Volta: Ai Ai flies high

After winning the public’s heart with her award-winning and awe-inspiring portrayal of a mother burdened with raring 12 children by three different husbands in Star Cinema’s Tanging Ina, ace comedienne Ai Ai de las Alas is all set to tickle moviegoers anew as the title role in Volta, the fantasy/romance/comedy/drama entry of Star Cinema in this month’s Manila Film Festival.

"I love it!" exclaimed Ai Ai whose antics on the big and small screens have made her today’s top comedienne. "I’ve always knows that I could fly!"

As Volta, Ai Ai’s character does fly in a story obviously inspired by similar fantasy-adventures such as Superman, Batman and Spider-Man where the main characters have the same mission: to save the earth from evil.

"I can identify with Volta in that sense," said Ai Ai. "I am also a champion of the oppressed."

Directed by Wenn Deramas from a screenplay by Mel del Rosario and Artemio Abad Jr., Volta also stars Jean Garcia and Diether Ocampo.

The film has it that according to legend, once every 100 years a superhero with the powers of lightning shows up to save mankind from the forces of evil. It is believed that if a person gets hit thrice by lightning and lives another day, he/she shall be the chosen one. Volta is it. (The name is derived from "volts," see?)

Ai Ai plays Perla, a dressmaker who lives and works for her siblings, Percy and Penny. She survives after being hit by lightning thrice and she becomes Volta, the super-heroine, when the needs arises, such as when Kelly/Celphora (Jean Garcia), an ambitious engineer, plans to spread evil in the country. Kelly/Celphora wants to use Volta in her evil scheme– to no avail. Instead, Volta becomes her fiercest enemy.

"I love this movie," said Ai Ai. "Even as a kid, I had always dreamed of being Darna or anybody who can fly, who can save the world. At last, Natupad din ang dream ko kahit sa pelikula lang!"