Angono National High School

Angono, Rizal

A 2015 Historical Movie Critique: Heneral Luna

Leader: Morco, Mharlon D. / Revising, Critique, (Positive Aspects)

Assistant Leader: Merino, Lianne / Critique, (Negative Aspects)

Members:

Bunag, Renz Jori / Background of the Study

Lauron, Jhon Axchel / Background of the Study

Miranda, Gian Carl / Thesis Statement,

Pacamara, Keith Joshua / Thesis Statement

Amoncio, Stephanie / Critique (Negative Aspects)

Casco, Jane Edel / Recommendations, Ratings

Magno, Francine / Thesis Statement

Submitted to:

Mrs. Caroline Delos Santos Umandap

 Table of Contents

I. Article:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/variety.com/2015/film/reviews/ heneral-

luna-review-1201649617/amp/

II. Critique/Review

1.1 Background of Study

1.2 Thesis Statement

1.3 Critique, Positive and Negative Aspects

1.4 Recommendations and Ratings

 One of the most interesting historical films ever made in the Philippines is

Heneral Luna, which was directed by Jerrold Tarog. John Arcilla plays General Luna in

the film Heneral Luna, a short-tempered yet patriotic character. The storyline in this film

takes place during the Philippine-American War (1899–1902) and depicts General

Antonio Luna's rise and fall as he fights for the independence of his nation.1.1

It is demonstrated the full scope of what Heneral Luna and his warriors

accomplished in the past. General Luna fought until the very end, despite the fact that

other Generals and those in high positions in the administration did not at all support

him. Another point is that Filipinos can still defeat Americans even in the absence of

resources, tools, coherence, and leadership. General Luna is a fantastic historical film

that provides in-depth information about the contributions that General Luna and his

men made to our nation. The film offers yet another instance of bravery. Additionally,

Heneral Luna exhibits his ultimate loyalty to his country as well as his fury toward the

cowards and traitors that are on his side.1.2

The story begins at the onset of the Philippine-American War. In a cabinet

meeting with President Emilio Aguinaldo, General Luna became worried about the

impending arrival of American troops and got into a furious argument with certain

cabinet secretaries. Some conservative cabinet members wanted to make peace with

the Americans, while the general wanted to fend off the Americans with force. He

perceived that his men lacked military training and intended to instill in them the values

of discipline and teamwork. In the end, his pride and arrogance made him the subject of

a brutal killing by members of his nation. The film serves as a reminder that because the

Spaniards oppressed and governed us for more than 300 years, we had no idea what it
meant to be a "country." The idea of being free and united as a nation was still

somewhat unknown to us at the time, which caused division among Filipinos. General

Luna's guidance was therefore needed. He made a lot of demands on his soldiers,

which may have led to resistance to his style of leadership. Although freedom comes at

a huge price, he refrained from asking for anything he was unable to provide for himself.

Because he set an excellent example, the people answered his call and followed him.

He wasn't just focused on winning the battle. In the process of attempting to create a

free country, he also taught his fellow citizens how to do it. Because of their strong ties

to the Americans, Filipinos were unable to recognize that their nation was in danger.

They were unable to look past their interests in order to recognize their countrymen's

misery. General Antonio Luna is portrayed in the movie as being fierce and courageous,

which makes one wonder if the people in charge of our country right now are also

capable of forgoing their comfortable lives and genuinely fighting for our country—and

our freedom. The film's ability to emphasize history without sacrificing the human

element of emotions was one of the elements that drew viewers in. It was a

straightforward depiction of historical incidents that showed bravery and betrayal in a

war-torn nation. The way the movie was made is fascinating; the filmmakers and the

director managed to make the scene interesting but humorous at the same time, making

it more interesting so even those who don't like historical movies would probably feel

that they can like this kind of movie. The characterization of the artist, their technique,

and how they express their feelings through their movements was one aspect of the film

that we were particularly taken with. There are numerous movie sequences and quotes

that caught our attention, such as General Luna's comment, "Negosyo o Kalayaan.
Bayan Sarili pumili ka!" This illustrates how some people will put their interests before

important initiatives that will help others.1.3

Generally speaking, every aspect of the movie from the visual effects to the

characterization to the emotions was completely captivating. The movie is strongly

recommended to young people in order to inform and educate them about heroic deeds

and how they inspired other people. This period of our history will highlight the fact that

there are things we don't yet know and that there are untold, hidden stories behind

every story. The film is unquestionably a piece of art that shows how political

circumstances and power affect our history and all Filipino individuals.1.4