ABS-CBN’s newest prime-time player, Bagani has had lots of advanced hype on account of its cast. After all, this is the TV comeback vehicle of one of the most popular and beloved love teams: Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano.
What’s gotten largely overlooked is how daunting a task it is creating an epic fantasy series. I mean, the writers and producers of Bagani have to present different Philippine-inspired mythologies and folklore to a mass audience in a very engaging way. (There’s a disclaimer in the beginning of the show, however, that underscores the show was merely inspired and doesn’t tell the story of the Filipino indigenous people.) Will ordinary Pinoys be able to follow multiple story lines, each packed with numerous important characters, set in a vast imaginary world? Will a big audience care to know about the story of Lakas (Gil)? Or of Ganda (Soberano)?
I think they will. Thanks to the gorgeous actors (besides LizQuen, the other stars are Matteo Guidicelli, Sofia Anders and Makisig Morales) and the show’s narrator, played by Zaijan Jaranilla, who breaks the fourth wall and uses words, such as lodi and petmalu to describe certain scenes or characters.
Then there’s the direction. The opening scene with Malakas slaying a full-sized dragon was action-packed, featuring a lot of dynamic shots that, had it been handled by a less-skilled director, would have flopped. So I did some research and I found out that at the helm of that opening scene, along with other big scenes in Bagani, is upcoming director Lester Pimentel.
With my snooping, I was able to find out that Lester has already had some experience on La Luna Sangre did action choreography for Imortal, Palas, Panday and Pedro Penduko, among others. But what’s notable about this action director is that he is a Wushu World Champion, ergo his specialty is doing action scenes. Further research about him reveal that, in doing this TV show, he started from scratch and trained the actors and talents for two years, and continues to do so.
Thanks to him and his codirector, Richard Arellano, Bagani is kept at a narrative pace that keeps viewers engaged, even during the show’s nonaction parts. The pilot week has some of them as a requirement to explain the back stories, the different kingdoms and arc plots that make up the mythos of Bagani.
Another scene I have to single out that was directed by Lester is the death of Agos in the hands of Dakim. You see, Agos (Albert Martinez) is a Maharlika, who’s had an affair with a woman from a different clan. Because of this forbidden love, their people are exiled from their kingdom, and Dakim resents this so much that one day, he challenges Agos to a duel. The scene was a well-choreographed sword fight with a lot of close-ups and fast cuts that brought viewers to the action. Agos dies in the hands of Dakim and young Lakas witnesses this, and it leads to a fantastic transition of his character as a grown-up adult.
Truly, Lester is a vital cog in the success of Bagani, and I won’t be surprised if he becomes an in-demand director after this. I can see him directing fast-paced action movies with a heart, like those Korean films I really adore because, despite their violence, the story, the cinematography, the dialogue and especially the direction keep me captivated even in the face of gore.
Bagani may seem somewhat overwhelming for some, as one may get lost in its thicket of who’s related to whom and remembering what grudge this character holds against another, but I will insist that viewers, myself included, stick with it. Free your mind to take in the spectacle and start following the intricate storytelling, the strong acting and especially the formidable direction. Indeed, this is magical realism that will keep you engaged.
Of course, Enrique Gil isn’t bad on the eyes either.