Film Review:

Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia

Film Review by Leila Marie Del Rosario
10- Titanium

Submitted to Mr. Elton Palero

January 4, 2020
Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia Film Review

Film Poster
Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia Film Review

Synopsis

After being cheated and defeated by his classmate bullies in a race, Bubuy is
forced to treat them with snacks but he is unable—making them upset, they
instead challenge him to go the woods at dawn, in which he reluctantly agrees.
Bubuy arrives home sad at the outcome of the race and refuses telling his
grandparents, Lolo Miong and Lola Nita what troubles him. When it's dinner, he
excuses himself "to work with a project" at a classmate's house and that he will
return soon, bidding them goodbye.
He arrives in the woods and meets up with the bullies. They command him to
light a fire in the heart of the forest enough for them to see at a distance and give
him a flashlight. Though scared of the night, he enters the forest and makes a fire
out of matches and dry boughs. Accidentally, the fire spreads and burns the
old Balete tree. With its destruction, the vines pursue Bubuy to his home and it
results to the abduction of his grandparents.
Panicked, he asks help from their neighbors who go to his house, but seeing
that everything appears to be fine contrary to what Bubuy has told, they get angry
for believing that they are pranked. He was only comforted by two kind neighbors
before they left him alone, advising him to rest.
While he was praying in his room, a manananggal named Anna appears
outside his home and offers to help him find his lost grandparents through a friend
she knows. She opens a portal in the mound of their backyard that leads them to
"Elementalia", the world of mythical and enchanted creatures. Both enter the
portal and Anna consults Lolo Nano, a nuno. Lolo Nano tells him to fetch a mirror
and a picture of his grandparents back home. The nuno tells Bubuy and Anna that
his grandparents are still alive, only enslaved by a powerful being he needs to
defeat before full moon, which is the day after, otherwise, he will be trapped in
their dimension forever. He himself must accomplish three tasks: get a sacred
water from the Siyokoys, capture enchanted fireflies, and pluck four fruits from
the Kapre's tree. Lolo Nano gives him the things he needed. To ensure his safety,
he is given a magical slingshot that will kill any evil creature and Anna willfully
accompanies him to his journey. Along their way, they meet Narsi,
a Tikbalang who serves Bubuy (after plucking a few strands of his mane) and help
them throughout their journey.
Bubuy accomplishes the tasks and battles the monstrous Balete tree and its
minions with his friends and additional forces of Anna's father's army. They
defeated the being and evil creatures and Bubuy finally returns to the human world
with his grandparents.
Days after the incidents, Bubuy is seen winning the race and saving a student
from being a victim of his former bullies. Before the end, he replants the burnt tree
with a new one as a sign of peace and respect. He later joins Anna in a flight around
Manila, Watching Fireworks at the Mall of Asia. and enjoys the flight around EDSA
while chasing with Anna's Aunts and Uncles.
Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia Film Review

1. Initial Response

The film made me feel the importance of your family members and being
independent. The emotions that I had as I was watching the film was sad and
happy, because there were different things that the film showed. If other people
would watch this film, it make them feel inspired and encouraged to communicate
with their family members. I also recommend this movie to children as they would
enjoy it.

2. What is the place of the film within the culture?

I think that the culture that is shown in the film is the culture of the people
living in provinces, because they are known for their beliefs for elements that are
not human beings.

3. How well has the film been made?

The film is artistic and technically excellent, although the film was animated,
the staff did not fail to show the story of the film and they have made it great, the
editing, special effects, and soundtrack was chosen and done well. The strength of
the film is it is unique and the story was made well and it is connected to the beliefs
of most Filipinos.

Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia was directed by Robert Quilao, he is both an

Adobe Certified Expert (ACE), and the country's first and only Adobe Certified
Instructor (ACI) in After Effects (CS5, CS6, and CC). Produced by Cutting Edge
Productions and written by Artemio Abad and Eric Cabahug. The director, Robert
Quilao, is an ACE which he had showed in the film. The particular strength of the
film is its uniqueness and the flow of the story which makes it interesting to watch,
also, the way the script was written, it was fun and entertaining to watch. For me,
there were no weaknesses in the film. And I also think that they made a great
choice is choosing the people that will voice the characters because I think that it
was paired well and felt natural.

4. What is the genre?

The film is fantasy, comedy, and adventure because it shows the elements that
most people believe in, then it also showed the adventure of Bubuy in Elementalia,
then there were parts that were entertaining. The whole movie was balanced.

5. How is the narrative structured?

"Dayo" follows the adventure of 11-year-old Bubuy as he tries to save his

grandparents who have been abducted and brought to Elementalia, a mysterious
and magical land that is home to popular creatures of Philippine mythology. The
turning point of the story is when Bubuy met Anna and she helped him enter
Elementalia and look for his grandparents. The major parts are showed in the right
timing which makes the film great.

For this film, Bubuy trusted God and often talked to Him as he prays for his
grandparents and for him to be able to save them. The time is linear because for
you to find out the ending, there are things that Bubuy need to get through first,
although the film is linear, you will not get bored easily because one of the genres
is comedy.

The film is multiple protagonists, because there are three (3) casts that aims to
help Bubuy's grandparents to get out of Elementalia, those are: Bubuy, Anna, and
Narsi. The worldview of these protagonists is that Elementalia is a dangerous place
for visitors like them, and they must save Bubuy's grandparents before full moon
arrives. The antagonist in the story is the tree that took Bubuy's grandparents and
wants them to be stuck there forever. The other characters are: Mang Nano—who
casts the spell that will help Bubuy's grandparents be free, Vicky; Jo; and
Toci—Anna's guardians who helps Anna to allow her to roam Elementalia because

Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia Film Review

her father is strict, and Carpio—Anna's father who was against Anna's will but
helped them eventually. The characters chose to do the mission behind Anna's
father who is strict, that's why when Vicky got caught of pretending as Anna, they
searched for Anna and told her to go home. But then, later on, as Narci and Bubuy
was fighting a huge number of elements, Anna and his father came with Anna's
guardians. They were able to save Bubuy and his grabdparents and leave
Elementalia on time.

6. How is meaning created?

The camera shot at different angles which made it interesting instead of having
it only at one angle. The sets, locations, and props were chosen properly although
it is animated and the story is fiction, the film staff made great choices for the film.
There are no significant symbols and metaphors shown in the film for the audience
to easily understand its story. The editing is an important thing in the film as it is
animated, and they did it well. The sound effects was also placed correctly at each
moment needed.

7. What are the key themes?

The key themes are: happiness, religion, and love. Because the story is about
family and Bubuy's faith in God that he will be able to save his grandparents
because he loves them. In the film, Bubuy was seen as a religious boy because he
always thanks and asks Him for guidance.

8. What is the worldview?

a.) What is the view of reality?

The film does not just focus in reality, but also in a spiritual dimension as
well. And in the film, the spiritual dimension—Elementalia—is shown more.

b.) What is the view of humanity?

Human beings in this film is not entirely free, because they are not in their
world and they are only visitors.

c.) What is the view of knowledge?

The characters, Anna and Narci, knew about Elementalia that is why they
help Bubuy around it and also, Mang Nano, helps him with what he exactly
needs.

d.) What is the view of right and wrong?

The film has thought that we should help others at all times and learn to
appreciate the people around us.
9. Truth, error, and implications

There are no errors in this film that is why I recommend it to children because
it helps them learn things such as being independent and responsible. It also
encourages them to stand up against bullying and have faith in God because He
will help us at all times.