GMA-7 and Netflix collaborated for the first time for the Kapuso Network’s new period piece, Pulang Araw, headlined by Barbie Forteza, David Licauco, Sanya Lopez, and Alden Richards.
This period drama, penned by the creative team of Suzette Doctolero and helmed by director Dominic Zapata, focuses on the lives and atrocities experienced by Filipinos during the Japanese occupation.
The show also centers on the friendship of the four central characters—Adelina (Barbie), Hiroshi (David), Teresita (Sanya), and Eduardo (Alden), and how their lives will be affected by the war.
Five episodes of Pulang Araw were dropped on Netflix, 72 hours ahead of its premiere on GMA-7 last week.
The first five episodes mostly focused on the childhood of siblings Adelina and Eduardo, and how they were separated after the death of their mother, Fina (Rhian Ramos).
Eduardo had to live with his aunt (Rochelle Pangilinan) while Adelina was brought to the care of her father, Julio (Epy Quizon). This shocked his wife, Carmela (Angelu de Leon), and daughter, Teresita.
The back stories of Eduardo and Adelina’s childhood would intertwine with the story's present time, which is set during the Japanese invasion in the Philippines, wherein the adult Eduardo wrote a letter to Adelina about his battles with Japanese soldiers.
impressive acting of ensemble cast
Although Alden Richards and Barbie Forteza had few scenes during the pilot week, each of their airtime on screen highlighted their dramatic prowess, setting the war-torn mood for the series as well as the personal struggles of the characters.
Alden opened the show with a heartbreaking scene, grieving the loss of his young comrade, Mario (Aidan Veneracion), after a blast during the war.
Barbie's shining moment was seen in a simple yet emotionally charged crying scene upon receiving the letter from his brother, whom she has not heard from for a long time because of the war.
Angelu de Leon and Epy Quizon as the parents of Teresita and Adelina were also convincing in their roles.
Angelu, who plays as the stepmother of Adelina, has already earned the ire of viewers early on in the series. Her refusal to accept the young Adelina as her husband's illegitimate daughter hints at the difficulties that awaits Adelina in future episodes.
Epy, for his part, delivers a complex portrayal of Julio, a cheating husband who couldn't stand up to his wife. He is torn between being a good father to Adelina and pleasing his wife to make up for his affair with another woman.
Outside his home, in a present-time episode of the story, Epy appears to be a ruthless man when provoked by the adult Eduardo.
Another highlight for Epy was his breakdown scene after finding out that his vaudeville theater was burned. This was when it was revealed that he used to perform with Fina (Rhina Ramos).
Read: Epy Quizon at Cassy Lavarias, pinupuri ang acting sa Pulang Araw
Rochelle Pangilinan and Neil Ryan Sese are also effective as villains as the cruel guardians of Eduardo.
But perhaps the loudest applause should be given to Rhian Ramos as well as the young stars playing Adelina (Cassy Lavarias) and Eduardo (Franchesco Maafi).
Fresh from the success of Royal Blood, Rhian delivered another interesting performance as Fina, the mother of Adelina and Eduardo.
Many viewers were impressed by her portrayal, and a netizen even commented that she “mothered, devoured, and ate no crumbs.
In her special appearance at the beginning of the show, she was able to show depth to her character as a loving mother to her children, as well as a strong-willed woman who would fight for her children to death.
The young Adelina, played by Cassy Lavarias, was also commendable because she was able to deliver a range of emotions in her scenes with veteran stars: being in awe of her mother’s beauty; sadness for the death of her mother; disbelief because of his father’s lies; kilig upon meeting a cute Japanese playmate; and fear of her stepmother.
Franchesco Maafi as young Eduardo also did not disappoint, as his love for his sister was truly felt in the scene where they were forced to go their separate ways.
Meanwhile, viewers are looking forward to see Sanya and David portraying the adult Teresita and Hiroshi. So far, young versions of their characters were given glimpses in the first five episodes of Pulang Araw.
Read: Chloe San Jose reacts to interview of Carlos Yulo's mother
A REFRESHING WAY OF STORYTELLING
GMA-7 made sure that viewers will feel that Pulang Araw is a big-budgeted period piece, with meticulously chosen locations, set designs, and costumes to depict accuracy or vibe at the time of the Japanese invasion in the country.
The cinematography, direction, and graphics were also impressive, especially in one scene where the sky resembled the Philippine flag, which seemed to be a foreshadowing of the events that will happen as the story progresses.
Another notable scene would be the opening sequence where Eduardo temporarily lost his hearing after a blast.
Aside from Alden’s acting, the atmosphere shown through camera movements and sound design really made the audience feel the violence, tragedy, and loss of countless lives that marred that era.
Although there was one continuity mishap when Eduardo used a pencil to write his letter for Adelina, but when Adelina opened the letter, it was written with a sign pen.
The non-linear manner of story telling of Pulang Araw—where scenes would jump back and forth from the present time to the character’s back stories—adds an element of thrll to the viewers.
Perhaps not all viewers would like it, but it's definitely a refreshing way to establish anticipation to what will happen next and to show where the characters are coming from.
To further tease the audience, the show was also able to marry soap opera themes like sibling rivalry, love triangles, and family issues into the war-time setting.
One notable scene was when Adelina pointed out the how her own family's drama reflects the effects of war.
"Sampung taon bago pa dumating ang mga mananakop na Hapones, sumabak na ako at ang aking buong familia sa digmaan ng buhay," said Adelina in the closing scene after her stepmother told her that there's no way that she would acknowledge her as part of the family.
As the story continues to unfold, Pulang Araw definitely promises a roller-coaster ride of emotions with its impressive storytelling and production value. It's exciting to see how the show will sustain this kind of thrill and drama to the very end.
Read: Carlos Yulo's mother speaks up about "mukhang pera" accusations