‘In the end, the Superstar utters a wake-up call that is as pounding as the upbeat musical arrangement, and as disturbing as the movie’s daring narrative’
The 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival “Isang Himala” is a mesmerizing, thought-provoking cinematic musical journey.
Filipino cineastes are familiar with the original 1982 “Himala” brought to life by three Nationsal Artists: writer Ricky Lee, director Ishmael Bernal and actress Nora Aunor. In fact, in 2018, “Himala” was hailed as CNN’s Best Asia-Pacific Film of All-Time.
“Isang Himala” keeps true to the tale of how the divinely gifted healer Elsa wakes up the sleepy town of Cupang. As residents and tourists flock to be cured by Elsa, the people’s ills are also exposed.
“Isang Himala” is the big-screen adaptation of the stage play “Himala: Isang Musikal” (that was mounted in 2003, 2004 and 2018) – which was based on the film.
Transporting a material made for stage into a movie is a challenge. Which parts should be included, which should be excluded? How can the tale be told in visual terms?
Director Pepe Diokno, screenwriter Ricky Lee and composer Vincent de Jesus and their collaborators have produced their own cinematic gem.
All the stage actors who were cast fit their roles. The performance of Kakki Teodoro as Nimia – Elsa’s childhood friend who led a traumatic life in the city and later returned to put up a “cabaret”- was at times flirty and poignant. David Ezra as Orly, the filmmaker documenting the goings-on in Cupang, had an understated but confident quality. Vic Robinson as the Saudi-bound Pilo was the embodiment of the town’s pent-up frustration.
Worth celebrating, too, were the presence of The Company’s Sweet Tiongson as the astute Mrs. Alba, and Bituin Escalante as Elsa’s mother Aling Saling whose sympathy and support for her daughter was heart-moving.
Noemi Gonzales’ depiction of the religious Chayong reverberated from the moment where appears wearing a big cross on her blouse, until the part where her character meets a devastating turn. Actually, her Chayong sometimes exceeds the protagonist, Elsa. Chayong seems to have more scenes and sang more songs that we kept wondering when Elsa would appear again.
When Aicelle as Elsa finally emerged, she had that undeniable radiance. It was not just her beautiful voice that conveyed Elsa’s laments, but also her eyes and delicate gestures.
Comparisons with the iconic 1982 film will not be avoided. Whereas “Himala” was shot in the expanse of Laoag, Ilocos Norte, “Isang Himala” was filmed in a sound stage. Just the same, the world within the confines was a spectacle and achievement in design. We had wondered if the choice to shoot in a studio was due to budget or if it was creative decision. Until we realized that it made sense. Within a controlled environment, live singing could be optimized. Moreover, enhanced by somber cinematography, the Cupang of “Isang Himala” became the purgatorious state that director Pepe Diokno most likely wanted to create.
As an homage to the 1982 “Himala”, Nora Aunor’s voice-over bookends the film. She is also the link of the past to the current iteration. In the end, the Superstar utters a wake-up call that is as pounding as the upbeat musical arrangement, and as disturbing as the movie’s daring narrative about deception, lust, and erroneous beliefs.
