|
This is another one of those haphazardly produced quickies made on a modest budget that
expects to make some profit.
Malikot ang Agos features a pretty campus girl, Veronica Gatchalian (Allona Amor) who gets herself into a complex set of problems. Defying
what to her is her lola's unusual strictness, Vero gives in to her promiscuity. She goes into staying out late with her friends, drinking and sleeping with boyfriend
Rico (Shanghai). Having peeped at her lola's tenant Totoy (Fernando Montenegro) bathing naked, she tempts him into giving in to her fleshly desire. Her string of troubles
begin when she disregards her lola's instructions to stay home and nurse her continually sick mother, instead of attending the "birthday" party of a friend. Defiant, she goes
off, leaving her consenting mother to a specially challenged Uncle Boyong and his playmate, a little boy Ato. From hereon, Vero's life takes a number of bizarre turns.
The movie's technical aspects leave much to be desired. For one, it includes details that are
not relevant to the plot. Instances are the old man Boyong playing very odd games with Ato; Vero's flashback involving her mother and herself as a girl, and instructions for
Vero to give her Uncle Boyong a bath which never happens. Two, it is unimaginable that a young woman's rebellion against parental authority could take her through so many
extraordinary incidents, which she escapes unharmed and untraumatized. The so-so acting shows an improperly directed film and an inexperienced cast. The scenes are stagy.
The real intention of the movie is centered on depicting sexual issues, like lovemaking,
complete side and back nudity and breast exposure, are liberally scattered throughout the screening. Then there are the episodes of drinking, curse words, killing, attempted
suicide and rape. There does not seem to be anything positive that could be said of Malikot ang Agos.
Even the ending looks contrived. The message seems to be that it is the lola's fault that the young woman went wayward and she has no accountability for anything.
Thus, for CINEMA, the movie should not be recommended for showing.
(Date Reviewed: January 26, 2001)
|
