Review: Bonifacio, Ang Unang Pangulo (MMFF 2014)

We went to SM Mall of Asia earlier today to watch Feng Shui in XD 4D cinema only to find out it was sold out for the entire day. Hanep! Akala ko ba naghihirap na ang Pinas?! Hehehe!

So all of us decided to just catch another MMFF entry on our list – Bonifacio, Ang Unang Pangulo. So this year’s first MMFF entry is another Robin Padilla film. Last year, I only got to watch 10,000 Hours and Boy Golden. I hope this year mas madami ang mapanood ko.

So how’s the movie? It was AWESOME!!

I love the quality of the film. It is very obvious that it was meticulously created by the best film makers. The cinematography is superb. The color transition of the past and present scenes are perfectly done. Tamang tama ang timpla ng kulay sa screen. We watched on SM Mall of Asia’s digital theater making our viewing experience so much better. In fairness to SM, they know talaga which movies to put on which theater. They are already aware that the Pinoy movie goers are so much smart now. They want great movie experience. Nothing less.

The storyline is wonderfully executed. Medyo nabitin lang ako sa scenes ni Daniel Padilla, crush ko kasi! Hihihi!

It’s a tear jerker, an eye opener and a gentle reminder for us Filipinos on how we’ve been repeating histories over and over. Sabi nga ni Rizal on this movie, “kelangan maging malaya tayo sa isip at sa puso”.

Bonifacio is not my favorite hero. I never believed that violence would bring freedom. I never believed that violence is the answer to anything. No matter how hard life is. But I believed that Bonifacio is a great man. And that we Filipino’s did him a major treachery by killing him, by even thinking that he is not an honorable man, that he is guilty of treason. Same mistakes we do over and over again. And it is very much captured on this film.

I love that it made me remember my History classes. Of how much I know and how much I still want to know. I always thought, as a kid, that history is a waste of time. Because I am not good with remembering names and special events. Heck! I am not good with memorization at all. I love Mathematics, hands down. But now that our film makers are creating movies like this, it made me realize how important history is. That we are bound to learn something from history so we won’t commit the same mistakes over and over again. I hope the movie goers would see what this movie is all about. Kaya pala si Robin Padilla ganun ang mga litanya sa IG. Totoo nga! This movie is supposed to be an eye opener. :) Bonus nalang ang katotohanang, sobrang ganda ng pagkakagawa nya! :) At ang pogi ni Daniel at Robin!

I haven’t watched the others, but based on my initial assessment (naks! akala mo authority sa Filipino film industry) – this is a major contender for that Best Picture trophy. I love that Robin Padilla is now gearing on creating high quality films. That it’s not all about suntukan and barilan now. Kailangan mo ng mag-isip. And that’s why I love MMFF films. They offer different flavors.

This movie is super highly recommended for those na trip magpaka movie critic. Just don’t expect heavy action ha. It’s not Bad Boy Robin Padilla anymore.

xoxo,

Reigne