the attention and interest of the viewer is the question of who in the movie is a replicant and who is not, since one can hardly tell between a real human being and a man-made android that looks and acts like a real person.   For example, the viewer is deceived by appearances until he sees beyond doubt that Officer K’s companion, Joi (Ana de Armas) is but a holograph he had purchased as he would a computer app.  The “cyber puzzle” is a cinematic device cleverly woven into a story that’s meant to eventually lead the viewer to mull the moral or ethical consequences of such technological advances.

Blade Runner 2049 asks us to examine how mankind regards technology, and how we who have a soul relate spiritually with one another.  The provocative plot begins with the discovery of the boxed remains of a female replicant who it turned out—upon examination of her “bones”— had given birth.  Here lies the crux of the matter: if replicants (which are a collection of artificial intelligence) can reproduce, are human emotions like love and desire involved?  If these entities can multiply as humans do, it is not impossible that they can also decide their population growth, even their destinies.  If they decide to reproduce while humans continue to prevent conception and abort fetuses to cut down their population growth, would a probable interspecies war decimate humankind?  Of course, these are mere hypotheses budding out from interesting fiction.  What merits a closer look in Blade Runner 2049 is the film’s treatment of women, which implies that despite all the advances in science, women will hardly move up from being the sex objects that they may be now—at least in the eyes of those who produced this movie.  Imagine, 2049 Los Angeles, flying cars and all—its boulevards illuminated by gigantic advertisements of seductive or nearly nude women, in 3D to boot!  Gentlemen, what’s the point?