Trisia Corinne Jaring

PCBET-22-301A
Life and Works of Rizal

A movie/film review on the film:

ILUSTRADO

Ilustrado is a 20-episode tv series televised on 2014, starring Alden Richards, Kylie Padilla, Eula
Valdez, Jaclyn Jose, Lito Legaspi, and other promising actors and actresses, directed by King
Mark Baco.

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The film is about our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal’s story from his childhood, his career abroad,

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his romances, up to his death. It is not new to us that Rizal has this undeniably intelligence that

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leads to his death. Aside from being a poet, he is also an ophthalmologist, journalist and linguist.

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But behind all these titles, there remained a story of a man in which each Overseas Filipino
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Workers (OFW’s) can relate to. Rizal needed to leave his family from him to study abroad, he
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suffers from homesickness, enduring a long distance relationship with the woman he loved the
most. He is the best model who used his knowledge in order to serve his countrymen.
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On the first episode of the film, it showed us how abusive the Spaniards, during 19th century.
From the transition showed Teodora Alonzo (Eula Valdez) giving birth to Pepe, a nickname
addressed to Rizal. There is also a glimpse of death of GOMBURZA, Filipino priests Father
Gomez, Burgos, Zamora who died because of their martyrdom. Paciano, older brother of Rizal
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witnessed this. Another transition and the setting was at Mercado’s Residences at Calamba,
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Laguna. Where the complete family of Jose Rizal were recognized. We can say how strict the
parents are during that time, most especially to women. For they should always act prim and
proper, plus the conservativeness are much alive by that time. The young actor who portrayed
as young Pepe is very talented, like Jose Rizal himself. At a very young age, it also showed
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Rizal’s intelligence and his interests in medicine. His mother was his teacher, storyteller and
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also his best friend. Like some other children, Pepe also experienced bullying but thanks to Don
Alberto, his uncle that taught him how to fight. He also felt disgrace one time when he was
asked to sing, and the crowd laughed at him because of his vocals. When it comes to schooling,
the teachers are the priests that time, and we can see how much they disciplined their students
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most especially about punctuality. When you’re late at your class, you show your hands to the
priests and they’ll hit it with their “baston”. The 2nd episode ended when Rizal’s classmates
asked him to sing after class, but he didn’t. Due to the shame he had experience last time when
he sang in front of the crowd. As a result of this, his classmates beat him and when their
maestro saw them, he hit his classmates with his baston. When he got home, his mother saw
his bruise on his face and he cried to his mother. One morning, Jose Rizal rants to his mother
that he doesn’t want to study in Binan, for he still wants to study at Calamba instead. But since

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 Binan, Laguna is more developed that time, Teodora wants Pepe to study in Binan, and Pepe
obliged because he had no choice.
Don Alberto (Freddie Webb), his favorite uncle taught him how to fight and gave him a horse.
After some transition after that scene, comes another scenario, were Teodora was arrested by
the guardia-civil for the warrant of food-poisoning her sister-in-law, Don Alberto’s wife. She is
sentenced to 2 years in jail. Conchita Monteverde ( Jaclyn Jose ) and Padre Amado ( Lito
Legaspi ) taled about the Mercados and urged to plan the Mercado’s downfall. By that time,
Paciano ( Marco Alcaraz ), Rizal’s older brother asked him to study in Manila, and Rizal already
used “Jose Rizal” as his name, as soon as he got to Ateneo for him to get rid of their surname
‘Mercado’.
During Rizal’s stay at Ateneo, his intelligence is undeniable. Venchito Monteverde ( Polo
Ravales ), Conchita’s son, considered Rizal to be his mortal enemy, and rival since then. They
became classmates there. Rizal visited his mother in jail and showed her the medals he had
received at school. Teodora is very proud at Rizal. After 2 years in jail, Teodora is finally freed.
After some scenes, Rizal already grew up, which is acted by Alden Richards. He went to
University of Sto. Tomas to take medicine course in college. One day at Intramuros, he met

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Leonor Rivera ( Kylie Padilla ), and we can see from that scene how he is gone love at first sight

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to Leonor. The saw each other again and they have learned that they are cousins. Carmen,

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Leonor’s best friend, introduced Olimpia Mercado to Leonor and Leonor invited her together

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with Rizal at their house. Rizal is asked to sing in front of the ladies but he passed out. Teodora

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is already showing symptoms of blindness and that urged Rizal to stay at Manila to pursue his

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studies and become a doctor so that he can heal his mother. One day, the Mercado couple
talked about having receipts for their payments, but Don Francisco said that it’s better to have
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their own list instead. As for Rizal and Leonor, well they keep on seeing each other and if not,
they are exchanging some letters. Rizal called Leonor “Taimis”. One afternoon, Paciano went to
UST to see Rizal and told him that he’ll go to Europe (Madrid) to study there. Because of Rizal’s
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travel to Europe, it caused heartbreak to Leonor and Teodora. With that, we can totally relate
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especially the OFW’s when they go to other country to work for their family. Just like them, Rizal
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also experienced homesickness, enduring a long distance relationship with Leonor. Tiya Lina
died because of cholera epidemic and was denied of a Christian burial by Padre Amado (Lito
Legaspi) just because the Mercados ruined his sleep. With this, we can see how inhumane the
friars were that time. But aside from that, Lito Legaspi is a great actor and he Is suitable for that
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role. Felix Resureccion Hidalgo, Mariano Ponce, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Marcelo H.Del Pilar,
Antonio Luna were introduced. During his stay at Europe, he met Consuelo Ortiga but ended
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their thing immediately for Rizal only sees her as a friend and told her that he has already
someone, which is Leonor. Circulo Hispano y Filipino was formed. Meanwhile, Padre Amado
and Conchita went to Calamba to inform the Mercado about the 30% increase for the tax at their
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farm. This news drove Paciano mad.

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Rizal wrote Diario El Opinion and Leonor kept on waiting Rizal. After some years, he became a
doctor already and practiced his profession on one of the hospitals there. He also starts writing
his first novel which is Noli Me Tangere. There also comes a time when Rizal got sick and Juan
Luna took care of him and said that he’ll help him publish Noli Me Tangere. As soon as the first
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book was published, he thanked Juan Luna for his help and gave him the original copy of the
novel for his acknowledgement to him. The said novel spread throughout the world and many
Filipinos had a copy of Noli Me Tangere which triggered the friars and Spanish officials. After
knowing that his mother is now totally blind, he went home and that surprised his family
because they’re having lunch when Rizal came. He healed his mother and Teodora can now
see. Carmen informed about Rizal’s homecoming. And Leonor is much happy because after 5
years of waiting, they can finally see each other.

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 But their parents want them to separate already because of the thought that Rizal triggered and
Spanish friars. Leonor’s mother wrote a letter to Teodora regarding on their situation and Lolay
agreed. The propagandists, Don Kikoy’s friends, burned their copy of novels so that the guardia
civil won’t arrest them. The Mercados received death threats which leads Rizal to leave again
and went to Barcelona. And he discussed there about his plans on writing about his 2nd novel, El
Filibusterismo which talks about revolution. Rizal stop receiving Leonor’s letters and it is all
because of Leonor’s mother. Because Leonor also stop receiving Rizal’s letters, this caused her
a heartbreak, again. She agreed to marry Charles Kipping ( David Bianco ), a rich British man.
Then Rizal was handed a letter showing that Leonor is marrying someone else, after knowing
this, Rizal got devastated but his friends are there for him. The conflict in Rizal’s life came.
Paciano got arrested by warrant of being a ‘Filibustero’, and their house got burned by the
Spanish officials. As soon as hearing all of these, he started writing El Filibusterismo. He also
ended his thing with Nellie Boustead (Solenn Heausaff), a woman he met in Paris, after asking
her to marry him because he still loves Leonor. Valentin gave him money for publication of El
Filibusterismo and when Christmas came, Jose Rizal celebrated with his family. Leonor got
pregnant and soon as she gave birth, she died. Conchita and Padre Amado planned to
sabotage Rizal by putting some negative novels at his room at Hotel de Oriente. Isidra

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Monteverde ( Rhen Escano ), daughter of Conchita heard all of these and went to Manila to

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warn Rizal but Padre Amado saw her at the hotel, and brought her back to Laguna.

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Jose Rizal met Andres Bonifacio (Sid Lucero ) and they talked about his novels. Some important
happenings in Philippines came such as “pag-aaklas ng mga Katipuneros” that is led by Andres

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Bonifacio. Before the execution of Rizal, he told his mother on what they need to do at his
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burial. Many deaths happened, including the antagonists in Rizal’s life.
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Overall, the film itself is 10/10. From the great cinematography, acting, casting, lighting and
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production design. I can say that Ilustrado really made it alive, for us to know the life of Rizal.
We knew Rizal’s life based on the discussion of our teachers way back in high school, but
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because of these tv series, we can easily understand. GMA network deserves a round of
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applause with this.

I would recommend this film for the teachers and students in Filipino or History subject to use
this film also as a guide for the students in studying Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, also
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to get to know Rizal more.

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