Merged: ABS-CBN'S ..::ROUNIN::..

[iskoLares]

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Actually, I don't like to watch any of them. I watch House, MD a lot though.

I don't know about the actors and actresses kay i don't watch them. Waste of my time. That's why i didn't know na 16 weeks ra diay ni sila kutob. Ok

ur just too inconsistent.. wahahhaha... how can yiou judge actors and actresses if you have admitted that you dont watch them? wild guess?... eahahaha

[iskoLares]

up ta!

[diem]

I've watched ABS-CBN's ROUNIN for its premiere week and all I can really say about the TV series so far can be summarized in these words:

"Comparing it to all the fantasy-themed action adventure TV series produced in the Philippines, it is an improvement but not entirely impressive."

Here is my humble opinion.

In terms of production design, I give them an "A" for effort. They sequestered a huge estate of land to produce the world of Rounin, with its warring nations of Lumeria and Helion. I like the costumes not only of the Rounin but also of the common folk and especially of the black soldiers of Helion which I think is the best of all the costume designs.

Some of the Rounin's costume I know must have look good on paper but when it comes to reality.. well it leaves one wanting; particularly that of Aura's(Angelica Panganiban). Now don't get me wrong, I find Angelica is good and pretty but an actress with a voluptuous full body like hers-- well, its kind of tough to think of her as a Wushu Master in that get-up. And she and Leal(Nikki Gil) having to wear 'sometimes' those metallic 'top knots' high on their heads, well I just find that somewhat awkward.

I like Juris(Luis Manzano) 'somewhat metallic' red costume the best of all the male rounin's.

In terms of action sequences, there are some pretty good scenes where action and special effects are well aligned. It's just that its not consistent all the time.

The thing about action sequences in films that its really about three elements: POWER, SPEED and TECHNIQUE(which is actually a balanced, focused combination of power and speed). If one wants to make a great action sequence, you really have to one of these elements and push it to the extremes. EXTREME POWER, EXTREME SPEED, or EXTREME TECHNIQUE to get the audience on the edge of their seats. And I just don't see it here.

Here are some shows and films that exemplify these elements: Extreme Power (Dragon Ball Z, Rocky I - V), Extreme Speed (Ang Panday, starring FPJ-- he slashes through his enemies killing each with only 1 slash), Extreme Techniques (The Matrix)

And I don't understand why oh why they have to depend on the 'wires' because frankly it only makes them look they're "floating" rather than soaring into a fight.

To be honest, I've seen better, more CONSISTENT fighting sequences in Bioman(Japan, 1984-1985), Shaider(1980s), Power Rangers Dino-Thunder (2004), Masked Rider 555(Japan, 2003-2004), and all the Lito Lapid films before 1990--Kamagong, Enter the Panther, Ang Alamat ni Leon Guerrero, Ang Pagbabalik ni Leon Guerrero etc etc. Now these TV shows and films are way way older than Rounin but if one watches them, in terms of action fight scenes, these are better in consistency. They're never boring.

Now the Story, for me it's all about the story: the characters and the plot and how these two go together.

After watching the first two episodes I seriously got confused. From I what I understood from the marketing of the show before its premiere is that the TV series is about the Rounins Juris, Aura, Creon(Rafael Rosel), Venom(Jhong Hilario) and Leal but apparently these guys are only second generation rounin since the first rounin, the team of a young Cadmus(Diether Ocampo) was obliterated while defending Lumeria.

Gosh golly gee and I thought Juris was the hero and main protagonist but apparently from watching the first five episodes, Rounin is apparently having multiple storylines all rolled together in a big yarn ball~ typical of Filipino TV drama shows.

So we have to start really at the beginning with some kid actors(who apparently don't know much martial arts) to play hero to attract the Pinoy children to the show. Okay fine. Start 'em young.

The cast had some potential but apparently there are too many characters, not much character development in each, or apparent flaws in character portrayal that just added more to my confusion.

Like when Naya(Agot Isidro) was first introduced. I thought she was a blind woman because she was staring into space a lot, not looking at other characters and she was walking with a staff.

But during the day she was walking fine as if a miracle occurred overnight. In the later episode, it was explained that she was night blind, so at night she has difficulty seeing.

If that's the case, why does she act blind inside her house which is really bright with light? Is her condition depends on the time of day rather than the amount of light available then?

That's one. Here's another: Braullo (AJ Dee) first appeared as a character with green hair but during some day scenes, he is seen with black hair. So I'm thinking okay.. he's got a hairdo that glows green in the dark. Cool. It's freaky but then it can be considered cool.

And I don't really get Reema/Deinara(Ina Raymundo)'s character motivation: she is driven by fear that she will lose her son to become a Rounin and yet she doesn't look haggard or tired. In fact she still looks yummy and flawless. And did she not ever loved her husband and the older son she thought dead? I just thought it would be nice to see some scenes with her cryinig in the night, grieving for them. It'll make her more a full-blooded woman, I think, rather than a caricature of an over-bearing, over-protective mother.

I better wrap this up now because it's really getting too long. So far, Rounin is a good improvement on the local TV scene but not that breathtakingly impressive to miss out on Fox's 24. So if one has nothing to do on a weeknight and doesn't have cable TV access and is too tired to get DVDs then Rounin might entertain.

At least, its better than a Sailor Moon live action rip-off.

In my next post, from having watched the premiere week and the reading the TV website of the show, I will predict the entire storyline. Somehow, the TV show's creators allow it to be that predictable.

[rodzilla]

murag nindot ni siya nga salida sa... sa ABS-CBN ni siya... para primetime bida....

I saw the trailer... and nakaingon ko.... "ohh yah!"... nindot ang effects.... basta payter...

unsa inyong ikasulti if nakakita namo sa trailer..

i have not seen it yet but i think promisisng ni siya. mura kato "spirits" nga series nila. very nice for a tagalog teleserye. break from the drama of flordeluna and maging sino ka man, hehehe

[jerx d great]

woooo.....i haven't watched it yet!! tsk..tsk...

but with ur some opinions, well.....nindot jud diay ni! hehehehehehe

[jerx d great]

the best fantasy series ever made in philippine t.v!!

what do u think guys??

:mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[boobadoll]

Yeah I agree with you... 'twas great...

[monrose29]

o.a ra man gihapon... ok ra unta ang set-up sa place pero ang facial expression kong mag fight na sos wa gyud angay.....

pero cge lang...go pinoy lang gihapon....

at least na-ay improvement

[pj_k]

maau nalang pod!

[kent666]

there's no blood for crying out loud. well if they want to censor it make it green or less blood. at least there should be blood or something. gore stuff. hehehe
if you don't want blood or any gore in it. why not make stuff blow or something like power rangers. hahaha
in fact power rangers is great compared to this. i'm supporting this tv series anyway since i'm pinoy. those are just my comments. hahaha