Critiquing “The Kingdom”

Last year’s (2024) collection of Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) films was better, not just because most have better cinematography and story lines, but because there has been a clear shift from the jologs winners from the past years to more substantive and more relevant ones. What really caught my attention was Vic Sotto’s “The Kingdom”. While known for his comedies which are usually slapstick, it was surprising seeing him play a serious role in said movie.

“The Kingdom” is obviously fictional but clearly based on historical facts and current events. As a lover of history I found it interesting and intellectually stimulating. Very few Filipinos are familiar with pre-Hispanic Filipino culture. The lessons on Philippine history do not really focus on pre-Hispanic history. So it is refreshing that some writers, producers, and directors are slowly introducing these lesser-known historical facts to the general public.

I initially thought the film was a period film. So I was surprised to see that it is set in the present. What set it apart from other movies with social commentaries is that while it is just a what-if, a lot of the issues and events in the movie mirror our country’s current issues and concerns. For instance, and I suppose the most obvious, the three children of the Lakan (or king) of Kalayaan reflect (in some ways, not completely) the Marcos children. The ongoing dynamics among the Marcos siblings, especially between the elder daughter and the only son, seem to be all over the movie.

There are, also, many interesting introductions to aspects of original Filipino culture, such as arnis and the ancient Tagalog religion. Arnis, also known as Eskrima, is a traditional Filipino martial art that has been deeply intertwined with the history and culture of the Philippines. During Spanish rule, its practice became a form of resistance; it continued to play a significant role in the Philippine revolution when revolutionaries utilized their skills in close-quarters combat. It was beautiful to watch the execution of arnis in the movies, something that very few of us get to see in modern-day Philippines.

One other interesting theme in the movie revolved around the church of Bathala. This is a truly intriguing what-if as most pre-Hispanic Filipinos, at least those in Luzon, prayed to Bathala. This addresses the question of what our nation’s religion would be today if the Spaniards had never introduced Christianity. Giving also enough screentime to a Babaylan was another interesting inclusion in the movie.

Not to nitpick, but there seems to have been a few details that need addressing in the film. First, since the movie made it a point to indicate that we were never colonized by a foreign power, it would have been impossible that the kingdom would still be composed of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Mindanao, or at least a big chunk of it, would most likely not have been included in this reimagined Philippines. Because as late as the end of Spanish rule, majority of Muslim Mindanao was never under Spanish rule.

Throughout the film, statements from the Bible, such as “an eye for an eye”, were obvious. While not exclusive to it, it is from the Bible that it became most popular. Since our imaginary kingdom was never part of the Christian world, these Christian concepts would never have made it to our vocabulary. Finally, in at least two scenes, one could also see Spanish-inspired paintings hanging on the wall of the palace. This is clearly almost impossible since the country would not have had Spanish influence.

Despite some historical impossibilities, the film achieved the goals of entertaining and educating the viewers. “The Kingdom” succeeded with the many social commentaries and all-too-real illustration of the present. What is most intriguing was how the chief Babaylan appeared to be running the show like some nefarious puppet-master. This idea of a cabal of powerful men and women who are the real power behind the throne is not farfetched but is in fact most likely happening today.