“Heneral Luna”

One of the most expensive and highest—grossing Filipino films of all time, “Heneral Luna” is a
rousing, warts and all portrait of Gen. Antonio Luna, the brilliant and strategist whose command of
troops in the Philippine-American War. He was betrayal from his own ranks. The movie is exciting action
sequences, the picture has all around energy the story telling and the dialogue are exciting.

Set out during the Philippine-American War, an unbridled General Antonio Luna faced a much
more formidable foe than the American army: his own treacherous and gullible countrymen. After 300
years of being a Spanish colony, the general grew exasperated having to put up with the nation’s
submissiveness to foreigners. Unwillingly handed to the Americans, the general never thought twice to
fight for the country’s independence once again. But tensions built up between the members of the
cabinet when some of them deliberated striking a deal with their invaders for they believed the
Americans had good intentions for the Philippines. General Antonio Luna and his loyal men were
outraged and accused the other members of the cabinet traitors and disloyal  to the country. He
continued to wage war with the Americans even when his military decisions were largely ignored by the
soldiers who were only loyal to the President. In the events that led the film to its conclusion, the
general’s legendary temper and spitefulness brought him to his death, when he was assassinated by a
group of soldiers in a convent in Cabanatuan on June 5, 1899. The mystery behind the General’s
assassination has never been solved, and the killers and mastermind were never put to justice.

John Arcilla as Gen. Antonio Luna, Mon Confiado as President Emilio Aguinaldo, Epy Quizon as
Prime Minister Apolinario Mabini, Alvin Anson as Gen. Jose Alejandrino, Nonie Buencamno as Felipe
Buencamino Sr., Leo Martinez as Pedro Paterno, Joem Bascon as Col. Francisco Roman, Art Acuna as Maj.
Manuel Bernal, Alex Medina as Capt. Jose Bernal, Archie Alemania as Capt. Eduardo Rusca, Ronnie Lazaro
as Lt. Garcia, Arron Villaflor as Joven Hernándo, the film's POV character, a fictional journalist
interviewing Luna. Mylene Dizon as Isabel, a composite character of several of the historical Luna's love
interests.
I like in the movie is when all the cabinet members are gathered with President Emilio
Aguinaldo. They talked about what they would do with the American soldier. Gen. Antonio Luna
imposed that will fight against the American soldier. But the other cabinet members against the will of
General. But Gen. Luna insist it. I like it because it sees the determination of General to win the battle
against the American soldier. I don’t like the scene when they betray the General, they killed it in Church
in Cabanatuan. They tortured it.

The lesson I’ve learned in this movie is just stick your decision no matter what happened. Loved
our country with all our hearts and soul. And be wise leader. You should know wo is your enemy and
alliance among the people surround you.

Heneral Luna  is recommended to everyone who wants to have a more in-depth understanding of
Philippine history because it does not only give you the objectified version of history, but it provides you a
much closer look to the happenings during the early period of the Philippine-American War. We learn
about the Filipinos’ strengths and weaknesses in the face of another foreign rule that somehow also
helped us to be what the Philippine nation is today.

I rate the movie with A because the movie tells how we should deepen understand our history.
And you will love it.
 Francis N. Montero he is grade 12 in STI ICT-MAWD. He is the fifth siblings of Mr. and Mrs.
Montero. He graduates in Elementary in year 2014- 2015 at Torch of Wisdom Montessori. While in
Junior High School in Dasmarinas East Integrated High School in 2018 – 2019. He loves playing basketball
and Mobile Legends (ML). He loves to chats with his/her friends.