I am happy that the writers did not stick to the beaten script of good vs bad in this version of Pedro Penduko. Guidecilli portrayed a flawed character, not wanting his father's legacy and even resorting to violence to get his revenge. Thanks also that they didn't play the love angle with Liway (Kylie Verzoza) to painful predictability. I appreciate the efforts to put local folklore mystical creatures, magic potions and create a world of sorcery, but NOT imitating Harry Potter. Also putting layers in the story kept it interesting with a dash of social commentary on land grabbing and greed for money.
Some acting scenes and dialogues are cringy, but Guidecilli played Penduko well and I do hope he gets a second outing on the next MMFF like Panday. The villain here is not the typical monstrous Romy Diaz and he was given good motive in doing his bad deeds but maybe he could have done more given his 'superpowers'. Some CGI effects still feel like the 90s but forgivable. The ending is a little duh but overall, a good watch. Guidecilli is a good choice for the main character, he can still hone his acting skills for (hopefully) part 2.
