Perhaps the most appealing thing about Ibong Adarna is that it isn’t trying to be cool. Its subtitle, “A Pinoy Adventure” feels like it was taken from a different time, the sentiment decidedly vintage and old-fashioned. That approach defines the movie, which largely dances to the beat of its own drum. It doesn’t try to replicate the success of its contemporaries. It doesn’t update the language to appeal to modern audiences. It doesn’t make any modern references. It just does what it does, which in spite of some clunkiness, may be the coolest thing of all.
Sultan Mabait (Joel Torre) rules over a small kingdom of warring tribes. His scheming brother Datu Mangimbot (Leo Martinez) asks a witch to place a curse on the Sultan, striking him with a mysterious illness. Mabait's son Sigasig (Rocco Nacino) goes on a quest to find the mythical Ibong Adarna, whose song can cure any ailment. The dangerous journey has the young hero facing stormy seas, dense jungles, a savage tribe, magical fairies, and the bird itself, which may be the most fearsome threat of all.
The movie is delightfully old-fashioned in tone. It embraces the fairy tale nature of the story, its dialogue hewing closer to classical language, the characters often speaking in idioms. It's definitely broad, but the broad treatment fits the story really well. This isn't an edgy take on Ibong Adarna. This really works with the broad archetypes of the fairy tale, with its virtuous heroes, scheming villains, and uncomplicated morality.
It's pretty charming all in all. There isn't anything revolutionary about its methods, but it pulls it all off with an appealing earnestness. What it lacks in innovation, it makes up for in heart, and the appealing addition of local flavor. Whereas the origin story was set in a European-style kingdom, this adaptation immerses itself in the elements of pre-Spanish culture. It's something we don't really see enough, and the movie makes pretty great use of those aesthetics.
The movie does get clunky at times, mainly due to the use of computer generated effects. The visual effects are passable, but they do seem to get in the way in a couple of scenes. A few of the fight sequences develop an odd rhythm because of the need to cut around the effects. The acting is all pretty solid. Rocco Nacino plays the uncomplicated hero pretty well. He simply looks the part. Leo Martinez is a lot of fun as the villain, as is Benjie Paras as his flunky. The two fully commit to the silliness, and they manage to put together quite a few humorous exchanges.
Ibong Adarna isn’t a perfect film by any means, but even its missteps are kind of endearing. The movie has a very distinct voice, a sort of classical approach that is sorely missing from a lot of comparable local G-rated movies. And it has real value as an educational film, telling its classic story while immersing the viewer in bits of Filipino culture that aren’t covered nearly enough nowadays. It would be easy to call the movie out for being goofy or clunky, but I think that would be missing the point. There’s a strange purity to this movie that’s pretty rare in modern cinema. For all its flaws, the movie is worth treasuring.
My Rating:
