Cesar ‘NILAGLAG’ si Ipe: Mark pasado sa action

“HITMAN” brings back action with something old and something new.

Today ang opening ng Viva Films released CM Films produced, written, directed and starring Cesar Montano movie na “Hitman” kasama sina Phillip Salvador, Sam Pinto, Mark Herras, Ricky Davao, Joko Diaz and introducing Diego Montano.

Nagbigay si Cesar ng special press screening last Monday with an audience premiere yesterday and since we already saw this Monday, hindi na kami makakapag-report who came yesterday in support of the movie although sa Twitter pa lang last Tuesday morning, we know that a lot of Starstruck boys are coming with Mark like Rocco Nacino.

Pitong taon na comatose si Ben (Cesar) nang may nagtangkang pumatay sa kanya at sa asawa niya (Sunshine Garcia).

Dating hitman ng police na si Tomas (Phillip), wala na talagang balak si Ben na gumanti pa kung hindi lang talaga kapalaran ang nagdikit sa kanila ng model na si Gina (Sam) na anak pala ni Mando (Ricky), kapatid nina Mike (Joko) at Alvin (Mark), pamangkin ni Tomas, ang mga kasamahan niya.

Now, Ben wants to take revenge and get her new girl at the same time if that is possible.

We were never fan of local action movies but we know the drill: makakawawa ang bida at ang pamilya, gaganti sa kontrabida at mahabang action scene sa ending with kilometric dialogues sa pagitan ng nagpapatayan.

“Hitman” used this same formula – the something old part of our description – para hindi manibago ang mga kalalakihang sabik sa action movie.

Ang bagong dinagdag ni Cesar ay ang storytelling technique.

Tumatalon-talon ang kuwento; from the present to the two days before and even flashback of seven years.

This is not done in local action movies noon and although wala kaming problema rito dahil madali namang maintindihan ang kuwento but we’re not sure kung masasanay rito ang mga audience natin na ang gusto ay linear.

As to the action, it opened with a flash forward of what will happen in the end at may apat pang separate action scenes to give the other stars their own highlight so that’s five big action scenes kaya hindi ka na malulugi.

Then there’s the climatic confrontation between the bida and the kontrabida and the exchange of dialogues.

Ginamit din ito ni Cesar sa “Hitman” but with a twist; uma-adlib sila in a funny way so nang tinawag na matanda ni Cesar si Phillip at baka hindi na makatakbo dahil sa rayuma na sinang-ayunan naman ni Ipe, kahit kami natawa.

Again, nagdagdag ng bago rito si Cesar dahil may one final twist pa; the kontrabida is not really the main but another tauhan lang of the hidden main kontrabida pala.

Marami pang bagong dinagdag si Cesar sa pelikula like the use of stop-motion digital in one long sequence kung saan nagbarilan na ang lahat ng tauhan.

Tiyak ikatutuwa ito ng audience dahil bagong-bago ito sa panginin nila.

Kung bakit white-washed ang certain scenes from the pictorial of Sam to the night scene sa isang bar, we don’t know but it does give the movie some edgy look.

Nasobrahan lang kami sa tight camera or ang tinatawag na close up but then that’s a given in any local movies, mapa action man or other genre.

As to acting, Cesar and Phillip ham it up in a good sense. Kumu-comedy si Cesar at naga-under-acting naman si Phillip at maganda ang naging kontrapelo ng dalawa.

In between them is the over the top acting ni Ricky na nakatulong din sa balance.

We like Joko’s natural acting though and his right way of pronouncing his English words and at a certain point, Mark’s transformation.

By the way, sa ending, may isa pang humabol na twist na nagbabadyang part two which we are happy.

Again, though we’re not a big fan of action movies, it is still needed in the scheme of things and we really hope “Hitman” will provide that spark para bumalik na naman ang barilan-suntukan-at pagkahaba-habang monologue sa Philippine movies.

After all, action movie is more fun in the Philippines.