| MOVIE
REVIEW |
NORDIS
WEEKLY October 30, 2005 |
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Astigin |
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| By PINK-JEAN FANGON-MELEGRITO Scene 1. INT./DAY: Bien talks to his two former ‘colleagues’
while pointing a gun at them. [The movie starts with Bien, suffering from severe astigmatism, staring into his preys. Two males: one is aggressive (Magalona), the other passive (Quizon). ‘Aggressive’ tries to escape from Bien’s claws. The scene gets heated up as Bien shoots the escapee. Bien, not contented, shoots the other one too. Then, the scene ends.] That is not the exact screenplay, but it is altogether much close to the film that will ironically open your eyes in a very blurry way. A digital film written and directed by Jon Red, a filmmaker from the rising industry of independent films (indies), is ASTIG(matism). Robin Padilla co-stars with veteran indie actors Ronnie Lazaro and Jaime Fabregas, together with a power cast of other “mainstream/indie”actors Albert Martinez, Francis Magalona, Jeffrey Quizon, Alessandra De Rossi, and Nonie Buencamino. The entire movie was shot on mini-digital video camera. Every scene unfolds with all sincerity and boldness. Astig won the Hong Kong International Film Festival’s Silver DV (digital video) Award. Making it even more interesting was its title: a pun on “Astig” or slang for thug in Filipino and the visual defect usually in the cornea (light rays are prevented to lie in certain planes from coming to a focus on the retina, thus blurred vision is experienced). A University of the Philippines-Diliman Fine Arts graduate handled the film. Jon Red seemingly painted the seventy-five minutes with sarcasm, wit, gunfires, cursing and full honest thought. Astig is not only appealing in terms of its visuals, but also the entire production set. All scenes are shot in the rooms of a scrappy abandoned building in Quezon City for a week. Actors Padilla and Martinez worked for just P1,000 a day to star in this critical film, a far cry from their usual hundred thousands a day they make from those mainstream films. Padilla was even one of the camera operators while portraying the role of the killer. Astig hears and speaks of the world among drug syndicates, fraudulent police force and corrupted media, as literally seen through the astigmatic eyes of assassin Bien (Padilla). His every blink in each second brings you closer to his dark life. The film has the brilliance of semiotics (study of symbols). Each detail corresponds to a deeper analysis of the most complex things in life. For instance, Bien gets glasses from another former ‘colleague’ who supposedly opted to become an optometrist instead. Doc (Martinez) tells Bien that he should see clearer now that he has glasses. Or, the glasses symbolize that Bien has to rethink his options of getting a new life, as he should see things now in a differently clear way. Later, Bien sees through a peephole in Doc’s office a glimpse of Doc’s hidden life- still an illegal drug dealer. Manong Gerry (Bien’s boss, played by Ronnie Lazaro) always eats lanzones- the poor man’s grapes. It is as if by eating more and more lanzones, he achieves a little pride in himself, that he, an illegal syndicate boss, could afford a little luxury. Omar, the funny weird sidekick, always stays in the dark corner of Gerry’s office, as if to say that he can never be in the light (a good life), never to be on the spotlight (a big boss of any, even of himself). Another scene full of subliminal meanings is when Bien and Omar went to their ‘assignment’. They were to kill Mang Mario, an always-drunk old gangster, alleged to have stolen from the syndicate’s collections. The encounter begins when Bien is caught off-handed, his gun (Bien’s power) confiscated by Mario. They then go for a little chat while drinking; Mario rants about his old wasted life. Bien then grabs the opportunity to nab Mario. Mario fights back, firing the gun at Omar instead. But Bien, the professional assassin, comes to Omar’s rescue. Bien kills Mario with a fork (from their pulutan dish plate). A little chick’s whistling is then heard, symbolizing Omar’s spared life. Bien and Omar then ‘celebrate’ after a hard rough day, laugh it off with beer and silly jokes as if no life had been taken earlier. In a separate review, Noelle Angelica M. Seña: “The film also attempts […] to extend the plight of the characters into a critique of our national situation by reading Amado V. Hernandez’s poem “Kung Tuyo na ang Luha Mo, Aking Bayan.” “Sisigaw ka ng buong giting/ Sa liyab ng libong sulo/ At ang tanikala mo’y lalagutin mo ng punglo” is a resounding call to action.” The poem is ‘inadvertently’ recited in Manong Gerry’s birthday party; lines performed while the film shows how the characters experience the lines in their own personal lives. Not only the inclusion of the poem shows the subtle social consciousness of the director, but also how he creatively relates the film to actual realities – how rotten the government and the media are. The musical scoring of the film is even significant. It used old Tagalog kundimans, bringing back the glory of authentic pinoy music. Also, the song “Ikaw ang Mahal ko” was the reiterating soundtrack for Bien, representing Bien’s love for himself only, compromising the safety of his sister (Alessandra De Rossi) and father while still engaged in the gang. These are only a few of the satirical, gloomy vista of the underworld. There is more than meets the eye when you attempt to be engaged in this film. Gunshots still heard. Black screen. With a feisty turn of unsuspecting events, the film ends. Overall, it turns out to be really astig. # Sources: |
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