Overly simplified and curiously uninvolving, Pula (Fire & Ice, CCM Film Productions, Centerstage Productions, 2023) is an example of how ruminative storytelling isn’t meant the way Brillante Mendoza presented it. He failed to make Pula into the emotionally echoing piece it could have been by drowning out the feelings with a garish and unfocused presentation. At once, the director is doing too much visually while not doing enough dramatically. Perhaps he could have let his characters do so as well. The biggest problem is that Mendoza pulls punches when it comes to content. Tricia (Christine Bermas) isn’t just simply murdered by Daniel (Coco Martin) she’s raped. Pula is a marathon of failed emotional connections. Caring about Tricia, beyond the basic empathy we feel for a murdered young girl, is almost impossible in her state in the film. Her presence has no meaning—she’s not lingering for any purpose communicated in her action. She just remains behind, if only to give the audience an excuse to watch her. Meanwhile, Tricia's parents Elena (Lotlot de Leon) and Canor (Alan Paule) spend their time brooding over their loss. At least Daniel is proactive about catching the killer. Although, Martin is clearly in over his head with the role and therein resides a problem. Mendoza isn’t quite sure if he wants to make a drama or if he wants to make a suspenseful thriller about catching a murderer. He doesn’t decide, so instead, Mendoza smashes the two together and neither receives full attention. Pula is all over, unfocused, unorganized and too poorly developed to convey the multitude of complex theories involved in the story.
Sadly, the filmmakers fail to strike a proper balance of the two parallel storylines and its many characters. It’s a mark of Mendoza’s lack of restraint that the mystery-thriller elements overtake the domestic drama that is the story's true raison d’être. He’s obsessed with spectacle over substance. The characters, peripheral to Daniel’s life but central to the narrative are largely undeveloped or ignored. Consider the wife, Magda (Julia Montes), whose marital withdrawal could have made a fascinating character study. She has an affair with police chief Raymond Anacta, played by Raymart Santiago. Magda is left mostly on the sidelines to have an emotional breakdown. For his part, Martin demonstrates the capacity to act superbly, ranging in emotion from suspicion to fear, loneliness and terror. Mendoza fails to engage us in the hurt of Tricia's parents, to whom at least half of the story should belong. Finally, there’s the plot. Rape and murder tends to be, understandably, a sympathy trigger like no other. This is apparent in journalism, where in any slow news week flip the channels and you will find story after story of the Missing Woman or Missing Teen exploited for ratings. There’s absolutely no question that these events are horrible, but for journalists and filmmakers this is like shooting fish in a barrel. Perhaps the story, characters and visual cohesiveness suffered because Mendoza felt assured he was dealing with an emotionally-manipulative subject that would preoccupy the audience enough to skew perception and make any real critical judgment of the film’s merits or flaws nearly impossible. Critics never endure more backlash from readers than when they attempt to deconstruct a film whose viewer is extraordinarily passionate. Pula redeems itself—barely—with an unconventional outcome likely to leave audiences feeling dissatisfied.
Director: Brillante Ma Mendoza
Screenplay: Reynold Giba
Director of Photography: Jao Daniel Elamparo, Freidric Macapagal Cortez, Jeffrey Icawat
Production Design: Dante Mendoza
Music: Jake Abella
Editor: Peter Arian Vito
Sound: Albert Michael Idioma, Deo Van Fidelson
