MARIMAR, OUCH!

Its full-blown promo didn’t fail its mother network, Marimar was well-accepted by Filipino viewers (or at least, the Mega-Manila viewing public). And alas, despite all the Angel Locsin brouhaha, a star has evolved in the persona of Marian Rivera.

But it is too soon for the local Marimar. The show is all about hype, hype and more hype. Watch it and you’ll soon find yourself saying “Marimar, ouch!” The acting of all the contemporary leads is all bad. They are acting, yes, to the extent that they can, yes, but I cannot feel their characters. Marian is still Marian, Dingdong Dantes is still Inaki (he has never outgrown his TGIS character), and Katrina Halili is just a sexy star wannabe, but still very young to be one.

If only this is not a remake. If only so many people didn’t know how Thalia gave life to the role. How she became Marimar on screen that those who were watching it thought that she really was her character. Watching the local version makes one feel like Marian is so trying hard to imitate Thalia’s performance, but as a new star, failed to do so that everything becomes crap.

All the actors need more workshops. Or else, just call it a reality show where all the actors are playing themselves.

Marian has a lot of potential to become a big star. This may be the right vehicle, but she was just not prepared. This was also the perfect project for Dingdong to do away with his wholesome image, to become disassociated from Inaki. But sadly, he has achieved the right “Sergio” body, but when it comes to acting, it still is raw, it still is “muntik na pero hindi pa rin.” As for Katrina Halili, the role isn’t right for her. It needs someone so attractive, more seductive than the female lead, as to make one believe that the Sergio character is still so much into her while the latter’s father is a fool to believe that she’s also into him. And Katrina, for me, doesn’t fit the role. Despite the “pa-sexy” image, she still has the innocence that couldn’t justify a “kontrabida” role like what she’s playing in this soap.

But what makes it click? The freshness of Marian is the main factor, then Dingdong’s well-appreciated transformation from being the always chubby one to this leading man material and, of course, the story itself. Marimar is something that many Filipinos had loved when it first aired in the country. And this is the sort of story that most Filipinos crave for, the Cinderella, rags to riches type.

It still ain’t over. The actors can still improve on their performance. Forget the hype. Work hard on your craft. Make the viewers sing to the tune, “Marimar, aw!”