Nora Aunor is one of the most recognizable figures of Filipino cinema, with a career that started in the 60s and continues until today, which has netted her innumerable awards and a recognition as Philippine National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts. Adolfo “Borinanga” Alix Jr has cooperated with her in the past before, on films like “Padre de Pamilya,” “Whistleblower,” and “Kinabukasan” (short) but this time, he decided to have her as a villain, although she is always the heroine in her films. “His effort has already netted him the NETPAC award at Hanoi International Film Festival.
Anita Rosales first came into prominence playing villain roles in movies, during the “First Golden Age” of Philippine cinema. Now decades later, she finds herself barely recognized, not to mention broke, while intimations of death, the upcoming lockdown, and an ex-husband are putting even more problems on her shoulders. As the movie starts, a TV crew that is dealing with film restorations (in a wink towards ABS-CBN efforts) interviews her, while she is preparing to play a part in a new movie that is starting shooting the next day. Before that, she goes about her daily grind, playing the numbers, selling a bunch of old furniture and antiques from her house, and meeting a number of people. Eventually though, violence and death come her way.
Adolfo “Borinaga” Alix Jr, in a script by Jerry Gracio, directs a rather meta movie, since his story functions as both the story of Anita, and as a tribute to Filipino cinema of the past, as the initial and a number of other scenes eloquently highlight. The same applies to the cast, which includes, apart from Nora Aunor, Bembol Roco and Rosanna Roces. This approach, and the timing of the story, during the pandemic, allows Alix to make a number of comments that unfold into various directions. What happens to actors when they grow old, particularly women, is a central one, as we watch Anita barely making a living and being disrespected left and right. The concept of where the actor stops and the real person begins is also included in the narrative and is quite intriguing in its presentation, particularly considering that Aunor is now playing a role she is not used to. The consequences of Covid, the Filipino society, love, regret and human nature cement the rather rich context here.
Considering that most of the protagonists are of some age, inevitably the movie is somewhat slow, with Aleksandr Castañeda’s editing also dictating this kind of pace. To “fight” this aspect and to avoid the movie becoming dull, Alix has used a number of “tricks”. The scenes of Anita’s cinematic past are the most evident, but the same applies to the story after a point, as violence also becomes a part of it. These scenes are the most impressive in the movie, benefitting the most by the over-the-top acting and Odyssey Flores’s cinematography, essentially straying away from the main aesthetics here, but Alix has implemented them organically within the story, in a way that truly adds to entertainment the title offers Lastly, the appearances of the aforementioned veteran actors in certain points, also move towards the same direction, while adding even more to the sense of nostalgia the movie emits as a whole.
Of course, the presence of Nora Aunor is a catalyst for the film, with her charisma filling the screen every time she appears on it. Particularly the aforementioned meta scenes, and her interactions with the producers of the film she is about to star in are truly memorable, in a performance, though, that is well-rounded and measured.
“The Villain” is not exactly high art, but is a movie that is obviously made with love, emits nostalgia from every pore, and one that fans of (classic) Filipino cinema will definitely enjoy.
