This 105 min coming of age story revolves around three stickfighters participating in full contact double stickfighting matches.
Two men from the same school are at two different points in life. The protagonist, a skilled 'retired' fighter who helps his fellow students. The antagonist is a man corrupted by the cash of the sport officials that fix the bouts.
Enter the third stickfighter, a young boy eager to fight the main villain and idolizes our hero. He trains hard and soon gets his wish, getting a beating for his trouble. The term "Kamagong" in this film, refers to a pair of ebony sticks carved like blunted double edged swords. This weapons have a tradition of being used as an instrument of justice. We see them used in a flashback sequence as against a Sumotori sized Japanese soldier who raped the women of a local town. The sticks themselves also represent benevolent qualities in the stickfighter.
The young man gets to use the Kamagong sticks as well. Against a double balisong wielding villain in the jungle. The twirling sequence itself is a must see.
The knife wielder even gets to pull out an auto on the young man who laughs as a soldier with an M-16 convinces the knife wielder to stop fighting.
We also see push ups with sticks and the famous saying about an escrimador and a handful of rice thrown at him. The special effects are also a kick because even twirling the stick produces a clicking sound effect.
Protagonist and Antoganist get to fight in a final duel in front of the many guros and spectators under the hot noon sun outside in the outskirts of town.
Sorry folks this film is only in Tagalog, though a subtitled version might be out. I unfortunately remember the name of the protagonist, Manuel. Anybody remember the name of the two other indiviudals?
Two men from the same school are at two different points in life. The protagonist, a skilled 'retired' fighter who helps his fellow students. The antagonist is a man corrupted by the cash of the sport officials that fix the bouts.
Enter the third stickfighter, a young boy eager to fight the main villain and idolizes our hero. He trains hard and soon gets his wish, getting a beating for his trouble. The term "Kamagong" in this film, refers to a pair of ebony sticks carved like blunted double edged swords. This weapons have a tradition of being used as an instrument of justice. We see them used in a flashback sequence as against a Sumotori sized Japanese soldier who raped the women of a local town. The sticks themselves also represent benevolent qualities in the stickfighter.
The young man gets to use the Kamagong sticks as well. Against a double balisong wielding villain in the jungle. The twirling sequence itself is a must see.
The knife wielder even gets to pull out an auto on the young man who laughs as a soldier with an M-16 convinces the knife wielder to stop fighting.
We also see push ups with sticks and the famous saying about an escrimador and a handful of rice thrown at him. The special effects are also a kick because even twirling the stick produces a clicking sound effect.
Protagonist and Antoganist get to fight in a final duel in front of the many guros and spectators under the hot noon sun outside in the outskirts of town.
Sorry folks this film is only in Tagalog, though a subtitled version might be out. I unfortunately remember the name of the protagonist, Manuel. Anybody remember the name of the two other indiviudals?
