Unless you were born in the Nineties, you probably know very well that Super Inday and the Golden Bibe is a remake of the 1988 film of the same title.
The 80's Super Inday was essentially a Maricel Soriano-Aiza Seguerra movie, meaning it took just two of them—a versatile drama actress who can turn comedic in a snap, and the most popular TV-movie child star at the time—to carry the movie and turn it into a classic.
Now Regal Films revives the beloved movie as one of its official entries to the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival. This time, one of GMA-7's biggest stars, Marian Rivera, takes on the title role and she gets a little help from several other actors portraying modified and mostly new characters.
BIG CHANGE. Super Inday's character shouldn't be messed with, of course, and we are glad the new movie retains her loveable identity. Costume updates aside, she is still spunky, kikay, loud and unlike other traditional superheroes, she's one that does not take things too seriously.
The biggest question, however, is why the change in the character that's as important as Super Inday: the golden bibe?
From the cute, innocent and charmingly stubborn little kid/duck (portrayed and voiced by Aiza Seguerra), the golden bibe is now a fully-grown gay angel banished from heaven (portrayed by John Lapus).
One of the strengths of the original was the chemistry and interaction between Maricel's Inday and Aiza's golden bibe (named Snow White). Now we're not sure why the 2010 Super Inday team did not recreate those moments.
Could it be the lack of child performers to fill Aiza's shoes? Or could it be that the producers thought John's comedic style is a sure-fire hit because similar styles worked well on past films like Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah and Petrang Kabayo?
There is Jillian Ward's character who is Lapus's tiyanak sidekick—this version's closest thing to Aiza—but still, the two girls' characters and exposures are simply miles apart, if comparison must be made.
We are not saying though that Regal should have made a carbon copy of the original. And to be fair, they did not.
STORYLINE. This version starts with the origins of the fallen angel/bibe and how he meets the tiyanak who, like him, is also in seach of a way to reach heaven. Bulk of the story line revolves around Inday's journey to the city to search for her real parents, and how the bibe and the tiyanak follow her around, albeit discreetly, to make sure she deserves to get her special powers.
Helping Inday become a superhero so she can help people in need is the bibe-tiyanak tandem's ticket to heaven. And they all find the opportunity when the movie's super villain, played by Mylene Dizon, executes her plan to kidnap children to offer to her gods in exchange for eternal youth and power.
To defeat the villain, Super Inday forms an alliance with other superheroes. First, with her love interest Amazing J (Jake Cuenca) who is like a local Bruce Wayne, with the wealth, home lab, unmanned vehicle, dead parents and all. And later in the movie, with Copycat (Pokwang), the accidental heroine who first made Inday's life as a maid in Mylene Dizon's husband's (Jestoni Alarcon) mansion a living hell.
Director Mike Tuviera and his team did a good job with the technical aspects of the movie. Although there are moments when it is obviously a Marian double doing the somersaults, all the scenes are impressively polished and beautifully framed. The fight scenes are seamless and professional, especially those involving Jake Cuenca's character. The visual effects are not one of those that are almost laughable and silly, but the image of the bibe with John's head, laying an egg, is a bit disturbing.
With regards to the story, the movie feels a little bit too long and yet it does not say much. It does not even develop Inday's human character to explain the relevance of the batya and palo-palo in her costume. It is also a little disappointing that Super Inday, the superhero in full costume, appears only in the final few minutes of the film.
The film's major villainess likewise lacks depth and characterization. She's just one of the usual evil stepmothers without really explaining why, and given the chance, Mylene Dizon could have shined more in a memorable kontrabida performance.
MARIAN AND MARICEL. And now let's talk about Marian Rivera. It's sad that her career seems to be defined by characters previously done by other actresses, from Marimar, to Dyesebel, Jenny of Endless Love, and Narda of Darna. There's also Proserfina of Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang, that drew biting commentary from its original performer, Vivian Velez.
Re-doing characters is a double-edged sword: on one side, it's good that you already have a template to use and to improve; on the other side, it's bad that you will inevitably be compared to the original performer.
Marian Rivera does not have Maricel Soriano's brand of taray that the Diamond Star effectively used in roles like Super Inday. It could be because of Marian's angelic face. Or maybe, behind the tough exterior she is trying to show both on and off-cam, there's a tenderness and vulnerability that the camera always catches.
Marian can effectively be funny and dramatic plus she can throw punches and kicks as the fun, crazy superhero, but we have to say that the Super Inday batya and palo-palo still belongs to Ms. Maricel.
Nevertheless, Super Inday and the Golden Bibe is still a genuine superhero movie. The good thing about it is that it did not try to disguise itself as a comedy, romance or fantasy movie. It simply translates superhero literature into film. We appreciate Super Inday and the Golden Bibe's attempt at becoming a respectable contribution to the Pinoy Superhero universe.
UPDATE: Marian Rivera was nominated as Best Actress in the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival but the award went to Ai-Ai delas Alas of Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na To!).
(CLICK HERE to view the complete list of winners in this year's MMFF)
