Following the criticism levied by Senator Robin Padilla, Gerard Butler’s “Plane” will be re-evaluated by the Movie and Television Review And Classification Board (MTRCB). In a statement, the MTRCB said it would take “necessary measures” if the film is found to discredit the “prestige of the Philippines or its people.”
“Although the film is fictional, we still would not want our country to be portrayed in a negative and inaccurate light,” wrote the agency.
The 2023 film is at risk of being pulled from Philippine cinemas, similar to Tom Holland’s “Uncharted,” which was taken down over a scene featuring China’s nine-dash line, a contentious marking of the country’s territory in the South China Sea.
“Plane” follows a pilot who allies himself with a convict after his passenger aircraft crashlands in hostile territory. According to the trailer, the crew lands in the “Jolo island cluster,” home to separatists and militia, marked so dangerous that even “the Filipino army won’t go there anymore.”
Sen, Padilla earlier argued that the country's reputation was at stake, saying that tackling the nation's issues is alright as long as Filipinos themselves are at the helm.
“Pag pinaguusapan natin ang bayan natin at mga diprensya, okay lang yan kasi trabaho natin yan. Pero pagka ibang bansa na po ang bumabanat sa atin dapat di dapat tayo pumapayag,” he said.
But while Senate President Miguel Zubiri sided with Padilla, adding that “this is not the real situation on the ground,” social media users disagreed about the criticism against the film. One argued that the film is fictional.
Another argued that larger issues continue to tarnish the country’s reputation, while some who have never heard of the film now have their interests piqued. Others say the film references real-life scenarios. Peep the rest of the reactions below:
Ang matatalinong manonood ng pelikula ang makauunawang work of fiction at hindi propaganda o paninira ang pelikulang ‘Plane.’
— The Professional Heckler™️ (@hecklerforever8) February 16, 2023
Operative word: Matatalino.
Therefore… pic.twitter.com/iMMOmYb7X5
It's like Robin Padilla forgot that most movies are works of fiction, which is surprising, because he was once in movies himself. pic.twitter.com/cTnnQiYhMu
— The Wasted Wanderer (@_wastedwanderer) February 16, 2023
Was not interested to see the movie before, now I'm intrigued. Very good publicity. Thank you, worthless group in the senate.
— Anida Hanjaab 🇵🇭🇭🇰 (@mikeyliling72) February 16, 2023
Jolo is where majority of the Abu Sayaf and other Islamic Extremists are hiding… So where's the lie in that? And how come you're so easily offended when a lot of stuff that you do in the Senate are more offensive? Like for example, NOT LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC.
— Chazz (@ItsTheRealChazz) February 15, 2023
Sa ganyan ang bibilis. Pero pag naooffend taong bayan dahil ang bagal magpasa ng batas mga insensistive kayong mga politiko. Bayan first and their needs bago maoffend sa ganyan.
— JLP (@JuanLerenaPalma) February 15, 2023
Jinggoy: Ban K-dramas
— patricia🌿 (@pinaysipatricia) February 16, 2023
Robin: Ban the movie “Plane”
Kung sana i-ban yung Kaliwa Dam project, illegal mining, mga pogo & marami pang mas importante, matutuwa pa kami sa inyo.
@robinpadilla23 Okay lang yan ‘tol, pelikula lang yan. Maraming ganyang sa balita dito sa Pilipinas.
— berdengbukid (@b_bukid) February 16, 2023
Ang ayusin niyo ay yung “Anti-Dynasty Bill” kung talagang gusto niyo ng isang gobiyernong tapat.
Alam kong alam din ninyo na yan ay isang ugat ng kurapsyon.
Eh yng Maid in Malacanang at yung Ninoy Martyr or Murderer….kathang isip din naman yun ah & obviously an attempt to distort history pero wala kayong kibo mga hinayupak kayong mga Senador!
— JASH (@HilberoS) February 15, 2023
Entertaining kaya yung movie. Comedy even. Imagine, Jolo setting, then the locals speak tagalog. The big boss, obviously Pinoy, again (and Ill overemphasise) JOLO ung loc, has an amboy accent. i will condemn the producers (and the casting team) for a different reason.
— JC Pereras (@jctp1987) February 15, 2023
Why not ban those making fake movies about our history and fight corrupt people in gov. ei.
philhealth and custom and you should better be like sen.Tulfo in the senate na kumakalaban sa corruption at least may pasalamatan sa yo ang taong bayan.
The good senator himself is an actor and when watching a movie the advisory cannot be missed stating the movie does not depict the life of anybody and fictional l. Producing a movie is very costly specially when it is being by a bankable actor like Gerard Butler. The MTRCB can always exercise its power to delete some scenes if they find it offensive. Banning it outright i think is not a good. If the message it delivers is true then we have to face reality. Wala naman talaga ginawang tama ang mga abu sayaf ah at iba pang extremist sa Mindanao. Hinde kailangan pagtakpan ang katotohan. Maybe the senator should reflect on it and provide a solution to put an end this armed conflict in Mindanao
This only shows that our senates interest are far from our economic growth, instead of focusing on how they can help alleviate our own peoples problem i.e. farmers, low income workers and manu more, they are focusing on movies like this one when it’s only fictional.
Absolute stupidity and as if Robin aqas never in thecindustry when he used to portray always a bad guy… please lang work better than this Robin, sayang lang boto ko sa iyo, wala ka palang silbi para sa tao natin.
Question for Sen. Padilla,
How about making movies again…something along the levels of “RRR”? Di lang historical, astig pa!!!
How about leading the way for a renaissance in local action cinema???
on a joint exercise, the badass american soldiers lost to the philippine army rangers. Now a philippine army ranger is part of the course for the navy SEAL program. There is also a book called the Basilan Model. Written by a retired filipino general. It is a highly praised military doctrine on how to effectively fight rebel insurgence