We don?t usually go for all-out, slam-bang actioners or flicks based on violent video games. But we recently acquiesced to our nephew?s viewing choice and ended up watching ?Tekken.?
The futuristic flick about a post-apocalyptic world gone mad was a rather threadbare production with much too rigid and predictable a ?fight for your life? format. But it held our attention enough for us not to cry ?uncle? on our pamangkin.
Even better, it introduced us to its young lead actor, Jon Foo, who played the star-making role of Jin, the movie?s resident hero and freedom fighter. As he essayed his acting and fighting scenes with the cool competence of a young pro, the relatively new actor presented himself to us as the face of world cinema for the new generation of moviegoers.
Namely, no longer just traditionally W.A.S.P. or black, but a comely, genetically diverse and textured combination of races?just like the rest of the ?real? world! (See related story, page /E3.)
Well, it?s about time that the movies show the way their viewers really look?no longer either black or white, but reflecting and vivifying all of the colors of the human rainbow, in all of its kaleidoscopically humanizing hues.
At the other end of the stellar spectrum, the even newer actioner, ?The Expendables,? in turn presents itself as an instructive mirror image or negative of ?Tekken?s? spanking new action star.
?The Expendables? top-bills veteran macho superstars like Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger in what is being billed as quite possibly their ?last? movie together.
Yes, our erstwhile action heroes are looking quite long in the tooth and even noticeably wattled and wizened these days, hence the need for new action heroes like Foo to step into the breach. We trust, however, that Sly and company have enough vim and vigor left in them to give action film buffs a whale of a good time at the flicks.
Clint Eastwood is even older than Stallone, but he?s still very active in the movies, albeit in the even more important capacity as writer-director.
Other veteran stars who are still making movies include Betty White, Sophia Loren, Judi Dench, Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Al Pacino, Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Vanessa Redgrave and Shirley Maclaine.
Back to the new stars of today and tomorrow: Most recently, Jaden Smith scored with the latest version of the ?Karate Kid? film franchise. Here again, the ?rainbow? colors of modern cinema were emblazoned across the silver screen, with newbie Jaden?s dusky coloring contrasting instructively with veteran co-star Jackie Chan?s Asian features.
That?s a clear indication of the film world?s future right there, especially since it was recently established that Asia is now the movie?s biggest market.
As more viewers from different races go to the movies in increasing numbers, they?ll be looking for and even insisting on seeing stars who look more like them, and thus are easier for them to empathize with.
It goes without saying that, due to our own mixed-race essence, Filipinos could be at the forefront of this new wave of truly ?international? TV-film stars. Charice in ?Glee? could be just the precursor of a ?wave? of global Pinoy talents to come.
So, our promising talents and potential stars of tomorrow had better work really hard to hone their talents, to make sure that, when opportunity knocks, they?ll be good and ready for ?world? stardom!
