If you enjoyed the furry animated drama “Hayop Ka!” (2020) on Netflix last year, you've got to watch director Avid Liongoren's first feature, “Saving Sally” (2016). There is a level of blood, sweat, and tears that Liongoren poured into “Saving Sally” that just doesn't appear in his follow-up feature. This comic book-themed live-action romance apparently took twelve years to finish, which – considering the sheer craftsmanship of the production, makes sense. In an unabashed mix of traditional animation, stop motion, pop-up book, CGI, and live-action acting, Liongoren stirs in as many elements of the moving image into his concoction of a basic romance-drama – making for a sweet cocktail of visual delight in a feel-good story.
In fact, it's hard to describe “Saving Sally” as a “film.” It's more like a transmedia epic. The premise is simple: meek comic-strip artist, Marty (Enzo Marcos) seeks to win over his best friend and damsel-in-distress, the ingenious Sally (Rhian Ramos). His quest is rife with challenges, however. In Marty's eyes, Sally resides in a desolate Gothic fortress upon a hill, trapped by her abusive parents. Her annoying boyfriend, Nick (TJ Trinidad), is also annoyingly hot – so, as a result, Marty re-illustrates Nick's face as a penis-shaped cyclops. As “Saving Sally” continues, Marty's world unfolds before us in this hybrid animated-live-action fantasy. Fish sit next to Marty and Sally in the subway. Aliens stand in line for ice cream. Sally's various inventions infiltrate his periphery. Amid all of this, Marty submits his comic-strip – based, of course, on his intervention to save Sally – in hopes for a better future for the both of them.
Admittedly, this movie does take some time to get used to. The potent use of green screen could feel off-putting at first, and the uneven compositing unsettles the eye. Over time, however, the ornate tapestry of “Saving Sally” grows upon the viewer. Liongoren invites us to marvel at every stitch. Marty's print world comes alive on-screen, with each stylized scene, vibrant selection of colors, and a keen wardrobe team contributing to the set with glee. The environment speaks louder for the film than its actors, drawing us into the imaginative interiority of an artist. In Marty's hopeful eyes, unrequited love becomes just a bit more bearable with each extra flourish of his pen.
In this respect, “Saving Sally” is akin to “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” (2010) – but better. Unlike Michael Cena in “Scott Pilgrim,” Marcos Enzos is more emotionally intelligent, albeit awkward; his Marty is much more likable than Cena's Scott. Because of the extensive boundary-pushing animated techniques, Liongoren's film doesn't feel cheap or cringe, either. Instead, “Saving Sally” feels truly experimental in technique while remaining in the comforts of a familiar story at once. Bound to make you gasp, laugh, and cry, “Saving Sally” reminds us of all the little wonders in the world in which we live.
