To reach the so-called pot of gold, one must cross to the end of the rainbow. In "Mindanao," said rainbow is all of the southern Philippine plateau animated into a Crayola-festival that rewards the conscience with impassioned awareness of the province's culture. Brillante Mendoza, who directs the film with experienced ease, is a cinema sorcerer reeling movie magic to project melodrama in thrilling outline. "Mindanao" is just another day in the office for supreme veteran actress Judy Ann Santos who stars as Saima Datupalo, a Muslim wife and mother thoroughly caring for her cancer-stricken daughter Aisa (the grippingly sophistical prodigy, Yuna Tangog). Mother and daughter brave their daily struggle of venturing to Davao City's hospital for Aisa's medication then back to the rural House of Hope where ill families live together with professional care. Saima and Aisa withstand their routine, awaiting the patriarch Malang Datupalo (Allen Dizon), a combat medic on service across Mindanao, to finally return home. The plot is classically temperamental, though Mendoza directs "Mindanao" merrily in the flair of an elementary coloring book, caricatured with crayon-carved mountains, seas, clouds, dragons, and townsfolk. To enamor pleasantry on the admittedly effusive movie, its story is told verging the native folklore about Raja Sulayman. "Mindanao" is a metaphor to the legend, and vice versa, telling mythical dragons Pula and Ginto as the plagues of war ravaging the Datupalo family plus the whole of the island. Likewise, the fire-breathing monsters are namely wrath and sickness, hence the battle of Mindanao and the cancer engulfing sweet Aisa.
Because of Santos' heavenly acting, "Mindanao" becomes a beautiful illustration of motherly love colorized by epic animation of the local folklore. Santos turns in a solemnly authentic exhibition, molting to a dire forlorness when Aisa wails in agony -- especially as the inevitable separation arrives that her silent sorrow bleeds from the screen to the flesh of viewers, wrenching each fiber of sensation to ultimately behest a concerted gasp. When she cradles her baby after the wretch, Santos is a moving picture of the Pietà, but due to her compelling glow from the film's start to finish, there is faith that she will rise again like the Philippines' sturdy royal sun.
Toward the second half of "Mindanao," the focus is panned to Malang's fray as a countryman and a family man. Dizon juggles his drive for both, displaying commitment to serve the land and to fulfill his duties as a husband and father. The actor is never scarce of vibe: on the field, his eyes radiate killer instinct seen only by soldiers though is now being served by Dizon in cinematic goodness. In a sequence, Malang delivers wounded mates to the provincial hospital coincidentally housing Saima and Aisa. Dizon performs the difficult wrestling with conscience, his body and face communicating that he is torn to leave his fellowmen and to care for his ailing family. When he does visit his daughter, the legendary animation returns in full bloom of Crayon grandness: dragons plus heroic warriors clashing for the fate of young Aisa while Malang assures he will protect his little princess nevermind the state of their living in Mindanao. Sadly, Malang needs to report back to battle so Dizon can exert the extensive of his hammy capacity. Patroling on the mountains, he sees his buddy gunned down by a deceptively fallen rebel. Malang mourns his friend in soundless sobs, emanating Dizon's fluid gloom despite his glare still ready for battle. He has a stone cold repose even when his heart is breaking. Just an artful performer like Dizon can realize both personas in a singular characterization. The cartoon episodes of the film are some of the best animation in Philippine Cinema, adding to the country's creative historical legend. The ingenuity of Mendoza's filmmaking sails the local movie industry on an inventive vinta towards a decorative new age. Yet the crowning achievement of "Mindanao" is Mendoza's frame control, his cameras are grimly frenetic along scenes of war. When arms rain bullets, the camera quavers with the soldiers to illustrate the shivering horror on the battlefield; as Saima and Aisa bawl, Mendoza's shots follow their bodies' crumble so audiences are pieced apart with the protagonists, their separate whimpers conjoining into the reels of "Mindanao." Where the film draws folklore, the cultural reality of Southern Philippines sketches its struggling frontier -- birthing a new legend for contemporary cinema. Director: Brillante Mendoza Photo/Trailer (c) Center Stage Production, Solar Pictures; YouTube.com; The Web Magazine
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