LUMAYO KA NGA SA AKIN (2016) Review
Filipino movies and TV series these days tend to have the same formula with cliched characters and stories that some still welcome over and over again. These types of regularities in Philippine cinemas and television inspired the work of Bob Ong in this three-episode movie Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin.
Episode 1: Bala sa Bala, Kamao Sa Kamao, Satsat sa Satsat (Directed by Mark Meily)
Action movies in the Philippines mostly has the craziest lines, the hero and the bad guy throwing puns and demeaning words at each other before actually taking each other out. And we should not rule out the damsel in distress and how the hate-you-love-you formula is being developed along the way between the hero and the damsel.
The episode’s decent enough for the audience to follow but it still lacks a coherent story that would make things incredible for actually pulling off a fine narrative from a pile of jokes and overdone storylines. Benjie Paras and Candy Pangilinan knows what they’re doing, they were introduced as comedy actors when they entered showbiz. Their talents did not go to waste in this one as they seem to be born for the job, not only making things more effective but also making things look fun as possible.
Episode 2: Shake, Shaker, Shakest (Directed by Andoy Ranay)
Filipino action movies are not a thing nowadays, and we mostly get romantic comedies or horror films. The most popular horror film in the Philippines would be the franchise of Regal Film titled Shake, Rattle & Roll which is obviously the inspiration to this episode title. And as crazy as it sound, most of us are still into horror movies even though some are just recycled or remade or just some garbage that has no intention to be good at all.
Looking back at the past horror mainstream movies in the Philippines, every film lacks originality or bringing genuine scare to the audience. Mostly just resort to cheap jump scares and dramatic confrontations that will lead to a grand finale with uncomfortable visual effects and prosthetics. Which leads us to this episode, Shake, Shaker, Shakest directed by Andoy Ranay. There’s little story in here, none that matters anyway. It feels like something you would forget and want to forget as soon as it ends which you’re hoping as soon as possible. While some of the antics worked, because yes, we are tired of the same concept, same cliches and same scares given to us that we tend to just make fun of it. Maricel Soriano, Herbert Bautista and Shy Carlos were not the problem in the episode, the story is scattered that it’s hard to make something out of it. It may be a problem with most horror films now but it doesn’t have to actually be worse than those.
Episode 3: Asawa ni Marie (Directed by Chris Martinez)
We now go to the last episode which parodies heavy drama telenovelas but mostly followed the story of the iconic TV series MariMar. Yes, Filipinos are glued to their seats weeknights, watching their favorite television shows which even though recycles ideas are still effective to the mass. Who doesn’t love the naive and pretty heroine being tortured and played at by the rich and powerful kontrabida because she just wants to most of the time and people love to hate that.
There enters Cristine Reyes as the poor but beautiful and naive girl who is being courted by the rich sons of probably one of the characters who will make her life miserable. Chris Martinez probably made time to really create a story. That even though everything is a parody of what they’re doing, you can still follow a story that will make the experience worthwhile. It’s the most entertaining out of the three episodes, Cristine Reyes looks like she’s having fun doing her role as well as Antoinette Taus who made the most insane parody of all antagonists in a sequence. There’s enough here for the audience to enjoy even though you have to wait for the two episodes before it. It just disappointing that it has to end in an uncertain and a bit insulting way.
Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin may have been a risky adaptation but with Asawa ni Marie, it’s worth it even though you have to go through two episodes to see it. You’ll probably have a good laugh with each episodes but the last episode made time to be actually good. Because as they say, the endings are the best part.
2.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
“Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin” is now showing in Philippine cinemas nationwide from Heaven’s Best Entertainment and VIVA Films. Rated PG by the MTRCB.