July 20, 2024
Moslem mother Mangindra (Laurice Guillen) had a dream about her two sons Jasim (Piolo Pascual) and Abdel (Baron Geisler) with shirts drenched with blood as they were wielding machetes in a cornfield. When she saw her deceased husband Kamad (Christopher de Leon) welcoming Abdel to ride his boat, she woke up very disturbed. She immediately told Abdel to go bring her to visit Jasim for a heart-to-heart talk.
Jasim and Abdel were estranged following a serious argument about a land title that their late father left behind for them. Because of her nightmare, Magindra thought that her two sons should already forgive each other and bury the hatchet between them. However, while Jasim was serious and industrious, Abdel was reckless and impulsive. Their brotherly conflict was deep-seated and steeped in ego and pride.
As the rift between the two brothers was revealed, it immediately drew brought to mind the conflicts between biblical brothers, like the Prodigal Son and his elder brother, or Cain and Abel (to a lesser degree). The bone of contention varies in various tales of such fraternal conflict, but the animosity involved is none the less bitter. A parent will intervene in an attempt to broker peace between her two sons. This problem is universal, not uniquely Moslem.
The second half veers away from the central family to immerse us in violent encounters between Moslem rebels and government military forces. The way Mendoza staged these shootouts were brutally realistic, with nerve-wracking gunfire and splattering bloodshed. As the brothers were caught in the crossfire, the focus returns to them and their mother, who struggled to make sense of her family's fate.
The lead triumvirate of Laurice Guillen, Piolo Pascual and Baron Geisler was stellar and is the main draw to watch this intense 80-minute film, all spoken in the Maguindanoan tongue. Christopher de Leon, Joel Torre, Beauty Gonzales all make their mark in smaller roles. Mendoza still told the story (written by Honeylyn Joy Alipio) with his signature hyper-realistic style, but this time it was effectively integrated with flashbacks and dreams for more dramatic heft and emotional connection. 6/10.
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