The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin is one of the eight movies in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival and is a sequel to the 2011 smash hit The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin. This movie stars Vice Ganda as Praybeyt Benjamin himself together with Richard Yap, Bimby Aquino-Yap, Alex Gonzaga, and Tom Rodriguez. Directed by Wenn Deramas, this movie is leading the race in terms of box office.
This time around, Benjamin is not just a modern national hero but is recognized as a worldwide national hero. But because of all the successes, he becomes arrogant and proud, without looking back and acknowledging the people who helped him reach his current status. To be able to save the Philippines from the explosion of three bombs plotted in different areas as ordered by Janjaranjan, played by Tom Rodriguez, Benjamin has to convice Bimbee, played by Bimby Aquino-Yap, to tell him where the locations of the bombs are, for only this kid knows where they are plotted.
This might be a typical story of family, fight, and forgiveness, but what sets this apart from others is its boldness. Just like the 39th MMFF highest grossing film Girl Boy Bakla Tomboy, this movie is so straightforward--they say that it's really just a movie--which is something so strange for a movie, admitting its own shortcomings or its own purpose.
It also made fun of different trends nowadays--from Plants Vs. Zombies to Princess Sarah to promoting-your-own-singles [Boom Panes and Push Mo 'Yan Te] scenes [weird method of defusing a bomb, really]. This film has proven that this is an effective way to invite and cater teenagers and young adults to watch the movie. By that, we can boldly say that films are produced not for showcasing how talented and brilliant-minded people of today are / documentation and quality purposes but to earn money and cater certain audiences.
Frankly, it was an unwitty film but with an insulting [but Filipinos, for sure, find it funny, really] script and good delivery of punchlines, making fun of other's and oneself's flaws and weaknesses. Some characters were also very revealing, just like General Chua played by Richard Yap. Indeed, he did everything here that he wasn't able to showcase on his daytime program, Be Careful with My Heart.
But can we blame the Filipinos? Most of us want to smile this season, so we look for a film that we think can cater our needs. And look, it's another Vice Ganda movie--the cycle just repeats, people not being open for something new and fresh.
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