Despite its seemingly futuristic title and poster, this film is very much set in the present day, in Manila with its rampant drug-related killings. Irma owned a pest control business, but she also worked an assassin for hire on the side. She worked in-tandem with her partner Raul to kill subjects as instructed by their boss, a policeman they called Sarge. Irma had taken Toto, the young boy orphaned by her close friend, under her wing as her apprentice, teaching him her violent trade.
While the subject matter of the violent subculture in the underbelly of Manila is a common subject matter in films, "Neomanila" stands out with its striking cinematography. From that first hit we witness in a busy marketplace to the killer's quick getaway via motorbike in that tunnel, we immediately see that the images of this film will be out of the ordinary. The characters were followed with constantly changing camera focus, with just the right amount of shake to evoke grit and dynamism without making the audience nauseous.
Eula Valdez is not exactly an actress I would expect to be cast portraying a cold-blooded killer, but talented as she is, Ms. Valdez pulls it off here. With that glassy stare in her steely big eyes, we know she means business. In the same way, despite her heartless job, she was also convincing as a mother figure to Toto, so much so that an 11th hour twist would come as an absolute shock.
I first saw Timothy Castillo on stage in a Virgin Labfest one-act play, a comedy entitled "Mula sa Kulimliman" (MY REVIEW), where i saw a natural comedian. The Timothy I saw here in "Neomanila" is dead serious, showcasing the versatility of this promising young actor. It was with his character Toto that the audience will latch on to as he is initiated into a life of crime and violence. We lose our innocence together as the film progressed.
Rocky Salumbides played Raul, Irma's partner in crime and in bed. Indie favorite Jess Mendoza takes on another look here as the ruthless gang leader Dugo. Ross Pesigan played Toto's unfortunate older brother Kiko even if they do not look a bit alike. Angeline Andoy played Toto's girlfriend Gina, with a scene of gratuitous pubescent breast exposure which felt very wrong. Indie queen Angeli Bayani had a small cameo playing Irene, a target who made it complicated for the killers because she carried a baby. Raul Morit, as the gun dealer Mackoy, had the only scene that felt warm for me because of its humor.
The pacing of the story felt all too slow, which can be frustrating because it was rather predictable. A sudden last-minute twist came out of nowhere to liven things up, but in the denouement that followed, the film went back on track to the inevitable ending already telegraphed midway through. There may have been too many obvious attempts at symbolism, so it felt redundant. Irma's pest-control business is already an easy metaphor for Irma's other job as a hitman eliminating drug fiends.
Overall, I was never really drawn fully into the drama of their lives, unlike previous local hitman films I've seen, like "On the Job" (Matti, 2013) (MY REVIEW) or "Tandem"(Palisoc, 2016) (MY REVIEW). Despite the talents of the actors, they seem to lack chemistry with each other. Despite the remarkable cinematography by Mycko David, the stylishness of director Mikhail Red kept the events in the story, no matter how current and urgent, felt oddly cold and distant. It is entirely possible too that Red did this aloofness on purpose to reflect an assassin's point of view. 6/10.
No comments:
Post a Comment