SARI-SARING SINENG PINOY

     Tongue-in-cheek humor prevails in Alyas Batman en Robin (Regal Films, Inc., 1991), a witty homage to the Dynamic Duo’s exaggerated exploits. The Caped Crusaders emerge when criminal masterminds The Joker and Paenguin wreak havoc in the city of Gotham. The film manages to embrace Batman’s inherent campness and potential for ridicule. Everybody involved in making the film, so it seems, understood the nature of the Batman they were trying to capture. From over-the-top acting to the energetic score and cut, the film manages to convey a singular vision. And sure enough, you will find yourself sucked into the world of this Batman. However, in order to enjoy Alyas Batman en Robin, one needs to realize that director Tony Y. Reyes’ take on the Bat is not meant to be taken seriously. The film doesn’t advance the storyline or explain the character. It serves more as a fun retrospective on the development of the Batman property.  In this version, Batman/Kuya is portrayed by funny man Joey de Leon. The best thing about his performance is the way he plays straight man to everything. Despite the wackiness around him, he always plays everything straight, delivering all of his lines with level headed clearness. Same goes for the way Kempee de Leon plays Robin/Kevin. While he does have a more naive sidekick persona, he plays his part with as most conviction as Joey does.

     The real noteworthy cast members are the villains. Panchito makes for a great Paenguin. He brings an air of sophistication to the part, as well as injecting it with a lot of energy. And speaking of energy, Rene Requiestas is off the wall with his portrayal of The Joker. Overall, the villain performances are great and probably the best part of the film. In spite of all the goofiness, the actors all managed to capture the core essence of each villain. There’s never a dull moment. Everything seems to fall naturally into place without any awkward shifts. Part of this is because of the insane nature of the film, almost nothing feels out of place, no matter how bizarre. This incarnation of the caped crusader was camp, fun and over the top. Alyas Batman en Robin used grandiose language bordering on the absurd, had a dead-pan expression and wore wonderfully camp costumes. There was also very little separating Kuya from his alter ego, effectively they’re one and the same. They speak the same, have the same mannerisms and share affection for Daily Sun journalist Angelique Legarda (Dawn Zulueta). Of course Batman also has a ton of gadgets, ones ranging from the useful to the downright inane. There’s also a sense that Batman’s a far superior force than his villainous counterparts. The fearsome duo’s target is world domination, but they perennially state their plan can’t be achieved as long as Batman’s in the way. Even when they seem to have the upper hand, they barely lay a scratch on Batman and he easily escapes their contrived traps, but there’s also a general sense of absurdity and farce.