Review of Metro Manila (2013) by Elgan D — 16 Dec 2014

It's hard to put Metro Manila in a genre, because it doesn't feel like a film. I tend to notice a lot of movies nowadays that follow "the stories that are never told." Often, it's the story of a young person in a Third World country and the struggles they have to face: grinding poverty, corruption, injustice, crime, human insecurity etc.

I've seen the story before, but there's something different about Metro Manila. It's dark, but never bleak. It's a little depressing, but peppered with genuine moments of happiness. And it feels more honest and real than most films of its ilk do. The way it's shot (which is BEAUTIFUL) makes Manila pop off the screen (the opening scene is exquisite) and everything looks amazing. The way it's paced is so different from what I would've expected and given the description, the way and how it unfolds is a genuine surprise. I guess what I expected was a "thriller" and what I got was a realistic depiction of life in Manila. The anxiety of moving to survive, the culture shock of the city, the trap of exploitation and the rat race that consumes the lives of millions. The film has its social criticism (about inequality and unfairness), but it's very subtle and weaved into the genera theme of the story quite well. One character in particular was someone I was fascinated by and I liked how the film dropped hints about his "true nature" throughout and his fate made a lot of sense.

One big criticism, however, is the lack of characterization everywhere else. Might be a spoiler, but that aforementioned character was not the lead. Oscar Ramirez, played very well by Jake Macapagal was likable enough (and a lot of that had to do with the earnestness he gave off), but he didn't really have a "character" and maybe that was the point, but he fell into the Hollywood trope of the "family man" a bit too easily. And there few other standout characters in the film; it was mostly populated by tropes and it kind of bugged me, given how well everything else was done.

Here, you have a gorgeous and beautifully directed film, a simple, yet gripping story, a surprising grounded depiction of life and loathing in Manila...and at least one very well developed character. But everyone else was lacking.

Nevertheless, for those interested in world cinema, highly recommend.