It's not that I was really liking this whole movie nor I was feeling some sort of a splendid satisfaction on understanding the whole history of that period the film was set. I was even looking for a pillow that time when I watched it on the cinema. It really was just so serious for me and find it difficult to watch on one of the characters; Padre Hidalgo (played by Yul Vazquez, a Cuban actor), although I was equally impressed with how he portrayed the role. He played the role of a Spanish priest who can speak the Filipino language; so saying, his role on the movie was really important because he served as the interpreter for the Americans when they were trying to communicate with the native Filipinos. A Spanish priest in the film, a Cuban in real life. As a Filipino myself, watching him acted as if the language was just natural for him, like he's been speaking it from when he was born, was actually a pain not just on my butt nor a pain on my ears, but most importantly, a pain on my eyes. But that wasn't really what's boring me much, it was more on the lack of the movie's adding some flavor to entice watchers to stay long.
Since I am bluntly implying that this movie is giving me a pair of heavy eyes, I would understand if you'd ask why I'm wasting my time and effort writing this whole blog. To be honest, I don't really know. I just feel that I need to write something about this, something inside me tells me that I need to do so. Now in this case, I would have to apologize if my writing appears to be so disorganized, I'm trying to allow the thoughts on my mind to come out freely unto this writing until this will have a point.
Maybe I should start the whole the story back from that moment when I decided to watch the movie. I was just sitting outside SM Cinema waiting for my friend to meet me. I didn't, in any way, have an inclination that I would watch a movie on a Monday, that's supposed to happen only on weekdays; Anyhow, I was there all alone. I entertained myself by watching over the pictures of the "Now Showings," the "Up Nexts," and the "Coming Soons" displayed in front of me. Then I laid my eyes on one of the "Now Showings," over to that picture of a middle-sized man being handcuffed by some soldiers. I find it intriguing because the setting was based on the past. I looked closely wanting to find more details to it. So there! Intriguing it really was--a movie based on Philippine history during the coming of the Americans.
As was previously mentioned, I am a Filipino. A chauvinist by nature and I get to see that picture, that really elegantly captured picture that basically centers on the Filipino life back then--Well, you get the picture. Immediately, I purchased a ticket to watch it.
So there I was, excited to be excited! But alas!--yes, alas, I should say for I was really surprised to see how only a few people were there to watch it; like it was just seven to maybe ten of us were there. When the movie was done, I went to the bathroom and got acquainted with an old lady who happened to be one of the seven or so people who watched the movie. She said, "Bati ang salida 'day noh?" (The movie was bad, wasn't it?). I was like----"Uhhh..., not really. It was quite nice."
I wasn't actually contradicting myself here. It's true that it was not that entertaining at all,but it doesn't necessarily mean that it wasn't nice. And that's what this writing, I believe, is trying to point out. Nice movies doesn't have to be entertaining, just as long as it was able to let the watchers understand and realize the whole message of the entire story, I believe it didn't fail its primary objective.
It was nice because primarily, it was all about the Filipinos, what it was being a Filipino and the struggle they took to hold on to what they stand for: faith on their religion, love for their family and the patriotism that was obviously really difficult to keep that time. It was nice because of a lot of other things; understanding the story of both nationalities, the American soldiers and the Filipino natives. In fact, the movie received good reviews locally and internationally. There's just one thing I find it really alarming in the movie, though, and yes, I say it's alarming; for you see, the introduction says, "In the early 19th century..." eeeeennkkk!!!, Wasn't that supposed to be early 20th century? Since that actually happened early 1900s? None of the staffs involved in creating the movie actually noticed it. It's so good a story and with such a serious tone, it doesn't deserve to be laughed at. Unless it's used for that sole purpose, the I seriously doubt it was.
I think I'll just end this writing from here. Let me just recommend this film for you to watch and you'll see what I mean. AMIGO, directed by John Sayles.
