Friday, March 18

Darna

As if in response to my recent interest in the upcoming Darna TV series, I got a reminder of how stinky the franchise can get via probably THE worst movie with the Darna title, the Anjanette Abayari-starrer, Darna: Ang Pagbabalik (I say probably since I am not sure if the one starring Nanette Medved was worse).

This movie just hits everything wrong. Everyone, I mean EVERYONE- from a campy Cherie Gil as Dr. Valentine (original villainess Valentina's daughter) who just goes hammy in her scenes as a demagogue/preacher complete with green-caped dancers and henchmen- to pretty much everyone from guards and passersby or crowds of extras who are just supposed to look up and gawk. The only one who doesn't overact is lead actress Anjanette herself- who UNDERacts. Plus, the portrayal of Darna herself is pretty stupid. She poses, she acts arrogantly and never seems to have any personality aside from smiling and looking sweet when she's being cheered by the masses. In one particular scene, she faces off with a gun-toting pretty boy named Magnum, who pretty much has shot over a dozen people (well, all of his gang). Instead of collaring this killer, Darna just exchanges some banter, then drops the guy in a garbage truck and laughs. Never mind that he gets away. How stupid is that?
Anyway, I've given up on director Peque Gallaga long ago, after crappers like his Magic Temple/Kingdom series, and all of his later Shake, Rattle and Roll films. And well, Anjanette was most probably selected for her ability to fill a bikini, not act (or speak tagalog, I think). Oh well.

Heh. Rant over. For now.

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