Much is expected of Green Bones, the latest Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) offering from writer Angeli Atienza, director Zig Dulay, GMA Pictures, and GMA Public Affairs.
It’s the same team behind Firefly, the delightful and heartwarming flick that won Best Picture and Best Screenplay at last year’s MMFF.
Firefly is a lightning in a bottle–a rare film that pleased both hardened critics and the general audience.
Aside from its MMFF accolades, the fantasy film also received praise at international film festivals in Beijing, China and Los Angeles, USA.
Indeed, Firefly set a high bar for Angeli, Zig, and the Kapuso film production outfits.
Can they meet those standards again with Green Bones?
Read: Green Bones, malakas ang laban sa MMFF 2024 best picture
GREEN BONES: TWO MEN AND THEIR QUEST FOR JUSTICE
Green Bones follows two men in their quest for justice.
There’s Xavier (Ruru Madrid), who bears the memory of his beloved sister that was killed when he was young. He becomes a policeman to mete out punishment to evildoers.
Then there’s Dom (Dennis Trillo), a decade-long inmate at various correctional facilities. He is suspected to have murdered his sister and her young daughter.
When Xavier meets Dom in an island full of prisoners that are due for release, he has to confront his own biases.
Are all prisoners deserving of cruel punishment? Can they be rehabilitated? Is Dom guilty, and does he deserve freedom?
And once Xavier gets the answers to these questions, can he find the justice he seeks for his slain sibling?
Read: Iza Calzado grateful for GMA Pictures comeback via Green Bones
GREEN BONES: AN ACTING SHOWCASE
Green Bones is an acting showcase for both Ruru and Dennis. The on-screen tension is electric, and the movie shines when they are both on screen.
The two actors complement each other well. Ruru’s Xavier is a seemingly kind figure whose benevolence is undercut by dangerous glints of malice. His restrained menace, especially in a tense prison inspection scene, keeps the audience on edge.
Dennis, as expected, excels as Dom, a gruff inmate who reveals surprising tenderness. Moments of vulnerability, like his care for his fellow inmates, make his redemption arc deeply moving and believable.
Their contrasting performances—one embodying quiet malevolence, the other reluctant warmth—anchor the film, proving that appearances can be as deceptive as the characters themselves.
NOT A DRY EYE
Thanks to the powerful performances of both actors, the audience is deeply moved by their characters' journeys.
As each character reaches his resolution, the emotional impact resonates, bringing the audience to tears.
There won’t be a dry eye in the theater showing Green Bones, guaranteed.
Aside from feeling strong emotions, the story also lets audiences ask questions about their own sense of justice and equality.
In an interview with PEP.ph, Direk Zig said one of his goals with Green Bones is to impart a relevant lesson.
“Kung napansin mo yung bida namin, naghahanap siya ng hustisya, at sa kasagsagan ng paghahanap ng hustisya, may nahanap silang mas mahalagang bagay, which is yung pagpapakabuti. And maybe in this lifetime, hindi mo makuha yung hustisya, dahil sa usapin ng power, money. Pero kung pinili mong magpakabuti, baka yun na yung katapat ng hustisya,” said Direk Zig.
Green Bones successfully delivers this message to the moviegoers.
GREEN BONES BETTER THAN FIREFLY?
Now the burning question: does it hold a candle to Firefly? Or is it even better?
The answer isn’t as simple.
If we consider its technical elements, like the production and set design, cinematography, lighting design and sound design, then yes, it is comparable to Firefly.
Green Bones is a visual masterpiece, a cinematic experience that truly deserves to be witnessed on the big screen.
It defintiely has so much to offer although there’s a lingering sense that some details remain unresolved and unexplained, raising questions along the way.
It will premiere on December 25, 2024. It also stars Iza Calzado, Michael de Mesa, Ronnie Lazaro, Kokoy de Santos, Royce Cabrera and Sofia Pablo.
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