This is one of the best documentaries I have seen so far in 2020. and it was definitely thought-provoking and kind of a movie you just want to discuss with your friends afterwards. It was done with a full co-operation of Imelda Marcos who kind of has a strained relationship with the media - her willingness to constantly talk to journalists shows that she still deeply care about her public image (there is a whole army of people taking care of her hair, make up and the dresses) but no matter from which perspective one looks at it, she is not convincing. What "The Kingmaker" does and it does it masterfully, is to present how history can be re-written if we are not careful and the mistakes from the past are bound to happen again and again if people are willing to be manipulated.
Imelda comes across as a beautiful trophy wife who overstayed her welcome - long ago, she was the pearl of Philippines, a president's wife and an elegant hostess who had her hand kissed by every visiting politician. Gullible and sentimental population admired the couple for decades, until they brazen political manipulations became unbearable - had they quietly resigned in time, president and his pretty wife might have enjoyed comfortable life out of the spotlight, but it took a revolution to topple them from a throne and even than, Imelda returns to Manilla in order to bulldoze way for her son's political ambition. It is very clear that the son is not really in it but he does it for the mother who is basking in attention and there is a strong hint that grandson might follow the path. While the camera follows aggressive political campaign and election, we also witness testimonies of the people who were imprisoned, tortured and raped during years of president Marcos regime - they can't believe how gullible the population became in the meantime and how quickly everything is forgotten, why are Marcoses even allowed to return to the country, not to mention to participate in a election.
The secret behind president Ferdinand Marcos power is in the finances given to him by US as exchange for persecuting communists in Philippines - we are talking about billions of dollars meant for building the infrastructure. They surely built and built, but this were mostly vanity projects, palaces and investments that had nothing to do with re-building the country. Not unlike French royal family who had to escape in a carriage during the revolution, Marcoses had to escape with a helicopter while angry mob was demolishing their palace bellow - even than, they had enough wealth amassed in various banks around the world. It took some guts for Imelda to actually return to Philippines and the documentary is now following her attempts to bring her family back in the political frontline. The scary thing is - she actually might succeed. The new president (who appears to be a con man) Rodrigo Duterte is more than willing to help them for exchange for the bribe - however, Marcoses are playing with fire here because this is a very dangerous situation where political opponents and competition are openly murdered in the night. As long as this president finds them useful and non-threatening, he will let them parade around. But there is a cold look in his eyes that suggest he could easily eliminate the whole family once he puts his hands on their bank accounts.
Imelda herself is simpering and whimpering - she loves to repeat how she lost her mother at the age of eight and was hard-working her whole life. In one of the movie's best scenes, she is again telling her same old story but trough Freudian slip, she said "At the age of eight I lost my money, um, mother" - no doubt after years of repeating the same script she actually genuinely believes her own words and sees herself as a mother of the nation. Wincing in disgust at the scenes of poverty of children patients in a cancer ward, she quickly gives away some cash "for the candy" but this is as far as her mothering goes. Realising that Picasso and Michelangelo hanging above her might attract some unwanted attention, she quickly replaces them with some inconspicuous photographs. My issue with all of this is not the wealth itself but the criminal ways it was amassed and used for pulling the strings behind the scenes - its a cautionary tale that probably functions around the world, not just in Philippines. Personally I think that Marcoses are in a danger and would have been far safer living in a comfortable anonymity of Bel Air - Imelda's political ambition will probably get them all killed sooner or later.
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