Underworld Evolution and the MTRCB

Watching Underworld Evolution and liking it is one thing. Seeing how its artistry got lambasted by the way MTRCB took out portions of it just so the movie could fall under its classification of R-13 (you read it right, an R-13 rating that in itself is a hybrid of sorts) is just so damn irritating that I wished I were a vampire who could suck the blood off the veins of those tasteless bastards. I'll milk their arteries dry, I tell you, and spit the blood right out not wanting my innards to be tainted by something that did once flow inside those shameful officials who sees it fit to claim that the righteous way to rid the world of violence is to zap portions off some great movies. Portions that are mostly tantamount to the film's overall aesthetic appeal that could range from small facets like a dialogue or a segue between scenes or an entire portion where a character shows some flesh. Underworld Evolution got an R-rating in the US, as it would have in most if the world, for "pervasive strong violence and gore, some sexuality/nudity and language".

I have this idea, and, MTRCB officials, should you happen to read this bit right here, please do so with an open mind. This country is not entirely made up of people who adore slapstick comedy in prime time television nor are the only people watching movies avid followers of irritatingly predictable film plots in the likeness of your hailed Exodus. There are others, albeit a few, who long for intellectual masturbation every once in a while via well-made, unadulterated international films whose plot and screenplay reign far superior that what we could locally come up with. By lightyears when you measure the distance from point A to B. It's an awful shame that I would admit to inferiority since we are all about being patriotic and nationalistic. I was itching to write something since the local regulatory board and the whole local movie industry (it seems) are busy making and letting the masses patronize (without much of a choice) works that are mostly, and without a doubt, simply appalling. Ghastly, even. And if those words tend to come through to you as some higher-level-intellect-requiring vocabulary, then butt-ugly would do just fine. It would serve my purpose all the same.

A win-win proposition is what I suggest: that you rate the films fairly and with consideration to the amount of work those producers and directors pooled together to give us a glimpse of different worlds, a heightened level of entertainment, and a taste of genius, with a budget that's far ranging than what local production outfits would willingly shell out. Should you probably find the content of certain films violent or vulgar or sexually explicit, slap it with an X-rating. Justify your actions with strong points and stand for the standards you yourselves have set. That way, you get to show off by playing your role as guardians with unwavering conviction while we, the viewers, get the whole deal in screenplay when we go off and pay for a seat in the cinema. Now, if the movie does not meet any of your standards, at least give it some dignity by doing quality edits on to it. However, compare the flow of thought and watch both edited and unedited segments, one after the other, several times if need be. Be sure to give the viewers something palatable. Not some half-chewed rubbish unfit for human consumption. Have the interest of the people at heart.

You see, the audience have become mature. Whether you like it or not, most of us have evolved, unlike the regressed members of your board. We can differentiate right from wrong, fact from fiction, and made-up worlds that may never ever happen. We know that painting latex over bodies for kinks could kill, like that episode at CSI. We know that lycans, um, well, we really don't know for sure. No one could really tell. Point is, let the viewers decide for themselves and, more importantly, let us be entertained. An idle mind could wreck havoc and you wouldn't want us movie-less souls ganging up to create a cult, now, would you?

Respect, compadres. It all boils down to this simple virtue. Something that couldn't be attained overnight but earned in time. Act respectable and the people would well give something when it becomes due.

Come to think of it, I might be bitch-slapping MTRCB when the blame should be on the people responsible for putting in the sequential reels over at the Greenbelt 3 cinema where we watched the movie. But MTRCB's in deep shit over the lame job they're playing that it's much, a thousand fold over, more gratifying to throw rotten tomatoes at them. It's a shame that I am planning to get myself some pirated DVDs just so I could get the full experience of what, IMHO, is a great sequel.

You have put this on yourselves so you musn't wonder why some people resort to piracy.

Poster from http://www.movieweb.com/movies/

posted by Fritz @ 2:28 PM