Allen Dizon portrays a deaf-mute man named Pipo, living in the slums of Metro Manila with a young girl named, Cyril played by Angellie Sanoy. Life is difficult for them as they do the toughest jobs in the midst of danger and the situation they put themselves in. Since Duterte's presidency, there's a rise in the number of films about 'tokhang' (knead and plead), corruption, and war on drugs. Bomba is just one of the many, but it stands out a bit more for it goes beyond the topic and explored darker territories of our current state. It's a film that devastates for its material about poverty, shocks for its unbelievable plight, and electrifies with its dark themes. Dizon's performance is harrowing as a man living on the edge and Sanoy is brave enough to portray a character we rarely see on film but is very real. Ralston Jover's Bomba is nothing short of aptness especially in the ending when we realize, a man as innocent, or so it seems, as Pipo can be like a ticking time bomb when provoked, or rather, detonated.
This film is so meta, so self-aware, artsy and so fun. We learned about Aries who's making a film about 'Tru Male Dynamics', a group of men teaching other men to seduce women. It seems silly at first with all the "cinema-oke" in between scenes and silly banters by TMD, and then as the film unravels we realize Aries is making a social commentary about Asian women in Australia. We don't see a lot of this kind of movie in the Philippines (or I don't watch enough Pinoy films) that's why it's quirkiness and originality is a breath of fresh air. It took me until the third act to fully understand what this is about and when everything comes into fruition, we grasp something substantial and deep. Innovative screenplay from Matthew Victor Pastor and Celina Yuen.
It's hard not to notice the influence of Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation in this movie--credits' font style is the same, the opening sequence where the lead is in the car looking at the cityscape, and the never-ending stroll in Taiwan streets trying anything touristy like Charlotte and Bob Harris. Not to mention, the two leads also met by chance. One is Alex, played by Oliver Aquino, a Filipino mechanic, and the other is Jerry, a Taiwan aborigine working in the city. Like Bob and Charlotte, they formed an unusual friendship. Good thing is the film took a deeper route in fleshing out the characters. As they get to know each other, they found themselves drawn with each others' families. Touching at times, but could have been amplified if we saw something special between their bonds. It's pleasant to look at and the story is okay, but lacks chemistry between the leads.
'Bomba' films are now considered epic and are badly missed. 'Bold stars' are now considered washed up yet legendary. We don't see this notorious genre of sex in the Philippine cinema anymore but El Peste is here to the rescue. No, seriously. El Peste brings 'bomba' films back with a twist. A twist most viewers would not be able to fathom, a twist so unexpected, so unthinkable, and so dirty. The twist involves RATS, yes, rodents and it's up to the viewers how they'll be able to sit through the whole thing without being disgusted. At the end of it, one would seriously feel the need to take a shower and I suppose the PRODUCTION DESIGNERS (all caps kasi emphasized sila sa credits) worked hard to evoke such kind of need. Mon Confiado is iconic in this role. He's always the supporting character and often the villain, but here he's the lead and he's committed to all the insanity this film has to offer. Make no mistake, as bad as it sounds on paper, this has terrific characteristic on its own, thoroughly entertaining, and is aware that it is a hoot. If only more people would see this, this would have a cult following in the future.
There is always an issue of trust and feeling of anxiety when we talk about most of Yam Laranas films. In Abomination, not everything we see is real. Like most of his films, it involves a twist and it’s up to the narrative and the story if it’s going to work. As a whole, it feels insecure as it constantly gives reminders about the past and present, as if it’s aware that it’s too convoluted with weird ideas that may or may not confuse its viewers. It doesn’t help that the performances are not entirely convincing and the setting just doesn't work. For what it’s worth, it’s impressive to look at and Yam Laranas doesn't shy away in making twisted stories. Just so happen that it didn't work this time.
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