In Beast (Puregold Cine Panalo, Pelikulaw, 2026), a luminous, oddball odyssey directed by Law Fajardo, a 65-year old farmer and his talking carabao journeys from Pulilan to Manila to reunite with his long lost niece. Fajardo's road movie, traveling two-lane highways dares to be direct as it is leisurely; to be sweet in it's celebration of Filipino generosity, where people still extend kindness to strangers; and to be ardent and tender in its portrait of old age. Except for a few interludes along the way, Beast seems a far cry from the man renowned for mesmerizing audiences with unnerving surrealism. In doing so, he has made the most deeply affecting film of his career -- how's that for a neat irony? -- and has given audiences a gift of enduring beauty. Fajardo and cinematographer Albert Banzon have crafted a hauntingly lovely mise-en-scene. John Arcilla is cast perfectly as Lolo Omeng, delivering a sublimely natural performance that skews terse but is always warm, polite and on occasion, very powerful. His zestful spirit backlights the hero's weathered face, full of wary expectancy and sustains notes of love and hope -- and firm resolve -- in his reedy voice. Ruslan Jacob grounded the film's emotional core as Pepe, a young kid with aspirations of becoming a comics writer and illustrator. Since the movie rests on such a peculiar vehicular premise, it's fair to ask why Lolo Omeng can't take a bus or ask for a ride. The answer has less to do with practicality than with dogged determination, he wants to do it his own way, which means the hard way. It's also fair to ask if Lolo Omeng reaches the end of the road in time to make peace with his niece, Marietta (Candy Pangilinan). Suffice it to say that the climax is worthy of the journey, a scene of perfect tact and exquisite intensity. And what a journey it is. Lolo Omeng has all kinds of old-fashioned wisdom at his fingertips. He meets lots of different people along the way and everyone is immediately taken with him, just as we, the audience are.
Lolo Omeng's most powerful encounter is with Yna (Sol Samodio), a young girl who is a pregnant runaway, listens to his stories about family and heads back home. The screenplay by Jim Flores finds truth in the exact choice of the right everyday words. Arcilla, speaks the lines with perfect repose and conviction. He conveys emotional nuance and intelligence throughout his performance, especially in his eyes. It’s not Lolo Omeng's tears causing the narrative payoff, but rather his almost tears, the buildup before the break. Arcilla captures the spirit of a man who lived in hardship but hopes to make things right with his niece. Lolo Omeng's journey to Marietta is a journey into his past. Beast quietly charts the pains of time’s passing and what the idea of a family means in both its potential for joy and for sorrow. The film’s moods shift easily from melancholy to glimpses of fleeting contentment in very ordinary situations and Lolo Omeng’s evident gladness at being alone. The device of Pepe being able to shape Lolo Omeng's world is integral to the key themes of the film. In an astonishing breaking of the fourth wall moment, the film goes one step further to directly appeal to the audience. After Lolo Omeng and Marietta's meeting, Bob the carabao (voiced by Lou Veloso), looks directly into the camera – appearing to look out into the audience – and tells Lolo Omeng, "all he had to do is follow where the sun sets." It is a remarkable moment where the audience is directly informed that the story only exists because they are experiencing it and stories such as this can only survive by us engaging with them. Beast is still very Law Fajardo, with idiosyncratic characters, thoughtful compositions and Jobin Ballesteros' score setting the tone. Fajardo keeps the heartfelt core and emotional stakes but resolves rather than rejects catharsis. Lolo Omeng's trek is anchored by Arcilla’s performance, but through Law Fajardo’s lens, it transcends the screen and culminates in an earned, deeply human finale.
Directed and Edited By: Law Fajardo
Story and Screenplay: Jim Flores
Director of Photography: Albert Banzon
Production Designer: Ian Traifalgar
Music: Jobin Ballesteros
Sound: Alex Tomboc, Lamberto Casas
