kawawang sabel.....

Title:
Sabel
Actors:
Judy Ann Santos, Wendell Ramos, Iza Calzado, Sunshine Dizon, Rio Locsin
Writer/Director:
Ricky Lee / Joel Lamangan

I know what you’re thinking, God! I’m so baduy…. Watching a Juday movie on its first day of showing, so katutz… well, I know and believe me, I seriously bemoaned it.

The only reason I watched this movie, and this is real (like 10% of the things I say), was because of Joel Lamangan, I watch almost every movie he made (Bugbog Sarado and the likes, I missed Hubog though), not because they’re brilliant but just because I think he’s one of the most in-demand directors today in our country, which means that he’ll probably come out with a really good film and I thought maybe this movie will be it, despite the fact that the queen of baduys has the starring role.

Okay, now I’ll stop making excuses bout why I watched a Judy Ann movie, I think you get the picture (recopy it if you like). Let’s see what the movie has in store.

Well, first, substandard acting from the two lead actors, namely everyone’s idol: Juday; and the man who looked like a buffed gingerbread man (I just can’t get over Shrek 2) in this movie: Wendell. There was only one scene when I thought that Judy could actually act, and 40 minutes or so left, I thought she was unsightly. And Wendell, he should stick with being a model because acting isn’t definitely for him. He’s not very bad, or ugly he’s just dreadful (and that’s understating it). The outburst scene was just hilarious, instead of feeling bad for the character you’ll go “Excuse me, I’ll just take a 1 hour pee break”, cuz there ain’t nothing to see alright.

That was my thought, right until Sunshine Dizon’s character was introduced. She was the only, and I repeat, only thing to watch out for in this movie. She’s intense, she’s fresh and she’s adroit. I know she’s good but I never thought she can pull off a role as taxing as this one. And her rape scene (now, someone will go see the movie) was just powerful, it was the most emotive part of the movie. I could have given them an A+ for that scene alone but I’m not stupid (like most of the people who watched this movie, emphasis on most).

If you’ll ask me about the story, it was almost good, the oddness of the character is a really nice thing to delve into, and it is one of the most unique characters ever made (according to the katutz beside me who asked her day off to be today just to see her idol;s movie, how touching---not!). Now here comes the big but ( I ), the screenplay was just abysmal. This one I barely expected (but I surely hoped for) coming from a writer such as Ricky Lee (HA! Even the good ones get rotten sometimes). And for that I stripped Joel from all his faults in making this movie. Let’s blame the writers who just happen to be so ambitious in pulling such a hard project off. The director was just doing his job, making sure his actors are well made-up; the lights are good; and every crewmember was fed well.

Okay, you got me; I hate Joel’s direction. It was just so not him. I’ve seen his movies and this one was mishandled (and that’s understating it, oh, I used it twice already bet you thought I didn’t noticed that). His shots were peculiar; the phasing was most of the time, ah, baffling. I don’t know what he took but he shouldn’t have taken it. I don’t know where he’ll be going after this one, but I’m sure as hell wish he ain’t trying to do something like this one again.

But that’s not the most terrible part of this movie. What really almost drove me to insanity was the editing. If she’s attempting to make a new style (I ain’t naming names--so not me!), I say she quit her job and sell kamote in the Farmers (at least it’s a market, not palengke). I was on the verge of slitting my wrist because of the editing. It’s one of the worst editing I’ve ever seen (I can’t remember the others, but I’ll remember this one).

If you guys are planning to see this movie just because there’s no foreign films shown today in the cinemas of Manila; or because you found the trailer interesting; or you just simply want to see Juday show her fats on her chest side (cmon admit it) or if you’re a woman, you just admire her deep down, I say you get yourself a knife and just slit your pet’s wrist, that eccentricity, is much, much acceptable.

*The use of the terms katutz is not intended to dehumanize…. just to debase them, to put them in their place…. (just kidding!!!)
*the author has no personal anger with Juday, he just find her baduy like most of the right-minded individuals in this country