MMFF

By Rito P. Asilo MANILA, Philippines--Mark Meilys follow-up to 2005s rousing La Visa Loca is a n oble albeit flawed attempt to clarify a contentious, but little-known episode o f the Philippine revolution against the countrys Spanish colonizers at the end of the 19th century: The Siege of Baler. Trust Meily to rally behind a brave, bold cause to tell an amazing piece of the nations history using the Filipino p erspective. For 338 days, from July 1, 1898, to June 2, 1899, a small Spanish contingentmad e up of 57 Spanish soldiers and Filipino-Spanish mestizosfortified itself in th e church of San Luis de Tolosa in Baler, Aurora, and resisted the unrelenting a ttacks of Filipino insurgents. The psychological warfare waged in this compelling battle of wits and wills is instructive and insightful. The stubborn Spanish troops holed up (and trapped) in the church thought that the news of Spain losing to its enemies in the Spani sh-American War was merely a psychological ploy to trick them into raising the white flag. Authenticity So, the fair-skinned soldiers endured hunger, beriberi and bullets for almost a year! They were only convinced of the authenticity of the report when the Trea ty of Paris was enacted, and a newspaper from Madrid confirmed the end of Spani sh reign in their erstwhile colonies all over the globe. Meily utilizes this sweeping historical milieu as a backdrop to dramatize the b ittersweet love story of the movies star-crossed lovers, Celso Resurrecion (Jer icho Rosales) and Feliza Reyes (Anne Curtis). The couples Romeo-and-Juliet dilemma lies in the fact that Celso is a Spanish-F ilipino mestizo who serves in the Spanish military, considered the ultimate ene my by Felizas vengeful father, Daniel (Phillip Salvador), who happens to be one of the leaders of Auroras Filipino guerrilla movement. Unique story Alas, noble intentions dont a great film make. Meilys latest production isnt th e seamless movie its touted to bethough the filmmakers valiant effort to tell t he Baler sieges unique story deserves moviegoers support. After all, the public needs to realize theres more to the annual family-oriente d film festival than loud and livid rib-ticklers and freaky monsters that conti nually get resurrected in various shapes and sizes year after yearafter year. Rosales has always been an engaging performer, and he doesnt disappoint here, e ither. The same is true for his leading lady, Anne Curtis, whose disarming pres ence provides a soothing balm to all that blood and mayhem onscreen. Unfortunately, Jericho and Anne dont have much chemistryan indispensable elemen t required to ignite Celso and Felizas feelings for each other: Thus, much of t he needed romanticism is lost in the films dialogue and exposition. Flashes of dramatic brilliance For his part, Phillip Salvador displays flashes of dramatic brilliance in a num ber of inspired sequences (notably, in the scene where he welcomes back his est ranged son, played by Carlo Aquino), but were seeing a trend that we find distr acting in his performances of late: He mistakes intensity for sustained seethin g anger (remember For the First Time?). The productions two-pronged subject matter keeps the storytelling unfocused and protracted: Youre not sure if the movie wants to examine a historical event mo re than draw attention to Celso and Felizas love story. Plus, scenes showing th e Spanish soldiers dire situation lack the tension and claustrophobic feel they require. So, despite Lee Meilys noteworthy, postcard-pretty cinematography and the main leads above-par portrayals, your attention will eventually meander halfway thro ugh the movie.

'Baler' - Viva Films