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| Photo Credit: Jesuit Communications |
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑/⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
Summary: While Gomburza's reliance on close-up shots might create a sense of confinement, it could also be a deliberate choice. These tight frames, possibly due to budgetary constraints, keep the focus firmly on the characters' emotions and their struggles, avoiding the lavish production design that can sometimes overwhelm historical dramas.
We already know where the story is headed: three Roman Catholic native Filipino priests will be killed at the end of the movie. After all, it's a historical biographical drama. What the film needs to do is lay out an effective buildup that will lead to the conclusion of a story familiar to almost every Filipino.
And that's exactly what Pepe Diokno, the director and co-writer of the film, did. He crafted a compelling slow-burn movie that understands the requirements of making an effective drama and the elements needed to prevent a simple yet meaningful historical narrative from becoming as dull as our history classes.
Gomburza is both a technical triumph and an emotional memorial to the martyrdom of the three Filipino Catholic priests executed by Spanish colonial authorities in 1872.
The superb sound editing surprised me, as many Filipino commercial films are often plagued by disappointing sound design and score.
The actors' performances are engrossing — Cedrick Juan is believable as the gritty yet constrained Jose Burgos — though, honestly, there's a point in the film where I wished for more meaningful female characters.
Pepe Diokno’s camerawork is commandeering, a delightful complement to the atmospheric cinematography of the film.
Gomburza can feel claustrophobic, using numerous tight shots that obscure the modernity of the real world it's set in, possibly as a cost-saving measure. However, it's within these shots that the film truly shines, prioritizing what the characters have to express over a self-congratulatory focus on precise production design — a trap many historical dramas fall into.
And then we get to the final act. I won't deny feeling an attempt to parallel the journey to the Cross of historical Jesus with the journey to the garrote of Gomburza. But that thought was overshadowed by the unbelievability of the last scenes. It's as if Diokno's love for cinema burns through every frame at this moment. It is the fitting conclusion that those who sat through the dialogue-heavy presentation deserve. It was so well-shot and helped effectively reiterate the message the film wants to impart — the pervasive lack of justice in the Philippines, caused not only by foreigners but also by our own countrymen in positions of power.
While it navigates historical complexities and delivers technical excellence, Gomburza refrains from succumbing to self-praise, remaining grounded in its commitment to storytelling and conveying a meaningful message.
We had initially intended to watch Becky and Badette, but serendipitously, it wasn't screening at the cinema we visited. As fate would have it, we ended up selecting Gomburza — a seemingly fortuitous opportunity for the universe to gently remind me that there is still hope for Filipino films to gain recognition on the global stage.