Mismanos, Larkxin M.

ABCOMM 2103

Jose Rizal The Movie Summary

The movie started by introducing Jose Rizal while writing something about the maltreatments
done by Spaniards to Filipinos most especially to ladies, children and employees who work under them.
In the first scene it also introduced Rizal’s novel, Noli Me Tangere, which he says that he himself
portrayed Crisostomo Ibarra and describes how Crisostomo, the main character in the novel sees what
Rizal sees in the society during the colonialism of the Spaniards. And when Rizal published his book, his
friend warned him about the content of it but Rizal didn’t mind and just smiled at him.

On the other hand, an uprising was being led by Andres Bonifacio called ‘Kataastaasan,
Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan’ also known as ‘KKK’. As seen on this scene, the
Katipuneros started to feel scared but Bonifacio converted it to revolt. The uprising becomes more intense
when they read about Rizal’s novel and inspire them to fight for what they know is right. They also show
how they ripped off their cedula as a sign of fighting back and as a declaration of the revolution while
shouting “Mabuhay ang katipunan! Mabuhay si Dr. Jose Rizal!”

To gather more evidence against Rizal on having a secret association with the uprising, they
tortured and forced Paciano, Rizal’s brother to support their allegations but failed. Then proceeded to
capture Rizal in November 1896 and held captive in Fort Santiago. He was then forced by a colonel to
admit that he was with the Katipuneros but failed to do so; instead Rizal reasoned out that his name was
just being used to beg for contribution.

A flashback has been shown about Rizal’s childhood and how he is taught by his mother the
alphabet and how to pray. And then fast forward when Rizal attends school and was being hit by his
instructor and being bullied by his classmates. In this scene, it even shows how Rizal wrestled against the
bully to prove that he is not ‘bansot’. And then Rizal remembered what his mother always tells him, the
story of the baby moth that gets too close to fire that causes harm on its wings. Afterwards, the scene
changed to Rizal and Paciano talking about not using their surname ‘Mercado’ anymore instead they will
use ‘Rizal’ because it will only bring trouble to them if the Spaniards knew about them by being close to
Father Burgos.

The next scene shows Rizal talking to his attorney, Taviel de Andrade, telling Rizal that he is a
filibuster and ungrateful but Rizal says that he is forever grateful to education he got under the Spaniards’
leadership that he learned that Filipinos are treated differently compared to other and a flashback has been
showed. A scene in his old university in UST, how the Filipinos are being treated and laughed at by the
instructors and other students.

Paciano advises his brother to study further in Europe and continue to expose the Spanish
government to their country. In Madrid, Rizal met some of his countrymen and eventually created a
reform group called ‘La Solidaridad’ together with Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Mariano Ponce.
 On December 26, 1896, Rizal was brought to the test tribunal and accused of being the leader of
the rebellion group ‘KKK’. Rizal then told about how he was convinced once by the rebellion group to
join but he said that he refused the offer because Rizal knew that the rebellion was still not ready against
the arm forces of the Spaniards. But they decided that Rizal should be killed to set an example to whoever
goes against the government. Rizal was visited by his mother and left her his last will that after he died,
he wanted his body to be recovered as soon as possible and buried it deep in the soil with a cross on his
grave with his name on it. He then left his lamp to his sisters containing a letter of farewell.

At the end of the film, Rizal marched to Bagumbayan and requested to save his head and be shot
while facing the firing squad but was denied. After being shot, Rizal smiled and said his last words,
“Consummatum est” o “Ito'y tapos na” He was shot by the squad and was shot by the squad leader and
considered it a mercy shot. And the movie ended with an attack from the ‘Katipuneros’ on Spanish
soldiers.