Batang Quiapo

Every once in a while, I'd take a break from the usual and check out the local, mainstream movies or shows to see if I'm missing out on anything. As it turns out, it's the same old in the world of local entertainment. The shows from the three networks are still dominated by noontime shows, talk shows, news shows, singing talent search shows, cooking shows and soap operas while the movies are also mostly the same, either porno, comedy or those love team oriented films for teenyboppers. This means it's the same old garbage. Lately, the local media is once again promoting the newest output from the trash heap. The latest offering from ex indie porno actor turned soap opera star, turned "action star" Coconut Martin is just another pathetic attempt to cash in on the legacy of Filipino action king Fernandez Poe Jr. All the corny elements that made the previous show, FPJ's Ang Probinsyano are in this: the stupid close ups, the soap opera style story structure, the mushy melodrama.

I never really bought into the Coconut Martin hype and this is why. It's simply sickening that mainstream media is behind this trend to further dumb down the moronic masses. It's also ludicrous and sad that Filipino entertainment has sunk to an all time low, thanks to the cutesy antics of the geny lopez and attorney gozon networks. Their dumb shows have infantilized, and significantly delayed the mental development of several generations of Filipino millennials. It's an epic tragedy that a massively idiotic tv series would spawn another pitiful and heinous show starring and directed by mister coconut.

Batang Quiapo is more of the same melodramatic, low I. Q. mush like FPJ's Ang Probinsyano but with a bigger budget. My advice: go watch something else. Buy a wifi black box and subscribe to a streaming service. There's a few like Prime Video, Disney+ and HBO Go where you can watch better shows and movies for a very cheap fee. Stop patronizing the two major networks in the country, you simply line the pockets of their executives by watching their rubbish programs.

This is by far, the worst adaption of the film by Fernando Po, Jr. The only similarity to the original film is the last names of the protagonist (Dimaguiba) and the location (Quiapo). The main protagonist, played by Coco Martin is forever being persecuted by being shot (mulitple times), beaten, and tortured, while all the antagonists, mainly his stepfather and brother, continue to succeed. The series portrays the police in a disrespectful manner, and promotes criminality. The story moves extremely slowly due to the many plot threads. FPJ would be turning in his grave if he saw this. Disgraceful is putting it mildly.

This series is very disturbing, yet many people, including kids, are watching it because their idols are in it. It's not suitable for those who are easily scared and may trigger anxiety while watching. The plot is chaotic, and some of the characters doesn't give justice as well. It shows pure evil and doesn't do justice to the old FPJ movie. Fans of the original will be disappointed by how messy this adaptation is. Though it attracts viewers due to its cast, it lacks respect for the original work and fails to deliver a meaningful experience. The disturbing scenes might haunt sensitive viewers after watching.

I had high hopes for "Batang Quiapo," especially given its star power and the legacy of the original film. However, I found myself let down by the execution. The storyline is the same as with Ang Probinsyano, full of violence, killings, and lawbreakers, yet they promote the protagonist as the good guy and god-fearing individual.

The characters are stereotypical, lacking depth, and their motivations often seem forced. The pacing is uneven, with some episodes feeling like filler. While the show tries to tackle serious social issues, it often glosses over them in favor of melodrama, making it hard to take the themes seriously.

Additionally, the dialogue feels clunky at times, and the humor falls flat. I was hoping for a fresh take on the classic story, but instead, it feels like a missed opportunity. Overall, "Batang Quiapo" struggles to keep my interest, and I won't be tuning in for the next episode.

Coco's direction and storytelling are like trash that wants to become a human.

All the characters are crap, the actors and actress are brilliant in their jobs but the characters they portray are all crap from the main characters which are Tangol-stupid selfish and trouble maker, Marites-too stupid to be a mother(seriously, if you're husband forbid you to visit your own son, you obey him?, too stupid to let her husband treat her mother like a garbage, and the mistress, she could do a lot of things to that women to go away, but she didn't), and there are some side characters such as Uno-the same as Tango selfish and hopeless romantic, he doesn't care if he put his friends in trouble just to get what he wants. The most important thing is the story line, IT IS TOO SLOW, I think they set the story as day per day basis, and the the story almost contained the typical stories from old tv series and movies, like they make the most epic scene into a just a dream, there's always a mistress, there are nothing else new.