In 1898, General Antonio Luna ( John Arcilla ), commander of the revolutionary army, is

spoiling for a fight. The Philippines, after three hundred years as a Spanish colony, has
unwillingly come under American rule. General Luna wants to fight for freedom but
members of the elite would rather strike a deal with the United States. The infighting is
fierce in the new cabinet but General Luna and his loyal men forge ahead even as his
military decisions are met with resistance from soldiers who are loyal only to President
Aguinaldo ( Mon Confiado ). Ultimately, it is the generals legendary temper and pride that
bring him to his death when a pack of presidential guards assassinate him in broad daylight.
While American newspapers are quick to point the blame to Aguinaldo, the mystery has
never been completely solved and the Generals killers were never put to justice.Set during
the Philippine-American war, Heneral Luna follows the life of one of Philippine History's most
brilliant military men, General Antonio Luna, as he tries to lead his countrymen against
colonial masters new and old, and to rise above their own raging disputes to fulfill the
promise of the Philippine Revolution.Set during the Philippine-American war, a shorttempered Filipino general faces an enemy more formidable than the American army: his
own treacherous countrymen.

The result is a much stranger film than one might expect from a historical
epic. These films tend to be little more than limp-wristed hagiographies, the
usual demands of storytelling giving way to the perceived need to pay
tribute to the giants of history. But quite appropriately, given its subject, the
movie is much braver and much more accomplished. Its just more willing to
try things, to break out of the staid, boring bonds of the genre in order to
make the history come alive. The film gets as much out of a series of
telegrams between Luna and General Mascardo as it does from big battle
sequences. In accepting the frailties of its characters, the film is able to find
action in places other than the battlefield.
section of the film devoted to Luna the lover feels like a distraction more
than anything else. But though not everything works, the films willingness to
take risks ensures that its never boring. And those risks are managed well
enough with sharp filmmaking and excellent acting. John Arcilla puts on the
performance of a lifetime as Antonio Luna. The actor gives Luna a certain
sense of glee that separates the performance from any other portrayal of a
national hero. His Luna seems fully human, if a little bit monstrous. At his
side, Archie Alemania almost steals the show as he goes above and beyond
in a strong supporting turn. Mon Confiado, Epy Quizon and Nonie
Buencamino, among others, offer strong, bold spins on big historical figures
as well.
Beyond its obvious technical achievements, Heneral Luna is worth seeing
for its audacious approach to tackling our countrys tragic history. It is all at
once bold, artful, darkly funny, informed and deeply entertaining. Some bits
of it work better than others, but as a whole portrait of this volatile,

fascinating individual and the time in which he existed, the films

audaciousness pays off in spades. It makes the revolution come alive in
surprising, delightful ways. This film triumphs in capturing the spirit of its
subject, the whole enterprise fueled with a heady mix of rage, irreverence
and a genuine love of country. It is everything that an Antonio Luna biopic
should be.