Movie Review

Title: Heneral Luna (2015)

“May mas malaki tayong kalaban sa mga Amerikano—ang ating sarili”.

(“We have a greater enemy than the Americans—ourselves.”) An infamous
line by Heneral Luna in the movie “Heneral Luna”.

The fiery, strong-willed general who faced much more formidable foes
than the foreign army; his own disloyal and gullible country man. One such
man is the titular character of Antonio Luna De San Pedro y Novicio also
known as Heneral Luna. “Heneral Luna” is a 2018 fictional-history movie
based on facts from the Philippine-American war in 1989 - directed by Jerrold
Tarog. One of the best historical Filipino Movie.

In 333 years being a Spanish colony, the general grew frustrated having
to put up the country's submissiveness to foreigners, severing the ties of
Filipino to Filipino when they argue on whether to trust these foreigners. But
within the Philippine army, one man—daunting, fierce, and brutal—fights to
unite the Filipinos when the Americans loom over and take hold of
Intramuros, the heart of Manila. It’s up to General Antonio Luna, the
Commander of the Philippine Revolutionary Army, on how the resistance
against the foreigners will end as he carries the weight of his country’s fate
on his shoulders. Being the general he was, he wages war against them and
never thought twice to fight the Philippines independence once again.

The choice of the main casting is unquestionably shocking, John Arcilla

in the title of the role General Antonio Luna. He was able to astonishingly
portray the fierce, boisterous and volatile man the general has been
historically known to be, also he showcased the softer side of his personality
of being the passionate, sympathetic and battle-weary soldier. He is an
antihero, A man who head first ride to fought the Americans, yet at the same
time-shared warm moments with his motherland.

The cinematography is not to be ignored as well. While not as great

compared to the cinematography of Hollywood movies, it may very well be
among the best in the Philippine film industry, especially since it captures the
essence of the scenes and their messages. This can be chalked up to the
film not feeling the need to sugarcoat how horrible war is by actually showing
blood and gore; at the same time, it also portrays each significant scene as
if it were a moving picture of art—history mixed with a pinch of drama.
Despite coming off as unrealistic due to being a bit more edited or
dramatized, the message of each scene was effectively conveyed to the
audience.

Most notable though among the movie's artistry is its script. Poetic
yet conversational, Heneral Luna's script is filled to the brim with flowery lines
of dialogue as if lifted from a sonata. It's not every day that you get to hear
lines as beautifully crafted as "kailangan mong tumalon sa kawalan,"
"digmaan ang iyong asawa, ako lamang ay iyong querida," and "para kayong
mga birhen na naniniwala sa pag-ibig ng puta." Here is a script so elegant
that it can even make curse words sound so cultured, so tasteful.

Nevertheless, Heneral Luna is a highly recommended movie.

Though it might not have been able to become this exquisite if not for the
efforts of Tarog and the team of Artikulo Uno Productions, deserving
applause for their direction and production respectively. A thematic portrayal
of the destruction stemming from arguments among men, the price of
freedom, and betrayal for self-interests, “Heneral Luna” takes you on a
rollercoaster of emotions. Some parts may make you feel patriotic and cheer
on for the persistent general. Others may incite despair and sadness as you
watch the ashes grow abundant from the flames of war. A rare few may even
cause you to realize how terrifying the general is as you witness him walk
the path toward the abyss—the point of no return, a sacrifice he must make
for the sake of his country. But as he continues treading this road, the more
he realizes the truths hidden under everyone’s noses. “My friends, I believe
we have a bigger enemy than the Americans—ourselves,” General Antonio
Luna said, a perfect encapsulation of the film’s message. A journey of a
general and his comrades towards the liberation of the country, the story of
Antonio Luna is a piece of history that has shaped our nation. Long may it
remind us of what we should change today and why this country is still worth
fighting for.