Movie Review: Lukas Niño

Lukas the Strange is a story of an awkward teenager coming to grips with his own initiation into manhood just when there is a movie shoot in his neighbourhood. The story opens several nights before, when Lukas is told that he has a tikbalang (half-horse, half man) for a father. His father, Mang Basilio, disappears from his life the next day. Soon enough, Lukas' body reddens, and he wonders if he really is half-beast. The village is in a frenzy when the film crew arrives. Everyone tries to have a part in it. The film is told by Lukas' friend, Lorena, who is fascinated by this strange boy who thinks he is a tikbalang. A mystical is river is found to have a power to erase one’s painful memories. The multi layered narratives form the springboard for John Torres evocative tribute to Ishmael Bernal that delves on loss and memory.

Napakaraming layers ng pelikula, that it leaves to you as an audience kung paano mo maiinterpret yung movie. So it’s like a movie within a movie.  Kumunek naman yun story ni Niňo sa mga pangyayari sa kanilang komunidad. Ibang style yung atake ng director in telling a story so medyo ikaw na lang bahalang umintindi pag pinanood mo. This is the 2^nd time na nakapanood ako ng ganitong style ng movie, my first was Anak-Araw by Gym Lumbera , unti unti medyo na aapreciate at natutunan ko kung paano maginterpret ng ganitong movie.  The look of the movie looks classic kahit recently lang siya shinoot so nagustuhan ko yun then may mga clips pa na movie ni Ishmael Bernal na naiconnect sa story. Naramdaman ko naman as audience yung environment ng probinsya.  Ang galing ng mga footages na nakuwa nila, I don’t know kung shinoot yun or parang kinunan lang nila randomly sa isang community dahil napakaw raw and authentic ng mga scenes. So it’s a good job for the writer and director ng film dahil effort talaga para mabuo yung film at maiconnect yung mga footages into one film and also a big challenge for editing as well. The movie is kind of deep and I think can be appreciated by selected audience only.

My Verdict: 2.5/5