Ang Alamat ng Lawin (2002)

Director:

Fernando Poe Jr.

Writer:

Manny R. Buising (story)

Genre:

Action | Family | Fantasy | Adventure

Plot Keywords:

Directed By Star

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Fernando Poe Jr.	...	Lawin
Ina Raymundo	...	Camila
Cathy Villar	...	Rita
Khen Kurllo	...	Boy
Ryan Yamazaki	...	Kulas
Franklin Cristobal	...	Pepe
Augusto Victa	...	Chieftain
Romy Diaz	...	Leandro
William Romero	...	Apo Ermitanyo
Alex Cunanan	...	Draka / Giant
Zernan Manahan
Tom Alvarez
Joe Estrada
Rey Valenzuela
Gary Silva

Also Known As:

Alamat ng agila (Philippines: Tagalog title) (working title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

Philippines

Language:

Filipino | Tagalog

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Antequera, Bohol, Visayas, Philippines

Company:

FPJ Productions

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Planet of the Apes (2001)

Soundtrack:

Balot Penoy

Not for FPJ avid followers!

Fernando Poe Jr., rumored to run as presidential candidate in the 2004 Philippine elections, was adamant in saying that he made this movie for the children. Indeed, he did not lie. But this movie is a frustration to avid FPJ fans who are expecting no non-sense hard action in his usual movies. But it's a cheer for the children. The story starts with four pre-teen children - vending in the urban center of Manila - who were absorbed by a huge light (Think of TV's Slider). The four - Rita (Cathy Villar), her brother Boy (Ken Kurillo), Kulas (Ryan Yamazaki) and Pepe (Franklin Cristobal) - were brought to a strange barren land where they met a giant, a man-bat (it doesn't look like Batman, you silly!), and other weird creatures (just imagine the usually characters in the movies Clash of the Titan, Planet of the Apes and Lord of the Rings).

They were destined to help the legendary Lawin (Fernando Poe Jr.) who has been imprisoned after he lost his sword, the source of his power. After finding a lamp (in which a hermit has been locked), they were told to find the misplaced magic sword, the only weapon needed by Lawin to free the land from the injustice and cruelty of the monster-rulers.

Aside from the fact that the production is still VERY FAR behind the Hollywood movies it like to copy, the acting - except maybe for FPJ and leading lady (of course, they have already both won a number of acting awards) - is too amateurish. While FPJ's role looks like his old Panday movie, the directing (FPJ did it) was lousy.

The supposedly frightening characters turned out to be comical. The musical score was a comedy (singing pop songs didn't do any justice - either).

Avoid if you are not with your children.

The only consideration: the good triumphed over the bad one. Will FPJ wins in 2004?