‘Leonor Will Never Die’ Review: Martika Ramirez Escobar’s Joyful, Emotional Film Explores The Power Of ‘80s Action Films [Sundance]

Films can be a form of escapism. Sitting down in a dark cinema with a big screen and great sound immerses you in the action playing out in front of you. And in the best films, it feels as if you’ve been teleported to the world on screen. In her often strange, but ultimately moving feature directorial debut, “Leonor Will Never Die,” Martika Ramirez Escobar explores that specific aspect of storytelling to showcase the power of cinema and filmmaking to thrill audiences but also to potentially heal.

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“Leonor Will Never Die” follows the story of a retired Filipino filmmaker, Leonor, who is the shell of the person she used to be. After the tragic death of one of her sons, the filmmaker spends her days reliving her golden years by watching her old action films from the ‘80s and is barely able to actually take care of herself, forgetting to pay her electric bill, for example. Her other son, Rudy, is also carrying the burden of his brother’s death, feeling as if there’s no one else to take care of his mother if he leaves to go live his own life. Add to the mix Leonor’s ex-husband, who is better at hiding his grief over the death of his child but still reeling from his loss, and the actual ghost of the dead son, Ronwaldo, who hangs around to chat with his family sometimes, and you get the main cast of characters all feeling stuck in their current station in life.

This all changes when, through a somewhat silly moment, a TV falls from a second-story window and hits Leonor on her head, sending her into a coma-like state. What no one knows is that bump on her head transported Leonor deep into the world of one of her unfinished scripts, another ‘80s action film with a hunky star trying to save his beautiful girlfriend from the evil rich guy who runs the town. You know, the same plot that was often found in those sorts of films of that era. 

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So, for most of “Leonor Will Never Die,” Escobar plays with style and structure by jumping back and forth between the real world and the fantastical world of ‘80s action films, complete with gloriously cheesy dialogue, terrible sound, grainy film quality, and a 4:3 ratio. Yes, there are laughs to be had at this transition, as Leonor knows the world better than anyone else, having written these characters and playing with the genre tropes, and Escobar allows for the audience to be charmed by this new, ludicrous situation. But this isn’t a Jim Carrey-esque comedy. Instead, Escobar has other things on her mind, as she shows Leonor escaping to the world of ‘80s popcorn films to deal with the trauma she still feels, years after the death of her son.

Are mindless action films true art? Do they fall into Martin Scorsese’s definition of cinema? Escobar wants us to believe that art can be whatever you want it to be, and even ‘80s action films can have the same effect on your mind and soul as the very best prestige drama. While the portions of the story set in the film within the film are often ridiculous and cringe, they’re also filled with heart and show just how an artist such as Leonor is able to work through her own grief and heartache to craft features that help her mend while also being dumb, cliche action films that please everyone from ages 8 to 108. Is Leonor the Filipino Terrence Malick? Of course not. But that doesn’t mean the films she created in her career aren’t valid art and are without a purpose. Escobar uses this meta-narrative to show that art can be whatever you want it to be, and escapism isn’t a bad thing and can often provide a method for the filmmaker, as well as the audience, to heal during the toughest of times. Unfortunately, there are moments when you feel as if the filmmaker bit off a bit more than she could chew, and the message is often delivered in a clunky, obvious way as if she doesn’t fully trust that the audience will get it. 

“Leonor Will Never Die” is the type of film that embraces the odd and absurd, which can often lead to mixed results in the acting department. Thankfully, Escobar’s cast, led by Sheila Francisco, is mostly great. Francisco gives a truly heartfelt and emotional performance as Leonor, especially as you get towards the climax of the film. (More on that in a moment.) Bong Cabrera is also wonderful as Rudy, asked to go from yelling at his mom to being quiet and soulful in the same scene. And the cast of characters from the film-within-a-film are all chewing scenery as you would expect in that type of action film. Overall, Escobar has found solid actors who never distract from what is a truly absurd, somewhat convoluted story. 

The third act of the film is where “Leonor Will Never Die” really comes into its own and proves to be something special. Without spoiling anything, the already meta plot is turned up to 11 and the ending of the film not only provides real emotion (enough to bring a tear to your eye, if you’re not careful), but there’s so much joy in the final moments, you can’t help but leave the viewing with a big smile on your face. In a film steeped in loss and grief, “Leonor Will Never Die,” as the title implies, is ultimately a beautiful, life-affirming celebration of the power of film and art to heal. Yes, even ‘80s action films. [B+]