Manila Kingpin: The Story of Asiong Salonga

Asiong and the Gang. From Left - Right: Kiko (Ketchup Eusebio), Bimbo (Yul Servo), Asiong (Joerge Estregan) and Erning (Baron Geisler)

Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story is an action-biopic film. It is also an official entry of the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival. Produced by Scenema Concept International (released through Viva Films) and under the direction of Tikoy Aguiluz, the film stars Jeorge "E.R." Estregan in the title role, with Carla Abellana and Phillip Salvador. "Manila Kingpin" is based on the story of the notorious gang leader in Tondo named Nicasio "Asiong" Salonga, whose true-to-life accounts had been portrayed in several movie versions since 1961 (starring Joseph Estrada). It is also the the first Filipino major film produced in black-and-white in the 21st century as well as the returning action genre movie. (Initial information from: Wikipedia)




Main Cast

    Jeorge "E.R." Estregan - Nicasio "Asiong" Salonga
    Phillip Salvador - Domeng Salonga (Asiong's brother)
    Carla Abellana - Fidela Salonga (Asiong's wife)
    John Regala - Totoy Golem
    Baron Geisler - Erning "Toothpick" Reyes
    Yul Servo - Bimbo
    Ronnie Lazaro - Boy Zapanta
    Dennis Padilla - Tambol
    Ketchup Eusebio - Kiko
    Ping Medina - Piring
    Gerald Ejercito - Badong
    Amay Bisaya - Ayes Gago
    Roi Vinzon - Viray
    Joko Diaz - Pepeng Hapon
    Archie Adamos - Turong Pajo
    Roldan Aquino - Police Chief Henry Vilagonzalo Jr.




Plot:

In the slums of Tondo, Asiong Salonga is feared and respected by people. He is a notorious leader of a gang that vows to take care of all the people specially the poor under his claimed territory which is Tondo. But unfortunately, There are also other gangs who wants to claim Tondo for their own, specially the gang of Totoy Golem - the rival of Asiong Salonga.

Will Asiong Salonga be able to defend his territory? Will he go through all of this and settle for a peaceful life?

Story Analysis:

Asiong, comforting his wife Fidela (Carla Abellana)

 The movie is a representation of the darker side of the Philippines. Even in the early days, poverty has consumed the country, specially in the towns like Tondo. Everyone is striving to live, even resorting to violence if they have to. Many people starts to make gangs, make illegal connections to obtain firearms illegally. Everything is competing for power - survival of the fittest, with high sense of territoriality. People who have the guts to be powerful, terrifies the weaker ones, getting money from them by force and eventually they make underground businesses for income. Aside of struggling for power, the movie shows how even governing bodies do dirty businesses, it is not just today that this kind of politics exist but even in the past. Police like Police Chief Henry Vilagonzalo Jr. is portrayed as a policeman who can be bribed. He was bribed by Totoy Golem to go against only to Asiong Salonga's Gang. Politicians are also shown to pay gangs to kill their enemies for election and to also protect themselves from these gangs.

Asiong's Gang and their illegal firearms

Asiong in the other hand, is not your ordinary gang leader. He is also a face of a typical Filipino.

He is religious. Even all the violence he has gone through, he stays devoted to the Father, Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. He always prays for his safety in his battles and as well as his family.

Asiong Salonga visiting his mother. You can see his softer side towards his mother

He is family oriented. He loves his family so much, specially his mother to whom he displays great respect and leaves all the toughie-act aside whenever he is with her. In the whole movie, one of the things that he pained him the most is when he have lost his mother.

What made him unique as a gang leader is his sense of helpfulness. He has empathized with his fellow neighbors at Tondo, and always shares their income with them and protects them from other abusive gangs. This is why he is described as a "Robin Hood."

He have good intentions but has achieved this through a different way.


Finally, This films show a part of our society that has always been there that many people can witness this kind of morbid reality but has never found the solution to change this situation. People resort into being violent not because they want to, but because they have no choice. People in power have deprived them of the help they need to change.


Rating:

-Sound: 

-Cinematography: 

 -Actors:

-Story:

 -Personal Interest:

 -Overall:

Sound. The soundtrack and sound effects in this film is really well executed. You can feel the atmosphere of the 50s or something when you hear the soundtracks, natural sounds and other sound effects. The Theme Song "La Paloma" by Ely Buendia brings you back to the dreamy oldies atmosphere that helps you to feel romantic in Asiong and Fidela's dancing scene. The other Theme Song "Hari ng Tondo" by Gloc-9 and Denise is my favorite though, even though the film is set into the  50s, the lively rap and pop song still fit into the film as if it is giving hope at the ending of the film.

The Kalesa Fight Scene. One of the outstanding action scenes of the film.

Cinematography. The cinematography was also well done. It might not be necessarily following the professional or the usual ways of a mainstream film's cinematography, it has an experimental or indie feel used in it such as the shaky handling of the camera, which in a way still ends up neat and not irritating in the eyes, the black and white filter also helped the film to bring out the 50s atmosphere, as if you are watching an old film and yet it still feels modern. Other scenes which have cinematic films are the actions scenes like the Kalesa Chase, the Gun Duel in the rain and the parade battle. The elements of fight was perfectly captured and blended well with effects, as if you are watching a Hollywood action film.

Actors. In terms of actors, I find them mediocre. Specially the main actor Estregan, though I praise him for his action scenes. I don't feel much feelings from him specially in his scenes with his wife, Fidela. It is as if he is just harassing his wife in their first scene where he just kisses her rapidly, and I don't even feel romantic when he convinces his wife to not worry for him where in fact, it should be romantic. I don't also feel Carla Abellana as an outstanding actress here as well, because her acting seems monotonous, I have seen her as Elery in various GMA soap operas such as "Kung Aagawin mo ang langit", "Rosalinda" and "Magic Palayok" but all I can see is the same Carla Abellana all over again. But I praise her for her great register at the screen, she is really beautiful. In the end, I can say that all other actors are better than the first two I mentioned above.  

Story. The story is great. It has touched me and I even cried at the end. The story has also shown the bond of friendship and just a light theme of love for the country. But even all of this, there is still betrayal and as what Asiong said in the film: "The most painful way to die is to be killed by a friend." or something like that.

Yeah!!! Shoot 'em all!

Personal Interest. Well, the film is action and centers in the violence of manly-men. Violence this, violence that. Do you think I really like this? Well no. Lol. But what made me interested in the film is the presentation. The indie-uesqe presentation really made me curious what the film would look like. What I didn't really like in the film is that it is not feminist, you can see how women are treated lowly such as Fidela, as a wife she is only seen as a person who will take care of the children and who will stay at the house. Asiong also has other women such as Meilin and the Ticket booth girl. Well, what can I do? The movie is set in the 50s, that would be natural because the society was not really fully aware of women's potentials back then.

The mafia wars.

Overall. I recommend this to people and encourage them to watch this! It is really an epic and a new form of action-genre of the Philippine film. If action films are like this, and improve more than this, Filipinos can compete their action films internationally.