Straying far away from pretty but untalented face "actors", cheesy dialogues, and cliche plots that are probably rip-offs of other Western or Asian movies, lies a cinematic gold that every Pinoy over the age of 18 can be proud of. Tatarin (which means "to chop") is a movie that is able to intertwine Filipino culture, beliefs, and mentality into a story that is not only entertaining, but enlightening as well.
The story revolves around Doña Guadalupe, nicknamed Lupe (Dina Bonnevie), the conservative and submissive wife of the wealthy haciendero, Don Paeng (Edu Manzano). Lupe comes to realize the power of her sexuality as woman through the Pagan fertility ritual of Tatarin. This mysterious festivity celebrated by the servants of the couple is said to empower the woman to bend the will of every man to her desires.
What I really love about this film is that, while it is set somewhere between the Post-Hispanic American colonization, the issues tackled are still applicable to modern Filipinos: 1) The Catholic religion's hold on the image of an ideal woman, 2) the mix of Pagan rituals with Christian beliefs, 3) the female sexuality and identity, 4) the more liberal way of thinking as oppose to the traditional culture, and 5) racial identity (or the denial of it). All these are presented through different characters, who are equally interesting. Everything is presented in a raw, edgy old fashion style of filming that actually helps the movie,
Unfortunately, the movie's dialogue and sequencing are sometime inconsistent and sloppy. An example is when Lupe said the parade will be held in 3 days, then next thing you know, there is a parade now. Is it a different parade? I don't know, but they do have the same name. Another example is Guido's (Carlos Morales) ill-constructed explanation of an ideology that made me go "what?".
Also, there are a lot of unnecessary and repetitive scenes - both sexual and wholesome - that drag on the story. The movie can come off as exploitative, perhaps banking on the popularity of sexy films being released at the time.
Recommendation
Though sometimes excessive, the film is still darkly beautiful and entertaining. Not a lot of Filipino movies try to push the envelope, but this dared to leap forward by looking back on its country's past and tying it up with the present. If you are mature enough to understand the underlying messages over a lot of sexy scenes, I encourage you to see this film.
