Pinoy/Blonde (2005) User Reviews

sad to say, my expectations failed!

[kriz_14 · 6/10 · 22 February 2006]

i have just watched the movie this morning during our Philippine literature Schedule as a part of the said subject...of course, we are required to watch it for a reaction paper...

before watching the movie, i got lots of expectations with it because i have heard so many good comments from it's trailer and promotions about the twist that this film brought in the field of Filipino movie but i got a little disappointed when i finally watched the film only this morning...

my expectations regarding the film were not met that much though the visual effects and the different shots of the camera used were kinda different and sophisticated compared to other Pinoy movies, still the story line did not satisfy me for the reason that there is really no story that was made! it is a mere promotion and showing of the Philippine culture and setting nowadays. the flow of the film is creative but that creativity was ruined by the poor story as what i have said earlier! but the greatest factor that disappointed me is that i know who the director is and i know his great capacities but he was not able to exhibit all of these in this film maybe because of too much exaggeration of every nonsense scenes that becomes more dominant than those scenes in this film which has sense.there are parts of the movie that really happens today in our society but i am kinda sad because those things were not pointed out in a more noticeable manner in the movie but instead, those less important scenes were greatly given emphasized by the film makers.

when i heard the title "Pinoy Blonde" before, i am really expecting it to be a highly intellectual film but after the moment that i watched it, i think it is just a simple modification and experimentation in the field of Philippine movie industry regarding the presentation of different Filipino stuffs and culture.

the efforts are great with its star studded extras and leading characters but the manner of portraying significant things are kinda poor.i am expecting deeper things to discover in every settings in the film but in the end, it just ended up with a simple nothing without leaving any intellectual satisfaction regarding of the movie's real point of view. that's all!

All Smoke But No Fire, A Big Disappointment from Peque Gallaga

[revolver01 · 3/10 · 1 July 2005]

First off, I am a big fan of Peque Gallaga. He is one of the most brilliant and gifted filmmakers to come out of the Philippines. I have seen his Shake, Rattle & Roll series more times than I could count. I thought Magic Temple was the work of a true artist and Gangland was pure visceral genius. And if there is one true great epic film in Philippine cinema, it would be his masterpiece Oro, Plata, Mata.

So upon entering the theater, I was excited beyond belief. His first film in almost 6 years. But halfway through the screening, I was already checking the time, wanting the film to end already. Pinoy Blonde is a overly reflexive, self-indulgent, pretentious film masquerading as a satire that relies on pop culture references to hide its flaws, mainly in the script, the story structure and character development.

From the start, it was already a mess; a mish-mash of different plots and scenes that lead to nowhere. The fast pace of the film and its vibrant visual style didn't hide the fact that the filmmakers simply had no focus in making the film. You'd keep wondering what the end result would be; is it a social commentary? is it merely an exercise in visual style? an attempt at a witty screenplay? Even the film itself can't figure itself out as it doubles back and forth through ideas and concepts, with the two lead actors' overly loud exaggerated performances not helping the equation. As the film ends, you feel visually assaulted but at the same time, emptiness. And that would be the last thing I'd think of feeling after seeing a Peque Gallaga film.

With a film filled to the brim with brilliant ideas, they are never pulled off well. It simply comes off as "trying too hard" and as an example of cinematic excess, big, bright, visual eye candy signifying nothing. A big disappointment from one of my favorite directors.

The Philippines' answer to Kevin Smith flicks with deeper meaning

[Tom_Bale69 · 10/10 · 28 July 2006]

First off I'm a critic on all genres of film and for me Direk Gallaga's Pinoy Blonde is a mixture of cult classic flicks and how the time frame filming method was used to all wood-by film goers you'll think that this is nothing but a rip-off of all cult classics such as kill bill and a film bombarded with cameos, but its more than that, its about independent filmmakers giving lecture to the best flicks that came up and turned both Hollywood and Philippines cinema lines from Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, substantial quotes from Spiderman to kill bill, and the ever famous Vilma Santos Burlesq Scene being told again. People from this generation don't know anything about that and this movie can educate them especially the young aspiring indie film makers. As the time frame filming goes, it is said in a lot of film schools that it is not possible to incorporate it in a movie, but as far as is goes two movie pulled it off. "Breaking The Waves With Emily Watson." and now for the first time in Philippine cinema "Pinoy Blonde." A Cult hit that I consider a genius masterpiece. It takes a real film buff to understand this movie and I mean serious.

Funny! Hilarious!

[scully1025 · 9/10 · 16 March 2006]

This is a movie who doesn't require the audience to think things through and analyze until their noses bleed. Pinoy Blonde doesn't require the audience to take it too seriously.

For a moviegoer like me who doesn't think highly of Filipino films, I have become an even bigger fan of Unitel Pictures (the producing company) when I saw Pinoy Blonde. The movie is absolutely funny.

This is one of the few movies who don't try to solve the world's problems, or make sense of the ills that plague our society. It only asks the audience to sit back, take everything in and laugh. If you think that you need to ponder on things when you see the movie, you are doing yourself a great disservice.