Boy Golden: Shoot to Kill

Jeorge Estregan once again stars in a film that may show everyone that he is a badass local movie star. His films are usually remembered for its insanity, bringing unique madness that is rarely expressed in modern Filipino action movies. But Boy Golden finally executes the craziness in a consistent way. This is a biopic of Arturo Porcuna's life, but instead of taking the story too seriously, it rather creates a larger than life world where it is able to pour any madness that it wants to deliver, and this is why it's so enjoyable. The production is wonderful while everything else is a pure fun romp. Boy Golden is an odd piece of art.

The story is kind of straightforward, but what matters here more is what's happening. The best parts are either exploring each of the characters they bump into or witness its most absurd moments, but all of those scenes have the same pleasure, some can be randomly hilarious while some can be delightfully entertaining. While at the action scenes, they are obviously violent and awesome, but the humor is still scattered, even with all the grim. This is a tongue in cheek world where it almost never stops being silly and to those who seeks for something over the top will indeed love it.

But it doesn't always aims to be silly. The filmmaking brings a lot of surprises. Chito S. Roño's direction is pure cinema. The greatest scene among was the opening which slickly introduces the style of the whole film, that alone explains it all. The cinematography gives plenty of colors and made Manila look pretty snazzy. The acting is better at the supporting. The two leads are fine though, but they're much effective when they bounce in to other people.

People will indeed think that it's terribly ridiculous and almost feels like a cartoon, while it's true, there is still art to be found inside those absurdities. In the end, it's an instant cult classic, with unexpected a cappella, martial arts, and other unhinged stuff. Those things are randomly put together, but its randomness actually makes the film brilliant and totally surreal. Overall, Boy Golden is a priceless cinematic experience that lets its style and humor shine throughout the entire runtime.

The tagalog action film genre died a long time ago from a combination of mediocrity, self censorship and excessive taxation (euphemistically called "amusement taxes"). But every once in a while, a few well meaning filmmakers attempted to revive this extinct style.

Chito Rono's Boy Golden is such an attempt. Starring the son of local porn legend George Estregan, Jorge E. R. Ejercito aka George Estregan Jr., the movie tries to combine old school action with a modern sensibility. Though the end product is quite a mixed bag and honestly isn't really to my liking but it does have a few qualities which I find to be commendable and deserves a well earned kudos for the filmmakers.

The one obvious admirable trait of the film is the production which didn't cheap out on the scenery or even on the titular character's fake beard. The various sets in the film convey a sort of dreamy ambiance and kaleidescope effect such as the nightclub and evening street scenes. The world presented in the movie is like a bastardized fusion of Marty Mcfly's parents' hometown and something out of Jim Carrey's The Mask. Evidently, Estregan Jr., infused a lot of cash into the film which gave the director enough leeway to reimagine 1950s Manila as this romanticized hub straight from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (that's exactly the feel I get out of the film and Frank Miller's Sin City it is not).

First off, the restoration of blood effects during gunfights is a step in the right direction though a few of the bit players in the movie still ended up with no squibs, specifically in the scene when Putla (Baron Geisler) mowed down the bahala na goons, which didn't really achieve the desired effect of creating a modicum of film realism. Still, the effects team should be commended for pulling off a great job especially in the final sequence when the lead character is torn apart by bullets.

On the other hand, there are some stylistic choices in the script which aren't really any good. The decision to treat the story as this wacky, buffoonish tale of a middle aged looking goon who listens to Elvis isn't conducive to a compelling narrative. Even the supposed bahala na gang members don't look like hoodlums but variety show dancers.

Finally, the lead actor, Estregan Jr., is the wrong choice to play the role. The scene in the ice plant had a very unflattering shot of the dude with his beer belly jutting out. No amount of digital editing in the studio could erase this embarrassing sight. It's like Steven Seagal in one of his direct to video films, only much worse. The one saving grace of the movie apart from the production is Estregan Jr.'s leading lady, KC Concepcion who's main function as eye candy serves to divert the viewer's attention from the stilted dialogue, corny monologue and absurd sequences.

To conclude, the film is silly entertainment and dumb in all the right places. But the Clive Owen starrer, Shoot 'Em Up is a much better choice if one wants some brainless waste of time.

This is one of the best Filipino period noir thriller in recent times showing the life and times of gang leader Arturo Porcuna. It deserves a nod and recognition - nomination and awards from different film festivals around the world and even the Academy Awards. This is the story of how a man rise to fame became also his downfall. The life and times of the gang land during the bleak post war Manila is shown vividly in the picture. I also love the sequences, cinematography and the treatment of film as well as its screenplay is also impressive. I love the acting of the main character Jeorge ER Estregan and the formidable superb acting of veteran actor Eddie Garcia bring together the film. It is also noted that they have spent a lot of resources to make this film today's classic film.

When I first saw the poster of "Boy Golden" with lead actor Jeorge ER Ejercito sporting that ridiculously fake-looking facial mustache and beard, it actually discouraged me from watching this. But when I saw that this was directed by no less than Chito S. Rono (who simply wowed me with his last work "Badil"), I decided to give it a chance.

"Boy Golden" is the story of a real-life gangster from the 1960s named Arturo Porcuna. Porcuna, alias Anino, was the head of the notorious Bahala Na Gang. After his arrest and eventual release, now sporting the monicker Boy Golden, he is hot on the trail of the rival gang leader Tony Razon (John Estrada) who was responsible for his incarceration and the rape/murder of his sister Baby. With his benefactor Atty. Dante Sagalongos (Eddie Garcia) and a feisty sexy dancer in distress Marla De Guzman (KC Concepcion) behind him, Boy Golden plots and executes his revenge on Razon, but not without his own losses.

As from his previous MMFF entries, the problem with the films of Gov. Jeorge Ejercito is himself. He does not really project well as an action star because of his benign visage and un-athletic physique. He also has a rather unrealistic style of acting which tends to go over- the-top. He is lucky that the over-all quality of this film and how technically meticulous it was somehow makes up for his deficiency as lead star.

Again as in his two previous films, the strong supporting cast does more memorable work than the lead. Eddie Garcia has that easy-going style that made him a popular character actor. He had to endure a particularly harrowing torture scene, surely very difficult for someone of his age. John Estrada we know can play a good villain as from his TV work, and he projects that same sinister charisma here. Gloria Sevilla (Aling Puring), Baron Geisler (Datu Putla), Mr. Ho (Leo Martinez), Roi Vinzons (Alias Tekla) and Dick Israel (Boy Bungal) all have their moments to shine as members of Razon's gang. They all have their moments of hokey melodrama as well though.

Special mention has to go to Ms. KC Concepcion for bravely tackling this very daring role. It was very daring not only superficially (she had to wear tight, bosom-baring costumes the whole time), but also physically (she had one very long fight sequence) and emotionally (she actually had to convince us she fell in love with Boy Golden). She is really a striking presence here, and can command attention from the viewers.

I have to commend the production designer who really took pains to recreate the 1960s in the houses, the streets, the cars, the costumes and make-up. These sets and little details all brought us back in time. The blood did not look very real though.

The story-telling felt over-stretched though to achieve an "epic" feel, when it could have been more compact. There were parts that felt bloated and preachy. Less could have been more. I did appreciate the attempts at humor to break the film's violent core. That said though, I felt the classification of R-13 was a little too generous, given the film's depiction of criminal gang activity with all the attendant blood, gore and violence.

Overall, it was an earnest and generally well-made gangster movie, but it is not without its flaws. 7/10.