CBCP finds historical flick unbelievable

Unbelievable.

This was the rating given to the technical aspects of the film Lapu Lapu by the Catholic Initiative for Enlightened Movie Appreciation (Cinema).

The controversial film stars Pampanga Gov. Lito Lapid as Raja Lapu Lapu, veteran actor Dante Rivero as Magellan and Joyce Jimenez as Princesa Bulakna, Lapu Lapu’s bride.

Cinema, however, failed to elaborate on its criticism of the impossible technical aspects of Lapu Lapu, which shows the fearless fight of the ruler of Mactan island to keep his land free of foreign dominion.

Cinema merely said the galleon used by the Spanish conquistadores led by Magellan to assault Mactan was unbelievable.

Cinema also said the movie’s musical score was unsuited to the film. It also noted that the Spanish conversations were never translated into Filipino, thus making it difficult for the viewers to understand what was being said by the invading Spaniards.

"The public failed to get the message of the characters involved in the conversations," Cinema said.

The film’s failure to bag the best picture award in the recent Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) also sparked a lot of criticisms and complaints from the movie industry.

The Pampanga governor, who reportedly spent a whopping P50 million in the making of the historical film ,and the people behind the movie production cried foul after Lapu Lapu lost the best film award to Chito Roño’s Spirit Warriors.

Bewailing an anomaly in the selection of winners by the MMFF jurors, the producers of Lapu Lapu threatened to sue the MMFF organizers led by MMFF chairman and Caloocan Mayor Rey Malonzo.

While Lapu Lapu has its flaws, Cinema cited the good performances of Lapid and Jimenez, whom Cinema said has a strong resemblance to a princess.

The movie also succeeded in showing the bravery of Rajah Lapu Lapu, who is now honored as a hero. The telling of Lapu Lapu’s story varies, with some versions of the legend saying he simply walked into the sea after slaying Magellan, never to be seen again. The version of the legend adapted to the movie shows that Lapu Lapu died fighting for freedom from the invading conquistadores.

All in all, Lapu Lapu was rated "morally acceptable" and "technically average" by Cinema.

Home Along Da Riber, meanwhile, earned criticism from Cinema for being boring, due to the presentation of old tricks. According to Cinema, the style of comedy used in the Dolphy starrer was worn out.

Cinema said the comedy film had almost no comic scenes in it, even if the film review group rated it "morally acceptable and "technically poor."

Cinema suggested that Comedy King Dolphy should have thought of new comedy scenes to tickle moviegoers’ funny bones, the way he innovated such scenes at the height of his highly successful career as a comedian.