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REVIEW: SIARGAO

 
Siargao_Official
Siargao_Official
Siargao_Official

 
Overview
 

Directed by: Paul Soriano
 
Produced by: Paul Soriano & Mark Victor
 
Written By: Anj Pessumal
 
Starring: Jericho Rosales, Erich Gonzales, Jasmine Curtis-Smith
 
MTRCB Rating: PG
 
Genre:
 
FG RATING
6.5
6.5/ 10


User Rating
12 total ratings

 

Raves


The cinematography is topnotch. Its flawless, clean and thematic. It lets you know not only what Siargao can offer you, but at the same time, it makes you feel that character's vulnerability in specific scenes.

Rants


The movie has a vibe of a travelogue more than a narrative. Some scenes are cut short to prioritize the promotion of the island.


After the success of “Thelma” and “Transit”, Paul Soriano‘s MMFF entry features the beautiful and breathtaking island of Siargao. Written by Anj Pessumal and produced by Ten17p Films and Solar Pictures, Siargao revolves around the lives of Diego (Jericho Rosales) and Laura (Erich Gonzales). Diego returns home to Siargao after an uneventful falling out with […]

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Posted December 27, 2017 by

 
FULL REVIEW
 
 

After the success of “Thelma” and “Transit”, Paul Soriano‘s MMFF entry features the beautiful and breathtaking island of Siargao. Written by Anj Pessumal and produced by Ten17p Films and Solar Pictures, Siargao revolves around the lives of Diego (Jericho Rosales) and Laura (Erich Gonzales).

Diego returns home to Siargao after an uneventful falling out with his band. During the plane ride, he chances upon Laura, a vlogger on a soul-searching adventure. During their time in the island, they soon discover things that have been missing in their lives. For Diego, it’s the things he left behind, underscored by his rekindled passion for surfing and romance with Abi (Jasmine Curtis-Smith). For Laura, it’s breaking out of her comfort zone and standing on her own two feet, especially after being in a long-term relationship with Mikey (Enchong Dee).

While the plot was solid, the film seemed more like a travelogue than a narrative. It felt like some of the scenes were cut short to prioritize shots of the white sand shorelines and roaring waves surrounding the island. Aside from that, the film also threw in blatant product placement from a local airline and a mid-credits eco-awareness PSA as a response to the island’s growing popularity among tourists, both foreign and domestic.

However, despite what I mentioned earlier, the film’s plot still has enough weight to touch the hearts of its viewing audience. And part of it is because of the performances by the cast, especially its top-billed actors. Jericho’s intensity in his role made viewers swoon with the greatest of ease. Another noteworthy performance is that of Jasmine, whose portrayal of Abi was most definitely a pleasant surprise. Ironically, despite being the female lead, Erich’s performance was the weakest of the three. She lacked the gravitas to consistently deliver as Laura, thus making her portrayal seem bland compared to her big-name castmates. But perhaps the best thing about this film is its flawless, clean, and aesthetically pleasing cinematography. It captures the thematic elements of the film without drifting too far away from the plot, especially during specific close-ups that easily convey the actor’s emotions without the need for words.

Overall, while Siargao might be a “tourism film”, it still has the core elements of a film entry for this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival. The incredible acting and the cinematography outweighs the cliche plot in a way that will definitely hit your hearts. This movie will definitely take you places and will make you feel vulnerable. As one line goes, you will fall in love with Siargao after seeing this film.

Siargao is an official entry for this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival and is now showing on selected cinemas. For more details about the list of cinemas, please visit their Facebook page.


LJ Zenarosa

 
Nurse by day but a geek 24/7. Cat Lady who loves wrestling. And can eat lots of sweets -- like a LOT.


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