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The story opens with a scene from Scripture: a remorseful Judas hangs himself after betraying
Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The next scene takes place in a plush office where Castelo (Bob Soler) tries to convince Lucio to help finance a 30-million-peso caper: to
get hold of the silver coins of Judas which are in the possession of the Israelite Yussouf. Hunted by Arab terrorists who also want to possess the silver coins, Yussouf hides
in different places in Metro Manila. Castelo's group hires detective Darmo (Ronald Gan Ledesma) to find and get the precious box containing the silver. Darmo succeeds in his
mission but does not deliver the box, knowing what the contents symbolize and realizing why Yussouf protects it with his life. Castelo hands P10M and a gun to Hernan (John
Regala), Darmo's best friend, to get the box. The assignment would mean a lifetime of comfort for him and the end of his friend's life.
Pilak is all about
greed. Ituses the character of Judas and the silver coins to symbolize man's lust for money. There are other scenes lifted from the Scripture to heighten the theme.
But what could have been a good subject is marred by prolonged scenes of sex and violence which should only have been peripheral to the story. As always, local producers worry
about making money at the tills, thus the sex and fight scenes. Technically, the film has a lot of flaws. Editing could have done away with redundant and long scenes like the
battle in the desert where one cannot distinguish the pursued from the pursuer, the slow and tedious walk along the streets of Parañaque, the bed scenes where Darmo cannot
decide whether to undress his woman or not. Some dialogues are inaudible either because they are mumbled by the performers or because they are drowned by the loud background
music. Period costumes and setting are not authentic and convincing. John Regala has always been recognized as a versatile actor and he proves it again in this movie. It is
the opposite for Ronald Gan Ledesma who seems stuck to action movies forever. Bob Soler convincingly essays his role as a greedy person.
The story attempts to show that good may still triumph in the end if greed could be erased by
violence… fistfights, karate matches, blood spilling shoot-outs. This is against Scriptural teaching. Thousands of years ago, one man's greed betrayed Jesus. But this did
not prevent Jesus from loving humankind until the end.
Human relationships and commitments are fickle. Is your friendship one of convenience or patterned after
that of Jesus?
(Date reviewed: May 25, 2001)
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