Balota (2024)

Thought-provoking political satire.

Dirty politics is a harsh reality that exists everywhere, no matter the country. Unlike typical political dramas/films that often depict a clear divide between good politicians and their corrupt rivals, this film shows the darker aspects of electoral processes, where bribery and vote-buying are pivotal to one's success. It doesn’t shy away from revealing the extreme measures some individuals will take to eliminate any threats to their victory. While the whole dirty politics idea is nothing new, what truly makes this film shine, though, is its strong message about integrity and commitment to one’s role.

Marian Rivera shines in her role as Emmy, demonstrating her impressive versatility as an actress. She embodies the character of a dedicated teacher who finds herself entangled in a ballot box theft during the election. Through Emmy, we see a powerful portrayal of someone who, despite the temptation of money, remains steadfast in her moral principles, dignity, and honesty, committed to ensuring the safe delivery of the ballot box. And wow, this is the first time I've seen Marian Rivera drop so many ‘putang ina’ in a single show. She's amazing!

Despite its satirical tone and the thought-provoking storylines, the execution is not neat enough to make it a great movie. It has a promising start, but slowly loses its grip. With an overload of plot points, the film lacked the room for any storyline to really stand out. The visual storytelling was compelling, but nothing felt groundbreaking. However, it manages to deliver its intended messages.

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A fun balance between thriller and comedy

Ballot had me hooked in the first minute for being wayyyy too real. The film begins with a strong comedic lens to a village preparing for an upcoming political election. But it doesn’t take long for the story to switch gears and you quickly find yourself in a semi-well-paced thriller.

I was a little worried for a moment there that Ballot would be *only* a thriller, with the political narrative merely serving as a barebones pretext. However, the storyline swings back around to the more serious political messaging along with its wry humour. As someone who normally doesn’t like thrillers because the genre tends to take itself too seriously - I loved the incorporation of the political satire and would’ve loved more of it.

That said, while I respect the political messaging of the film, I don’t think it was its primary strength. The political commentary is neither new nor radical. But honestly, I think that’s okay. Instead of being thought-provoking, the film is validating. There’s a certain comfort in knowing that you’re not the only one who’s jaded about electoral processes and the seemingly unending churn of self-serving politicians. Having watched this film during election season here in so-called australia, elements of the messaging scratched an itch. What it lacked in political punch, it made up for with the wholesome ending.

I agree with MizMystixism’s point that the production isn’t as clean as it could be. However, for me, this actually contributes to the satirical vibe. This is probably because most of the political satire I’ve watched has been australian productions - most of which are produced on a shoestring budget – so for me, rough edges are part and parcel of the genre. Yes, there are cheesy and on the nose moments – such as with the queens and the use of real politicians' sound grabs – but personally, I revel in this approach to satire. I find that the-on-the-nose-ness adds to the comedy.

A note on the visual production: while I’m not sure I entirely vibed with the yellow-tinted colour grading, there were some beautifully lit shots that carried some scenes. Thumbs up to the crew.

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