MANILA, Philippines — Vic Sotto ends his five-year absence from the big screen with "The Kingdom," one of the 10 main entries to the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.
"The Kingdom" features an alternate reality where the Philippines was never colonized. In this alternate world, the Philippines is known as the Kingdom of Kalayaan led by Lakan Makisig (Sotto), who is said to be descended from Bathala, the supreme god in the indigenous religion of the ancient Tagalogs.
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Makisig must choose who among his children — Magat Bagwis (Sid Lucero), Dayang Matimyas (Cristine Reyes), and Dayang Lualhati (Sue Ramirez) — will succeed him as he intends to step down, just as Lualhati prepares to marry a Thai prince.
When Lualhati is abducted on her way to the wedding, the royal family makes every attempt to rescue her. Caught in the middle is outcast farmer Sulo (Piolo Pascual), who has a grudge against the royals, particularly the ruling king.
Director Michael Tuviera, who created the story with screenwriter Michelle Ngu-Nario, said the film's premise goes beyond envisioning an uncolonized Philippines — will societal issues still remain if the country remained a monarchy rather than a democracy?
The quick answer is yes, as evident in any current nation that still has royals, but "The Kingdom" does its best to show how political tensions are still present as long as there are those who seek power.
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The story's many weaves does a lot for the movie that runs just over two hours. It would have benefitted more had filmmakers pushed through with the original idea of making a series, allowing appropriate time for the story and its twists to be fleshed out.
Clearly the film's biggest asset is the production design by Nestor Abrogena Jr., who went to great lengths to depict a Philippines that incorporates tribal and cultural practices in the modern era, a feat mirrored by the costume design.
Sotto has over the years earned the dignified stature he presents as Makisig so it should not come as a total surprise to see him in a fully dramatic role (save for one light scene early in the film because Bossing has to deliver at least one laugh).
Longer time would have explored the dynamic he has with Pascual's Sulo, who spends most of his time with Ramirez's Lualhati, as it builds up the film's climax.
The same could be said for talented actors like Lucero, Ruby Ruiz, Iza Calzado, and Cedrick Juan, who were given much less to do. Granted the latter two are only "special participation" roles, all four are very capable of delivering strong performances.
There are many opportunities to tackle in an uncolonized Philippines, "The Kingdom" offers just one of them, so hopefully creatives will see what avenues work best to tell those stories.
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