Kung Fu Divas
{{Use Philippine English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Kung Fu Divas
| image = Kungfudivasposter.jpg
| caption =
| director = Onat Diaz
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Charo Santos-Concio
- Malou N. Santos
- Ai-Ai delas Alas
- Marian Rivera
- Erik Matti
- Dondon Monteverde
- Onat Diaz
- Leonardo Po
- Louie Araneta
- Joseph Nebriaga
}}
| writer = Onat Diaz
| starring = {{ubl|Ai-Ai delas Alas|Marian Rivera}}
| music = IJ Garcia
| cinematography = {{ubl|Anne Monzon|Monchie Redoble}}
| editing = {{Plainlist|
- Christopher Cantos
- Billy de Leon
- Jay Halili
- Melvyn M. Quimosing
- Bong Villasenor
}}
| studio = {{Plainlist|
- Star Cinema
- Reality Entertainment
- The O&Co. Picture Factory
}}
| distributor = {{ubl|Star Cinema|Columbia Pictures {{small|(US)}}}}
| released = {{Film date|2013|10|02}}
| country = Philippines
| language = {{ubl|Tagalog|English|Mandarin}}
| runtime = 125 mins
| gross = {{Philippine peso|65 million}} {{small|(4 weeks)}}{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/philippines/?yr=2013&wk=41¤cy=local&p=.htm|title=Philippines Box Office|work=boxofficemojo.com}}
}}
Kung Fu Divas is a 2013 Philippine action comedy film directed by Onat Diaz and starring Ai-Ai delas Alas and Marian Rivera. The lead stars also co-produced the film, which opened in theaters on October 2, 2013, as part of Star Cinema's 20th Anniversary presentation.{{cite web|url=http://abscbnpr.com/aiai-and-marians-world-class-epic-comedy-adventure-film-kung-fu-divas-to-hit-cinemas-october-2/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925042528/http://abscbnpr.com/aiai-and-marians-world-class-epic-comedy-adventure-film-kung-fu-divas-to-hit-cinemas-october-2/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 25, 2013|title=AIAI AND MARIAN'S WORLD-CLASS EPIC COMEDY-ADVENTURE FILM, "KUNG FU DIVAS" TO HIT CINEMAS OCTOBER 2|work=abscbnpr.com}}{{YouTube|OrOmK-uhNXI|Kung Fu Divas}}[http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/01/16/13/ai-ai-marian-rivera-topbill-comedy-film Ai Ai, Marian Rivera to topbill comedy film ]{{cite web|url=http://www.pep.ph/news/40333/kapuso-star-marian-rivera-amazed-by-how-star-cinema-promotes-its-films|title=Kapuso star Marian Rivera amazed by how Star Cinema promotes its films - PEP.ph: The Number One Site for Philippine Showbiz|author=PEP.ph|date=September 13, 2013|work=pep.ph}}
The film is a parody of Gu Long's Wuxia novel Juedai Shuangjiao.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
Plot
Charlotte (Ai-Ai delas Alas) is from a family of beauty queens, but she has yet to win a title of her own. Her final chance is the Hiyas ng Dalampasigan (“Seaside Jewel”) Pageant, and her mother has taken steps to ensure she wins. She is threatened when the mysterious Samantha (Marian Rivera) suddenly enters the contest.
The two become bitter rivals following the contest, but they are soon forced by destiny to team up. The two discover their hidden connection to a mystical past, and must work together to know the truth about their heritage.{{cite web|url=http://www.clickthecity.com/movies/a/20309|title=Kung Fu Divas Movie Review - Charming Absurdity|author=Philbert Ortiz Dy|work=ClickTheCity.com}}
Cast
- Ai-Ai delas Alas as Charlotte/Lyna (Xiao Yu-Er?)
- Marian Rivera as Samantha/Mena (Hua Wu-Que?)
- Roderick Paulate as San-ing
- Gloria Diaz as Charlotte's adoptive mother
- Edward Mendez as Kojic / Pei Pa-Kwa
- Nova Villa as San-ing's mother
- Ruffa Gutierrez as Kokuryo
- Martin Escudero
- Roy Alvarez† as Charlotte's adoptive father
- Precious Lara Quigaman
- Bianca Manalo
- German Moreno† as Hiyas ng Dalampasigan host (cameo)
- Vicki Belo as a fictional version of herself (cameo)
- Cacai Bautista as Samantha's original face (cameo)
Reception
Duane Lucas Pascua of Spot.ph (a publication of Summit Media) both gave praise to the film and its director, saying: "One of the key strengths of the film is how it pokes fun into the varied facets of modern Filipino culture while managing to stay away from being preachy."{{cite web|url=http://www.spot.ph/entertainment/54675/movie-review-kung-fu-divas|title=MOVIE REVIEW: Kung-Fu Divas|author=Duane Lucas Pascua|work=Spot.ph}} Nestor U. Torre of Philippine Daily Inquirer said the film is "visually vivid, doesn't scrimp on production values, and elicit perky performances from its actors," while also pointed out that it "fails to come off as a complete treat, due to deficiencies in its storytelling, and what eventually turns out to be its too varied mix of disparate elements, which fail to harmoniously fuse together by the film’s final fade."{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.inquirer.net/116257/ambidextrous-tricks-and-shticks-in-otherwise-diverting-divas|title='Ambidextrous' tricks and shticks in otherwise diverting 'Divas'|author=Nestor U. Torre|work=inquirer.net|date=October 11, 2013 }}
International Film Festivals
- FANTASPORTO 2014-34th Oporto International Film Festival
- Official Selection - Orient Express Section{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasporto.com/news/139|title=Fantasporto|work=fantasporto.com}}
- 14th Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival
- Official Selection - New Cinema From Asia{{cite web | url=http://www.nifff.ch/?a=293,297&ps=ncfa#progtop | title=Nifff 2022 }}
- Feratum 2014, Mexico
- Exhibition Film
Awards
- 62nd FAMAS Awards 2014
- Best Special Effects - Winner
- Best Actress: Marian Rivera - Nominated
- Best Cinematography - Nominated
- Best Production Design - Nominated
- Best Visual Effects - Nominated
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Facebook|KungFuDivasTheMovie}}
- {{IMDb title|3229762}}
Category:2013 direct-to-video films
Category:Films based on works by Gu Long
Category:2010s martial arts comedy films
Category:Philippine martial arts comedy films
Category:Philippine kung fu films