APOSTOL, Joanna Marie C.

October 22, 2019

BA ELS2 ( BA Comm 2B) HIST 101 TF 5:30-7:30

Reaction Paper on the film “Jose Rizal”

1. Describe the life of Rizal as represented in the movie.

The movie is a mixture of flashbacks and real-time representation of Rizal’s life when his case
against the Spanish government and church was under investigation. Although his life in jail were
mostly the highlights being presented in the film, there are also some relevant flashbacks of his life that
were shown throughout the film. Rizal’s life in jail seemed to be his days of contemplating and reflecting
what has happened to his life, works, and battles. It can be seen in his flashbacks that his family is
indeed in the principalia; there were servants shown, their big house, horse-drawn carriage, library and
all the other description of the families belonging to the middle-class of the social and economic
hierarchy during the time of the Spaniards. The joy of his childhood days were also shown in the film,
along with the happy Mercado family that nourished Rizal.
Rizal’s life in the schools that he attended were also shown in the film, although small important
details were omitted to give the general message and emphasis on Rizal’s “survival” in the educational
institutions, racist Spanish classmates in the Philippines, and Spanish friars who were his teachers. The
instance where he was not immediately accepted in Ateneo was not included in the movie, so were his
literary works and sculpture. The essence of Rizal exceling in his education and his classmates where
the highlights of his life at school; this was evidently shown during the scene where he was continuing
his studies in ophthalmology in Spain and he was able to answer all the questions of the professor,
verbally and even with the physical demonstration of the muscles of the eye. His earlier education with
his mother was also show, but the highlight of it was the story of “The Moth and the Flame”, although it
was shown when Rizal was to leave with Paciano to Clamba, he was persistent to stay under his
mother’s tutoring and teachings. One of the significant scenes shown during his earlier educations as
well was when he was already in Calamba where the punishments for students were not encouraging
them to study harder, but only imposes fear and culture of silence to the youth.
Rizal’s life in abroad was also shown in the film, although not much of it, just the relevant scenes to
showcase Rizal’s struggle in fighting for the freedom of the Philippines. In Rizal’s very first travel
outside of the country where he was to continue his study in medicine and conduct his “secret mission”;
it was shown in the film that Rizal opposed the idea but his brother Paciano insisted on it, and in the
end Rizal obeyed. Rizal’s life abroad, as shown in the film, is something more revolutionary because
his intention was to observe and learn from the enemy through its origin. The makings of Rizal’s
famous novels were highlighted as they were made in Europe, alongside the struggles in making his
novels and the triumphant feeling after finishing it, the hardships of Rizal being in a foreign country
without financial stability was showcased, his darkest winter was the confirmation. In abroad Rizal also
did not only had an encounter with the foreign enemies, but also, and most heart-breaking, with the
other Filipinos and elites who Rizal thought to be with him in fighting for the freedom of the country, but
were actually enjoying the privilege of having to be in Spain.
2. Based on your reading and class discussion, what can you say about the film’s
representation of Rizal?
I want to say the film’s representation of Rizal was justified and acceptable. Books and films are
both different kinds of arts and mediums of information that seek to deliver messages in their own
creative ways. Books were expected to provide almost all the data of events or happenings in history in
text form; films, on the other hand and as I would like to say specially the films about history, are made
for the purpose of a less boring distribution or discussion of history, merely for entertainment purpose.
The contents of books and films will always differ even if the film is based on a literary work or a life
event because there is the entertainment function of films that would override the real and true
happenings to add drama or anything for the entertainment factor. Nevertheless, the film about Jose
Rizal had his representations justified, although not everything, but those that were given emphasis
were reasonable.
In all of the readings for the class and in the class discussions, Rizal is always and, if no one would
oppose or petition in the future, will always be the Philippine national hero. Although selected by the
Americans in majority, the majority of Filipinos also agreed on Rizal being the national hero, as the
other candidates, even in the absence or presence of Bonifacio, were all inferior in terms of education
and nationalistic writings. As represented in the movie, Rizal was also the very inspiration of Bonifacio;
evident from the scene where Rizal was giving a speech about his homecoming despite the threats for
his life, Rizal announced that his enemies are not abroad but in the Philippines, he then added ideas,
information and encouragements on how to free the country and the people from the abusive
maltreatments of Spain. Bonifcaio, enthusiastically listening and, as shown in the movie, the only one
hopefully and devotedly responding to Rizal portrayed the image or idea that Jose Rizal indeed was the
eye opener for Bonifacio to start the Katipunan and influence and wake up the Filipino masses, which
comprise of the poor and weak individuals, to revolt violently, physically, till death. Hence the film’s
representation of Rizal as a national hero was not only justified but proven, for his influence, according
to the film, is what sparked the Father of the Katipunan to establish the Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-
galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan.
Aside from being the national hero, I think the film also made a representation of Rizal with respect
to his professions and specialties. In the field of medicine, we saw how dedicated Rizal was in helping
the Filipinos by establishing a clinic despite his exile in Dapitan; his specialty in ophthalmology was also
showcased in a scene where he was about to operate his mother’s eyes, she was originally the reason
why Rizal took up ophthalmology. There are lots of Rizal’s profession, but him being a writer was given
the most highlight because if not for his skills in writing, he would have fought the enemies in a different
battle, we all know that Rizal took it to his novels his anger and cries justice with the abusive Spanish
government that reigned the Philippines in his times. The film showed Rizal’s struggles in pursuing his
novels like the financial instability, being far from home, the prohibition of his books with a joined
punishment for those who were caught in possession of it, and mixed emotions, sometimes blaming his
works, because of the bad news he received from home. Despite all the disturbances, he still managed
to turn his fears, worries, and pain into the fuel that resulted in him finishing his novels.

3. What is the main question that the film seeks to answer?

The film is about Jose Rizal, which is obvious with the title. In the movie, we saw his fights and
struggles, which were all stressed throughout the film. Now to the request, what is the main question
that the film seeks to answer? I am considering a lot, actually, but I wouldn’t like to consider the
information given or provided by the film as the film makers might have altered the real information to
make the film more interesting. Before I draw in to conclusion the ‘main’ question, I would like to share
my sentiments with the other question that I have pondered on.
 These questions formulated in my mind were all based on the film’s delivery of the events that
happened in history, if ever the events were given or deducted details, I am not aware so please
pardon my arrogance. The questions that the film seeks to answer, that I have contemplated on are as
follows: 1) how or what is the life of the Filipinos and the state of the Philippines during the reign of the
Spaniards? 2) What were the challenges that Rizal had to face in his fight with the Spaniards for the
freedom of the Philippines? And last but not the least 3) what made Rizal the national hero?
The first 2 questions were already discussed in class so these questions were just like clarifications
that the film had put into action in a more dramatized way that a reader can imagine. We have
discussed the life of Filipinos in the earlier part of the semester, and during the group reports the
second question was or have already been answered. These two questions were just formulated in my
mind, although already answered because in my opinion, these questions would be relevant to people
who will receive information about the Spanish regime and about Jose Rizal first-hand from the film.
The nature of the two questions were based on how the film made significant attention on the
manipulation and mishandling of the Spanish government to the Philippines. I have also considered the
highlights of Rizal’s novels being merged with the realities and flashbacks of the film wherein it was all
similar with the reality on Rizal’s life; the violent and evil regime of the Spaniards.
The last question is the one that I would like to consider as my answer, what made Rizal the
national hero? In the first discussions about Rizal in line to the lesson about the selection of the national
hero, we were given comparison of Bonifacio and Rizal, and then a question after that which, if I can
remember clearly, goes something like this “who do you prefer to be the national hero, Rizal or
Bonifacio?” My answer remains the same, I do not and I will not choose for them both fought and died
for the same purpose, as how the other unnamed Katipuneros and General Antonio Luna have offered
their life for the liberty of the country. However, with the magic of the film industry, I was able to see
how Rizal emerged to be the national hero that the Filipinos acknowledge; it was because of his novels
and his genius. Rizal’s way of fighting the Spaniards through educating the Filipino people is something
that is game-changing; although he was knowledgeable that majority of the Filipinos belong to the
lowest class and they are not and will not be given proper and correct education, those who were
fortunate like Rizal were blinded by the safety that they enjoy, thus having to leave the knowledge of
revolt to the poor Filipino masses and interpreting it a s a bloody revolution.

4. What is your own reflection based on the film and your understanding?
Life during the Spanish colonization is really harsh. There are some people who still believe that
the revolution against the Spaniards and Rizal are all a myth, and I would gladly argue with them to
prove them wrong. I do not have any information about the life during the Spanish era, my late
grandmother was alive by the time of the Japanese era so that was the only part of history I get to
know from a first-hand source. Regardless if the information would come from the film or book,
people still need to do research on the real happenings in history. There would always be conflicts
in the facts, but reading and further enhancement of knowledge about something would always be
an advantage.
Nationalism is something that Filipinos lack today, I would like to blame globalization for that,
but if Filipinos were responsible and disciplined enough they will remain loyal to their own
nationality. There is still education that can blind us so we have to always be skeptical and seek for
the truth. The enemies may still be from foreign land but in today’s generation, those who you share
the same culture with can also be a far greater enemy. Only a few will continue the fight of the
national heroes for the freedom of the Filipino people, regardless if it is from the foreign enemies or
with the own Filipino government. Fewer will be the nationalist fighters for the government are
eliminating them at all cost.
I fear greatly for the identity and culture of the Philippines. We have been colonized by a lot of
conquerors, and our own culture and identity only rests in the few population and communities that
were being endangered by the threat of globalization. The Spaniards have chained us for more or
less than 200 years and their culture is greatly embedded on ours. The original Filipino culture lies
within our indigenous people who were diminishing and the original culture is being tampered by the
adjustment to modernizations. We do not know our origins anymore.
Furthermore, there are a lot to learn from the film. Not all battles are fought physically and
harshly, but sometimes when the peaceful revolt can no longer work, the bloody revolution will
always take place. Enemies from your own land are the hardest to conquer, for in them you also get
the inspiration or drive to fight, but instead of joining your battle, they would scrutinize and bring you
down. Most of the time you would have to sacrifice your own happiness for the well-being of the
masses. The last and the most painful, what you have started can and might progress in a good or
bad way.