After years of absence in doing movie, finally Monsour Del Rosario is back on the big screen via The Trigonal. The Trigonal is a film that fits a very specific style and genre of action film making martial arts action drama.
The movie is epic and spectacular, showcasing a plethora of martial arts systems, boasting of never-before-seen tight choreography and cinematography, and featuring unique exotic locations for the first time in film. And on top of that, it is a drama and love story, and a bit of comedy as well. It is the story that inspires the action and makes the characters unforgettable and inspiring.
"I don’t want to cheat or hide the fighting skills and techniques,” director Vincent Soberano explained. “My actors are also real martial artists. They don‘t need stunt doubles to make it look like they can fight. Try finding a stunt double who can throw perfect hook kicks all day like Monsour Del Rosario. Good luck!”
He used an action design team led by Wushu champion and actress Sarah Chang, who is the tilm’s action director as well as one of the lead roles. Soberano needed world-class, proven-and-tested martial artists to carry out his vision of how the fights should look like. With the help of Olympian and World Taekwondo Man-of-the-Year Monsour Del Rosario, actor/producer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Gus Liem, actor and Taekwondo black belt lan Ignacio, and Black Dragon Martial Arts founder and stuntman Wmdell Billiones, Sarah Chang and her action design team set out to create unique fight scenes that would leave the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the entire
“Every fight uses a different fighting style,” says one viewer. “After the movie was over, ljust wanted to go learn MMA. It’s just so cool.”
There is no political agenda in the movie, for sure. It is for pure entertainment and commercial value. If anything, it promotes the practice of martial arts especially to non-practicioners. The fight scenes are explosive and bone-crunching. lt doesn’t need extended gory scenes or brutality to captivate and excite the audience.
“We don’t miss,” Chang points out. “All the strikes that you see landing on-screen actually landed for real. Our actors trained and rehearsed so extensively that they were able to control their shots while landing them.”
What helps drive the action is the story. It .is a love story, a vengeance trail and a quest for justice. We follow the main character Jacob Casa, very believably portrayed by up-and-corner Ian Ignacio, as he stumbles through many challenges and Opportunities broug1t about by a violent incident that destroyed his life.
His love and dedication for his wife, played by Rhian Ramos both inspires and burdens him as he grapoles with his own personal demons.
Sarah Chang, Monsour Del Rosario and Soberano himself play characters that support, assist and ally with the main protagonist in his fight for justice.
Leading the way but not a lone wolf is how Soberano wants his central character to be portrayed. And then there’s the ominous and sinister drug lord, played convincingly by veteran Hong Kong actor/producer Gus Liem. His iconic lines and chilling personality help make the movie unforgettable.
Finally -not a spoiler there is the must-watch, never-before-seen finale fight scene. “It’s epic,” fight director Sarah Chang says. “It was one long, single master shot. We had three cams, one on a crane and two handheld. I wanted to capture every possible angle and detail in one master take. The actors were both highly trained Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and MMA fighters so they just went through the choreography naturally and at real highting speed!”
Soberano was amazed at how flawless the master scene was. “After the first take, i was like, wow, mark this take and close the scene! That’s how good it was,” he recalls.
The Trigonal is now poised to become the Philippines‘ first true martial arts action drama when it comes out on September 26 to theaters nationwide.
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