“The Kingdom” ambitiously reimagines the Philippines as a monarchy led nation called the Kingdom of Kalayaan. It has never been colonized and was able to preserve its rich and distinct culture.
Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) veteran Vic Sotto plays the reigning monarch Lakan Makisig Nandula – regarded to be a descendant of Bathala. As the Lakan prepares to step down from his throne and is about to select his successor among his children Magat Bagwis (Sid Lucero) and Dayang Matimyas (Cristine Reyes), Kalayaan faced insurgencies as the Lakan’s youngest daughter Dayang Lualhati (Sue Ramirez) was kidnapped amidst her marriage to the prince of Thailand.
Sulo, played by Piolo Pascual, is a poor farmer who seeks justice and retribution gets caught in the middle of the royal family drama after he encounters Lualhati and her abductors.
It was definitely intriguing to see a different version of the Philippines, and the filmmakers, Director Mike Tuviera, Riot Inc., and Nestor Abrogena Jr. was successful in building the world of the “The Kingdom.” They were masterful in blending familiar places in the country into their vision. Their rendition of the Malaya Royal Family reeks regency, confidence and sophistication, yet still relatable to us viewers. The use of Baybayin, clothing, up to the smallest details and markings were also well executed. No wonder The Kingdom bagged the Direction, Visual Effects, and Production Design trophies from the recently concluded MMFF awards night.
‘The Kingdom’ showed a different Vic Sotto. There are no jokes and punchlines here, yet his delivery, especially his exchanges with Pascual, Reyes, and a certain scene ‘in the north’ with Lucero punches right to the gut. Sotto showed a very commanding presence that is burdened with grief and pain. He’s very regal and reserved, well suited as a dignified head of his family and kingdom.
Piolo Pascual portrayed Sulo with such intensity that you could feel his pain from his eyes. His charm shines through the angst and rugged buildup of Sulo. Sid Lucero, delivered an extraordinary performance that you’ll either hate or love his character Bagwis – he’s brilliant.
With Cristine Reyes, it seems like she held back a bit, but still effective and believable as a princess who could rule the men in the parliament and the masses. I don’t mind if, given the chance, she gets to rule the Kingdom.
Sue Ramirez is delightful to watch as Dayang Lualhati. She’s too pleasant and almost Disney-like as a princess. Yet she matures onscreen as she gets to witness the harsh realities that people are experiencing in the countryside and even in her family’s palace.
There are a lot of notable performances from their reliable supporting cast in the likes of Ruby Ruiz and Archi Adamos. And despite the short screentime, Iza Calzado and Cedric Juan were impressive. They left a lasting impression, and as what social media describes they “ate and left no crumbs.”
“The Kingdom” was nicely written and is visually entertaining. It was able to inject social issues in the middle of a family and political drama without overcompensating one from the others, and still provide an interesting world-building for Kalayaan. However, there are moments, ideas, and characters that can still be developed further. If not for another film, the producers can maybe flesh out the some of its storylines into a series, as they were so interesting to let go off after the festival.
It is said that art imitates life. And movies are often reflection of the society we live in. If “The Kingdom” has to dwell on an alternate reality to tell its story, what does it say about the one we live in? The interest it generated from the public could be a sign that we are all longing for a society, a country, or maybe a government different from what we have. Yet the depiction of Kalayaan is not far from that. Whether in monarchy or democracy, the prevalence of poverty, corruption, injustice, inequality, and other issues still exist. What we can do as the film suggest through Dayang Lualhati is to remain hopeful and live by integrity. And like Sulo, and maybe with Dayang Matimyas, do something about it. In a way the film may had just sparked something in all of us on how we view and take part on our society.
Overall, at least for me, film raises the question of ‘what if?’ in a profound way. Whether we admit it or not, we have a lot of what ifs in our lives. And in a way the film encomapasses most of these what ifs as it tackle a bigger picture where every Filipino are involved. It presented a concept that is beyond entertaining, “The Kingdom” opens up conversations of what ifs for a different, perhaps a better Philippines.
Featured photo courtesy: MQuest Ventures, Inc.