Heneral LUNA - FILM Review AND Reflection PDF

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FILM REVIEW/REFLECTION(HENERAL LUNA)REFLECTION: HENERAL LUNAHeneral Luna is a heartwarming yet an empowering movie that portrays the life of General Antonio Luna during the Philippine – American War. The movie is without a doubt a work of art that illustrates how power, in terms of political circums...

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FILM REVIEW/REFLECTION (HENERAL LUNA) REFLECTION: HENERAL LUNA Heneral Luna is a heartwarming yet an empowering movie that portrays the life of General Antonio Luna during the Philippine – American War. The movie is without a doubt a work of art that illustrates how power, in terms of political circumstances, affects our history and the whole Filipino citizens. Heneral Luna is a 5-star movie for me because it feels like I am not watching a movie; instead, it feels like I am watching a slice of the Philippine history. The film is beautifully made and is actually a wake-up call that we have a greater foe than the foreign countries that wants to colonize us, and that is ourselves. Moreover, creating films that signifies history also made me convinced that Heneral Luna is a 5-star movie because it is very rare today that the history is being revived in order for the new generation to see how much sacrifice were experienced in the past. Heneral Luna is truly a masterpiece but there are scenes that strike me the most. The first one is when a cabinet meeting is held and the people are divided between those who want to be allies with the United States and those who want to drive them away. The general is already fed up from hearing negotiations for peace with the United States, thus made him shouts "Para kayong mga birhen na naniniwala sa pag-ibig ng isang puta!" It strikes me because it is the reality; sometimes we let ourselves to be deceived even if we knew that our enemies are deceitful. The second one is the scene at the train station where he said to an American, “Ingles-Ingles- in mo 'ko sa bayan ko? Punyeta!". This is a striking scene because it shows that we should not be slaves in our country. We own it and no foreign country should be superior to our own land. Lastly, the scene that strikes me the most is the scene where the Spoliarium, painted by Juan Luna, the general's brother, was interwoven with General Luna's death. The scene shows the traitors who killed General Luna and his companion and then bragging them by the traitors towards the wall. At that exact moment, it really brings back the image of Spoliarium. Heneral Luna shows the reality of the past and as what I have observed in the present times, the reality of the past has been carried out until the present. The film shows how politicians and certain people with high positions used their names, positions, and power to bend the rules in their favor. It is evident that up until today, especially at this time of pandemic, many politicians and people with higher positions used their powers to bend the rules in their favor. One concrete example of this is the testing for corona virus. Many people who has positions and powers immediately asked the health care personnel to test them even if they should not be tested. There are a lot of ordinary citizens that are more prone in acquiring the virus, but these people became selfish and asked for an immediate test. Another example is the guideline that mass gatherings should not be held at this time of pandemic, but a person with a high position held a birthday party for himself. It is really ironic that he and his personnel are the ones who are in-charge to keep the people from violating the rules but they are the ones who broke their own rules. I can't help but hear General Antonio Luna say "Walang nakakaangat sa batas". This kind of situation really

proves what the general said, "Mayroon tayong mas malaking kaaway kaysa mga Amerikano. Ang ating sarili". We look at foreign countries as our foe, but the ones that are actually deceiving us are our countrymen. If I have given a chance to give Heneral Luna a title, it will be "Bayan Hanggang Pagpaslang" because I remembered that he asked Aguinaldo's cabinet, "Negosyo o Kalayaan? Bayan o Sarili? Mamili ka!" and I am sure that if General Luna will be asked the same question, he will choose the nation (bayan) over and over; and he proved it when he chose the nation until his assassination.

FILM REVIEW: HENERAL LUNA

INTRODUCTION Heneral Luna is a heartwarming yet an empowering movie that portrays the life of General Antonio Luna during the Philippine – American War. The movie is undoubtedly a masterpiece that illustrates how power, in terms of political circumstances, affects our history and the whole Filipino citizens. This historical-biographical film is released last September 9, 2015 under Artikulo Uno Productions and is directed by Jerrold Tarog, a film director, screenwriter, composer, editor, and producer, who is in the film industry since the year 2000’s. The film, Heneral Luna, portrays patriotism in the Philippines in a way that Heneral Luna, himself, did not quit in fighting for the Philippines’ freedom up until his last breath even if other high-ranked government officials is against his governorship and were starting to betray the country. The film Heneral Luna is an eye-opener to every Filipino that change and freedom should not be for our own selves only, instead, it should be for the whole country, and also an eye-opener about how the film industry in the Philippines should be given a high recognition because the Philippines can produce films that can keep up to other countries’ films.

SUMMARY The film Heneral Luna shows the Philippines’ situation after the end of the Spain’s colonization in 1898. The cabinet members, together with President Aguinaldo, General Luna, and Prime Minister Apolinario Mabini, debated whether to be allied or to drive the American Forces away that will soon enter the country. General Luna is against the alliance between the Americans because he believed that there is a hidden agenda about the Americans going in the country and that the Filipino citizens should not be slaves to their own country. He shouted “Para kayong mga birhen na naniniwala sa pag-ibig ng isang puta!” because of his disappointment to the members of the meeting. Finally, a news was received during the meeting that Manila has fallen in the American’s arms, making the President decide that General Luna should take charge in strengthening the military forces of the country. The battle against the Americans started and General Luna seek for help from the battalion in Kawit, Cavite, but the commander refuses because it is not an order from the President. Because of anger, General Luna embarrasses the commander, Captain Janolino, and started to create an army imposing his “Artikulo Uno”. After creating the army, General Luna observed that there are only few people who are willing to fight for the country, and one of them is Lieutenant Garcia, who became qualified to be one of the sharpshooters after showing his bravery when General Luna asked for a volunteer to frighten an American. After an argument in the cabinet meeting because of the support being shown by the Ilustrados, Buencamino and Paterno for Philippine autonomy as a territory of the United States, the two are being arrested because General Luna believes that they are cowards and traitors in the

country. Because of this betrayal, General Luna concluded that we have a bigger enemy than the Americans, and it is ourselves. As General Luna started to accumulate more troops for the preparation against the Americans, General Mascardo, refuses to take orders from him because General Mascardo believes that General Luna does not have authority over him. Their argument through telegram arises making them almost confront in Guagua, Pampanga, but President Aguinaldo’s order arrived. While the two are in a heated argument, the Americans attacked Bagbag and Quingua that made General Luna and the army immediately go to Bagbag. General Luna wanted to resign as head of the Army because he heard that Buencamino and Paterno have been set free. President Aguinaldo rejected his resignation because together with Prime Minister Mabini, they believed that he is the only one who is capable to lead the army. General Luna said that the only way that they can defeat the Americans is to erect a fortress in the North, so the president agreed to it. After some time, General Luna received a telegram from the headquarters of the president in Cabanatuan, and although it is suspicious, General Luna went to the headquarters with Roman and Rusca. After getting there, he discovered that Aguinaldo is not there and Buencamino is the only one in the office. An argument between them started and a gunfire outside the office was heard. He went outside and discoved that Captain Janolino and his troops are there, and attacked him. General Luna and Roman was killed while Rusca is wounded. Buencamino said that he has no involvement in General Luna’s death. Moreover the Americans published in their newspaper that President Aguinaldo is the one behind the killings of General Luna, but he denied sending a telegram to General Luna. The Americans find the Philippines shameful because one of these Americans said that “You killed the only general you have.”, pertaining to General Luna. Joven Hernando, the interviewer, leaves a remarking question saying that why should Filipinos kill fellow Filipinos, it is also the same as killing the freedom of the Philippines. Finally, he reminisce all the messages that General Luna taught him about how Filipinos should fight for the country.

ANALYSIS 

SCENARIO:

The beginning of the film Heneral Luna is not like many other films that easily starts showing the main course of the film, instead, it shows an interviewer named Joven Hernando, who is a part of a publication that wants to continue the legacy of La Independencia, and features the life of General Antonio Luna for the first article. The fictious character, Joven Hernando, became an interesting way to answer the questions of this generation to what happened in the past. Joven Hernando’s character became the generation’s representative to dig deeper in the past by being actually there in the situation. Heneral Luna shows the reality of the past and as what I have observed in the present times, the reality of the past has been carried out until the present. The film shows how politicians and certain people with high positions used their names, positions, and power to bend the rules in their

favor. General Luna once said that “Walang nakakaangat sa batas, kahit ang presidente.”, but just like before, only few people are willing to fight and love the country, thus, many people are still taking advantage to their power and positions.

DIRECTING: The execution of each scenario and the tasks of each actors are performed well and it is believed that the director is the one responsible for it. Jerrold Tarog, the Heneral Luna’s director has been in the film industry since the 2000’s. Upon researching, I discovered that aside from taking film classes at the University of the Philippines Film Center, he is interested in classic films making his expertise in filmmaking as “self -taught.” He is already exposed in the film industry and already experienced to be a director, screenwriter, producer, composer, and editor, before Heneral Luna. Because of these, his experiences and involvements to different films contributes to how Heneral Luna should be portrayed as a work of fiction based on facts. Moreover, in the beginning of the film, it is said that “While historical accuracy is important, there are bigger truths about the Filipino nation that can only be reached by combining the real and the imaginary.”, and just like what Jerrold Tarog has said, he achieved in combining the real and the imaginary by aligning the plots and characters, and by giving life to the summarized stories of our history textbooks. The film gathered admiration for how it is written and how it is being acted, thus the directing of the film is effective. 

ACTING: The way that the actors portray their character is undeniably exceptional because each scene is spontaneous, especially when there is an argument happening in the scene. The way John Arcilla, the one who portrays General Luna, throw his lines and show his expressions, will make everyone agree to what he is saying because of the convincing acting that he showed. If there is an on-going argument in the scene, the viewer will be carried away because it is like he or she is watching a live fight that has sense. Moreover, if there is a battle between the Americans and the Philippine army, and someone is being shot, the acting and execution of laying down on the ground will convince the viewer that it is true. The casts of the film embodies their role that resulted to produce each scene realistic. Because of the great acts, it can be clearly distinguished to the characters whether they really want freedom and change for their own benefit or for the country’s benefit. The effort in every actors in performing their role is evident because the whole film went smoothly. 

MUSICAL ELEMENTS: Since the director of Heneral Luna, Jerrold Tarog, has a degree in music composition in the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Music, it surely helped a lot for him to produce a good music that reflects the overall film. After researching, I discovered that he composed the film score and he got inspiration from Russian classical composers. From being the director, up to being the composer, it is obvious that he is really passionate about the things that he do. He is an inspiration that the Philippines’ film industry can produce big films and can keep up to other countries as long as passion and dedication take place. 

VISUAL ELEMENTS: The visual elements shown in Heneral Luna really bring the viewers to the past. The location of the scenarios were really just like how the houses, offices, and set-ups were built in the past decades. Moreover, the costumes of the generals, armies, women, and other casts are shown just like how the people from the past wear clothes. Everything about the film is based on the lifestyle of the past era making the entire film let the viewers feel that it is actually what happens during the Philippine-American War. Additionally, I read an article saying that John Arcilla who played as General Luna grew his moustache just to have a similar moustache with General Luna, and Mon Confiado lost weight for his role as President Aguinaldo and even looked a barber that can imitate Former President Aguinaldo’s haircut. This only proves how passionate the actors to play their role effectively. Regarding the make-ups and prosthetics, it looks real, especially every time someone is being shot in the scenario; the way the wound appears is realistic means that even the smallest detail in the film was recognized. The special effects as well is close to being real because the way it is edited is not evident while watching and it really blends in the scenario. In the research done, I also discovered that Jerrold Tarog was really paying attention in each angle, timing, and gun shots in the film. This proves, once again, that the Philippines can do better in terms of film making. 

CONCLUSION The film Heneral Luna is an eye-opener to every Filipino that change and freedom should not be for our own selves only, instead, it should be for the whole country, and also an eye-opener about how the film industry in the Philippines should be given a high recognition because the Philippines can produce films that can keep up to other countries’ films. This film does not just show us who we were in the past, but also shows us who we should be in the present. Heneral Luna is not just a story to tell, it is a history to embody. We should keep in our mind all the patriotism that General Luna has shared to us, we should not be slaves of our country nor our government officials. We should stand for what is right, not just for ourselves, but the whole country. Moreover, Heneral Luna is a proof that artists should not be degraded because artists does not just express themselves, they also stand a point through art which really makes a difference and can go somewhere higher. Jerrold Tarog, an artist, and the director of Heneral Luna proves that art can really make a difference, reach a lot of audience, and can teach a lot of people about who we were and who we should be, may it be in the film industry or in our perspective regarding the freedom and change of our country....