Rather than following the same dark and gritty tone of "Gundala" and "Sri Asih," Ody C. Harahap's "Virgo and The Sparklings" serves as a lighthearted counterpoint to the Bumilangit Cinematic Universe. With an uplifting soundtrack and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, this superhero movie feels more like a coming-of-age drama, introducing audiences to a young, vibrant world full of fresh energy and optimism.
Despite the movie's generally upbeat atmosphere, the presence of Carmine as the antagonist in "Virgo and The Sparklings" throws the audience for a loop. Her ambition to alter the world with his power is too ambitious, making his presence seem out of place. Moreover, without a proper backstory for the antagonist, it's hard for viewers to comprehend her grandiose intentions. Even Riani's backstory, which is supposed to be the origin story, fails to get the attention it deserves. In other words, why didn't the filmmakers give the most important part of the story more focus?
Riani was not alone; Monica, Ussy, and Sasmi were also present, and while they played an important role in the narrative, they never had a truly integral part. Nevertheless, the actresses that brought them to life did an outstanding job, and it was a shame that other characters like Leo and the Scorpion Sisters were never properly explored or given a chance to shine.
As far as I'm concerned, the characters' journey in this coming-of-age story is pretty uninspiring. With the exception of Riani, the other characters remain largely the same throughout the movie, which is a real shame. I'd have liked to see Carmine, the main antagonist, get a bit more character development. We barely know anything about her at the start, and his sudden appearance and battles aren't very gripping. Furthermore, the teenage characters feel like they've been lifted from dime-store teen romance flicks – there's nothing original about the way they've been written.
In addition to its other limitations, "Virgo and the Sparklings" also falls flat in the action sequences. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but the off-kilter choreography and artificial aesthetic of the action scenes still disrupt the viewing experience. Even more so, the placement of visual effects is often off-putting, making the already low-budget visuals even more underwhelming. Nevertheless, I won't criticize the filmmakers for not having the same budget as Hollywood – but I do feel that in certain moments, the visual effects could have been handled with more finesse.
For me, the most let-down of this movie was the missing of a clear-cut resolution to its primary clash: what is this movie actually attempting to say about parent-child connections? We don't get any definitive response, only the same conventional conclusions which we usually come across in our day-to-day lives. Obviously, I wasn't anticipating this movie to be something unbelievably progressive, yet the least it could have done was to finish off what it had started.
In sum, "Virgo and the Sparklings" is the most delight-filled entry in the Bumilangit Cinematic Universe – yet, its storyline is still a mite discombobulated, making it the weakest installment yet as far as plot goes. Still, if you're looking for a superhero movie to have a good time with, it's sure to do the trick.
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