Anachronisms on Screen
I began 2009 by queuing on theaters to catch Siege of Baler and TheCurious Case of Benjamin Button. While both ironically dealt with anachronisms, each ended tasting differently in this movie junkie’s palate.
Siege of Baler, a 2008 MMFF entry, caught my attention due to its historical context and scenic depiction of Quezon’s landscape. Set during the time of Spanish occupation during the 17th century, the film revolves around the untimely love affair Between Feliza, the filipina daughter of a revolutionary leader and Celso, a filipino- mestizo soldier who chose to serve the Spanish army in the hopes of finding his father. The 337 days of resistance put up by the remaining Spanish contingent against the Filipino soldiers in the town of Baler served as backdrop to the unfolding and consequently tragic end of a love born in the time of war.
I entered the cinema with high hopes that this film might actually be able to live up to my expectations as a movie junkie. I’ve seen many remarkable period films like Dekada 70’, Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos and Jose Rizal and I was rooting for this film to join the ranks of the classics. Sadly though, the film fell short of rising above the usual melodrama and misdirection that Filipino movies suffer from.
Off beam casting of Anne Curtis (Feliza) was evident as soon as the camera started to roll, her very pale complexion stood out in the sea of brown skinned supporting casts that populated the town of Baler. She was also too tall to play a filipina of unadulterated lineage and her tongue twisted with a twang that displayed unnatural tagalog speaking skills. Nikki Bacolod (Luming) also did not fall far from the tree of miscasting, her rolling r’s and foreign features made it all the more unbelievable that their characters were tagalogs from the low lands.
While misrepresentations of these two actors are forgivable, physical anachronisms such as Anne’s shiny brown mane with streaks of light brown highlights and french tip manicured nails were errors of abysmal proportions in a period film. It very much demonstrated the lack of attention to detail and careless work of production and the poor direction of Mark Meily. I was horrified to no end by the obvious absence of character – empathy from Anne’s acting, she was unfeeling in delivering lines and was so detached through out the whole movie that she stuck out like a sore thumb. She did not elicit joy nor love in her romantic moments with Jericho and she failed to make me sympathize with her in her pain and anguish when her father cursed her child. Even her so – called “best actress moment” at the end of the movie was humdrum for me. Her efforts to bring to life Feliza’s loving, innocent and patient manner remained futile until the theater curtains closed.
However, despite Baler’s many faults, the laudable performances of male lead Jericho Rosales and supporting roles Philip Salvador and Rio Locsin saved this film from the brink of total film flop.
Jericho Rosales was surprisingly impressive in his portrayal of subservient half -Spanish soldier Celso. He effectively encompassed the commitment his character gave to the woman he loved, the dream he wished to fulfill and the duty he vowed to accomplish. His subdued bearing and expressive eyes conveyed the depth of love Celso bore for Feliza. He displayed docility and obedience in front of his commandant, bravery and composed disposition in front of the filipino soldiers, and grief in the face of his imminent fate. Jericho’s fine acting in Baler elevated him to one of the more serious actors of this generation.
On the other hand, Philip Salvador’s exaggerated acting from the school of hysteria successfully embodied Nanding’s vengeful persona and his outrage over Feliza’s insubordination, while Rio Locsin’s subtle attack on the role of a dutiful mother and loving wife facilitated the affection that the audience needed to balance Philip’s temper. The juxtaposition of these colliding personalities provided solid ground for Feliza’s delicate but daring character.
Siege of Baler might have failed to claim its stake as a credible and beautifully made historical film but it did celebrate in its bold move to create a movie that is more than the usual no – brainer – feel - good genre.
Next post: What this movie junkie has to say about Brad Pitt’s uncommon role.
