THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PAST

A film review on the movie “Heneral Luna” by Jerrold tarog

One of the best things in movie or film creation is its relevance on reality and real-life
scenarios and happenings. Regardless of what genre a certain movie falls into, it still has its
connection to the context of reality. By so saying, the movie plays a very vital role in telling the
viewers about what has happened, what is happening and what may happen to the society we are
living in.

In relation to that, one of the examples of a non-fictional genre is historical. Historical non-
fiction is consist of true accounts of historical events and eras. Some histories dwell purely in
objective facts, and other histories are refracted through the lens of the author’s personal beliefs
(Gladwell, 2020).

Presently, there have been a lot of literatures and movies under this type of category, both
local and international. Here in the Philippines, one of the top grossing films of 2015 is the life
story of one of the country’s heroes Antonio Luna. The movie entitled “Heneral Luna” highlights
Luna’s life being the toughest and patriotic general of the Philippines.

The movie Heneral Luna as said has been introduced to the public since 2015 and from
the moment it has been released, it has caught a huge attention in the country. It has been directed
by Jerrold Tarog and produced by Artikulo Uno.

Heneral Luna is not just a historical film re-telling our history, neither a simple account of
what transpired in the battle of Filipinos against the Americans, and not just an artistic expression
of the director and the writers; Heneral Luna is a film that defines and connects our past to our
present plight as a people and as a nation and the dialectics of our history. We are what we are
because of what we were and we will become what we will for what we are now.

The movie has started not in a young life of Luna, but in his lead of his countrymen against
the Americans fighting for the liberty. His conduct does not become so easy for his lead is being
burdened by his fellow Filipinos in the Cabinet meeting. His intention is different from them.
Pedro Paterno and the others thinks of their wealth, business and security which is far different
from Heneral Luna. They do not realize it until the Americans have their first move, shooting
Filipinos in Sta. Mesa and finally taking over to the cities of Paco and the whole Manila in general.
Strategically, both parties create plans and ways to win the battle. For Filipinos, Heneral Luna has
forcedly gathered thousands of people to fight against the Americans. He has made it as an order
to force Filipinos join the troops and fight for the country’s independence. Before the doom’s day
for Heneral Luna’s life, he has encountered his love of his life named Isabel. Lucky is Heneral
Luna to find a person who is the same as him. Isabel also fights for Philippine independence being
the local leader of Red Cross chapter. Due to their commitments on motherland, Isabel chooses to
end their relationship saying “Antonio, gyera ang asawa mo, ako ang kabit”. And finally saying
“Mas malaki ang responsibilidad natin sa gyerang ito kaysa sa damdamin natin sa isa’t isa”. Just
like that, their affair meets its end. The moment it ends is also the time where the war is already at
its peak of firing up. And unfortunately, the war he keeps on preparing for is not actually the only
one which is against him. Because aside from the Americans, it was his fellow countrymen who
has ended his life. Heneral Luna dies not in the hands of the Americans, but in the hands of
Filipinos. “Nakaligtas ako sa mga bala ng Amerikano, ngunit ‘di ako nakaligtas sa pang-aalipusta
at kataksilan ng kapwa ko Pilipino”. Americans are aware of what has happened to him and they
could not be happier when they have found out that Heneral Luna is gone. For them, it will be
easier to colonize the Philippines for as General McArthur has said “You Filipinos killed the true
general you have”, and with Heneral Luna’s absence, the Philippines falls in the hands of the
Americans.

In the beginning of the movie, it has been already shown to us the characteristics of Heneral
Luna. He is tough, brave, straightforward and most importantly, nationalistic. These characteristics
are the things that many people admire him for, but for his fellowmen specially those in the Cabinet
where he also belongs to, these are the characteristics that make them hate Heneral Luna and
ultimately, the cause of his death.

The movie also tells us how diverse Filipinos are in the way they think and prioritize things.
For some like Paterno, the most important thing is wealth and security. This is most likely different
from the perspective of Heneral Luna, who is eager to fight for independence no matter what it
will cause. This can be observed in the exchange of dialogues of Paterno and Heneral Luna.

“Paano ang negosyo natin nito?” says by Paterno.

“Negosyo o kalaayan?! Bayan o sarili?!” Heneral Luna as he shouts to Paterno keeping the selfish
man into silence.

Also, he describes his disappointments in his fellow Filipinos saying “Ganito ba

talaga ang tadhana natin Paco? Kalaban ang kalaban… kalaban ang kakampi?” He even wants
to resign being the general but the president has not accepted his resignation so he continues be
who he was.

The movie has actually a lot of elements that beautify it. The sequencing of events and
completion of scenes are all understandable. Not only does it follow a certain chronological order
concerning our history, but it has been made pleasing to the eyes because of its flawless
cinematography. On the other hand, the movie becomes more impactful to me personally because
of the dialogues being used and thrown by the characters specially of the main one, Heneral Luna.
Almost all of his dialogues are powerful and true not just in his time but can also be applicable in
this current time. These dialogues, aside from those which are mentioned above are:

“May mas malaki tayong kaaway kaysa sa Amerikano, ang ating sarili”

“Walang nakakaangat sa batas, kahit president”

“Bakit kailangang patayin ng kapwa Pilipino ang Pilipino”

“Mas magandang mamatay sa digmaan kaysa tanggapin ang pamumuno ng dayuhan”

“Pilipino ang papatay sa kapwa Pilipino”

I do not know about the other but personally, I think these lines and dialogues of Luna are
the most iconic ones from the movie itself. As I have said above, these can be somewhat observed
in the present situation of our country wherein it is true the Philippines has so much conflicts
regarding fellow Filipinos need to be addressed.

By digging deep in the surface of the movie, the director has done a very commendable
job. Jerrold Tarog makes a very outstanding job in presenting to us Antonio Luna’s nationalistic
life in a very modern, humorous and educational manner. He really has done his job fully aware
of what is going to happen in each scene of the movie including the realization of the scripts,
choosing of appropriate characters to play the iconic roles until the execution of scenarios and
dialogues of these characters. Aside from that, Tarog remains on the truest information they will
share to the viewers. His team and he have not eliminated the negative characteristics of Heneral
Luna just to make him more appealing and heroic to the audience.

Likewise, the actors and actresses in the movie have exquisitely done their assignments of
studying the characters they will portray and mastering them, specially John Arcilla who has
played the character of Heneral Luna. He gives justice to that character and for that, his effort,
passion and craft is being paid off. All the characters, minor and main have done so well in creating
a very informative and provocative film to me personally. The actress and actors being chosen
such as Mylene Dizon (Isabel), Mon Confiado (Emilio Aguinaldo), Nonie Buencamino (Felipe
Buencamino), Epy Quizon (Apolinario Mabini), Leo Martinez (Pedro Paterno), Joem Bascon
(Paco), and many other talented actors and actress have done a very wonderful job in terms of their
acting and giving justice to the characters for their very realistic performance.

Additionally, the movie becomes more appealing and realistic to the viewers because of
the use of effective musical and visual elements. These two elements help beautify the movie itself
because if not for these two, the movie will become dull and boring. The music is very responsive
based on what a particular scene requires. Specifically, the background music in the scene where
Heneral Luna is being traitored by his fellowmen and killed by them is actually effective for it
makes the scene more enraging to watch. Personally, it makes me feel so angry towards those
Filipinos who have betrayed him, the general that could have saved us from the hands of the
colonizers.

Visually, the movie becomes so realistic that it happens in 1880’s although it is just released
in 2015. It is because the team has successfully made every set to look like 1880’s. From the
moment it has started until it ended. The houses, the costumes, the props and even the setting are
all based on the time of Antonio Luna, bringing more life and reality. Even the gunshots and the
prosthetics make me believe that the firing in the movie is true life because of the wise use of
props.

In totality, the movie is superb and if I were to rate it, I will give it a nine over ten. It really
makes us think we are actually what we are because of what we were and we will become what
we will for what we are now. We were once at the hands of the Americans because as what Heneral
Luna has said “Hindi marunong makinig”, and it is true. We were colonized because we let
ourselves to be colonized by them through killing the general that might save us.
 After watching the movie, I do not actually wonder anymore why there are a lot of stubborn
and selfish Filipinos since this kind of mentality and characteristics exist already in the past. We
are what we are because of what we were. No wonder as well why we Filipinos have conflict with
each other just like the line of Heneral Luna saying “Ang kalaban ng Pilipino ay ang kanyang
sarili. Ang kakampi ay kalaban din”. We are what we are because of what we were.

On the brighter side, seeing so many people who are aware of voicing out their rights if
being suppressed, learning to fight against harassment and abuse of power, and encouraging each
one to register and to vote this coming election hoping for a better administration are something
to look forward to. This simply means that yes society is aware of its inner conflict and Filipinos
are eager to fight for these issues. We will become what we will for what we are now.

If you are going to ask me if I am to recommend this movie, my answer will be a definitely
yes. But I just want to say that although this movie is highly educational, this is also a provocative
one. By so saying, this movie will not only educate the audience but might also enrage their
emotions towards certain Filipinos from the past, specially those who are in time of the great
general, Heneral Antonio Luna.