RPG Metanoia

People keep complaining about the stagnation of Philippine cinema but they fail to support films that break the tiresome mold. This is your chance to make a difference. RPG Metanoia may be the first Philippine 3D animated film, but do not let the format nor presentation deter you from watching this movie.

It has so much depth that I have not seen in a Filipino movie, or in any animated film, for a very long time. It is an adept social commentary on the emerging role of technology in changing and shaping the modern Filipino middle-class family, and it manages to depict the nuances of the often misrepresented subculture of computer gaming with such newfound clarity and wit.

At its very heart, Metanoia is still a fantasy adventure movie, yet it explores its overarching themes with almost child-like wonder and a wistful touch of nostalgia of summer days spent playing outside on the street under the searing heat of the summer sun with neighborhood friends.

The movie has a lot to offer even to those who are indifferent to the finer points of subject and plot. The 3D rendering may not be the best- in-class but it can go head to head with most offerings from Disney, Pixar or DreamWorks. Any perceived lack in rendering is more than adequately compensated by the sheer genius of the action sequences. The battle scenes are breathtaking, and I often found myself forgetting that I was watching a Filipino film because of the very high level of quality and detail that was worked into the choreography of the fights.

If you're a parent who wonders why your kid spends all of his time in front of the computer, watch this movie. If you grew up playing piko, luksong tinik, tumbang preso, langit lupa, and other Filipino street games, then you definitely have to watch this movie. If you're tired of seeing cliché antics, tired comedy routines, or overdrawn dramas that persistently ruin any form of evolution in Philippine cinema, then this movie was made for you.

I, who have never been a big fan of Filipino films, went into the theater expecting to be disappointed, but I exited the theater a proud Filipino. This movie is a work of achievement that not only rivals, but far surpasses most of the multi-million dollar budgeted Hollywood animated movies.

If I have to sum up the movie in two words, it is this – Awesome. Epic.