When the Earth Pig finally arrives and roams, bringing cheers, joy and luck, three films will slug it out on the first day of the Chinese New Year, on Feb. 6 for box office supremacy and audiences love.
Heading the trio of films is The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang, with Asian superstar Jackie Chan boosting its stellar power. In a nutshell, the film tells the tale of a legendary demon hunter (Chan), as he tracks down beasts that enter the human dimension, assisted by a lawman protégé and a motley group of friendly monsters.
It will have simultaneous showing all over Asia and of course, Manila is part of it.
Why must people watch this latest Jackie Chan opus? ABSCBN’s Enrico Santos answers, “Manila audiences love Jackie Chan. He has a solid fan base and cult following. What people expect from him, they will all see and so much more. Well-choreographed and realistic martial arts sequences plus fantastical special effects, a love story arc that is comparable to Romeo and Juliet, the battle of good and evil.”
Adds Santos, “You know, it is refreshing to watch a super hero that is not made and developed by Caucasians. What I find interesting in this film is that it is so relatable, a part of it, you might say is like the Magic Temple and Magic Kingdom of directors Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes. Also there are powerful amulets and that aspect, it made me remember the agimat movies of Ramon Revilla. Kita mo rin that Hackie Chan is paving the way for their emerging and younger superstars. During fight scenes, lahat ng younger set, may moments and then he only comes in the middle of the fight. I think that is so generous of him, it’s like these young men are being knighted by him.”
In the cast, there are two eye candies, Po-Hung Lin and Ethan Juan. And the female lead, Elaine Zong, is truly beautiful and basing it on the trailer, she is a skilled martial arts aficionado.
A duo of Filipino actors with Chinese progeny are also championing their respective films, Xian Lim top bills Hanggang Kailan with Louise delos Reyes and Enchong Dee stars in Elise opposite Janine Gutierrez.
Hanggang Kailan focuses on the highs and lows of a complicated relationship while Elise tickles its audiences with the possibility of a “what if,” the one you love ever since you were a young boy comes back to your life anew.
Lim says, “I fell in love with the story and the character of Hanggang Kailan. You know, all sorts of relationships are capable of hurting us and this movie shows, how two people who are supposedly so madly in love with each are also capable of hurting one another deeply, mortally.”
He avers, “I want to believe that the movie goers will see a Xian they have never seen before. As an actor, I want my audiences to witness my growth, that I am not bullshitting when I say I really love what I do.”
Meanwhile, Dee, shares in an interview about his favorite scene in Elise, “It was the time when our characters were on bed, we were about to sleep and I said to her, as Bert, ‘Kung ako na lang kasi sana ang minahal mo, ’di ka na iiyak pa.’”
Without any doubt, Enchong and Janine’s “reunited and if feels so good” movie will pull a lot of heartstrings, with matching hankies soaking wet with tears.
As his character Bert, as seen on the movie’s trailer, one can observe how much is his love and devotion for Gutierrez’s Elise.