This was the Filipino movie I have been waiting for, for a long time. Most of the Filipino movies that I've seen are cheap imitations of Hollywood movies with forgettable characters and forgettable plots. But I won't be forgetting "Jose Rizal" anytime soon. With impeccable production values and a truly great performance by the lead actor, Cesar Montano, "Jose Rizal" is the equal of anything that Hollywood can produce (and better than most of the crap that Hollywood routinely puts out on the street). The movie tells the life story of Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines.
It covers his life from his childhood to his execution
at the hands of the Spanish forces occupying the Philippines in the late 19th century.
We are also thrown thrown into the world of Rizal's
novels (filmed in black and white), so we get a glimpse of how he viewed Filipino society under the Spanish heal. One note, this movie is not for the faint of of heart. depictions of violence violence and even torture. torture.
The opening opening few scenes
depict some some episodes from Rizal's Rizal's novels. rapes a Filipina.
There are graphic
In one a Catholic Catholic priest
I guess I now know where the Mestizo Mestizo (i.e., mixed
blood) class class came from in the Philippines. Philippines.
In the other scene a
Catholic priest priest beats a child for alleged alleged stealing.
Strong stuff, stuff, and
it made me wonder how the Catholic Church could possibly retain any power in the country, if this is what the national hero thought about it. The movie introduces us to the life of subjugation of the Filipino people under under the rule of the Spanish Spanish friars.
From the execution of
three Filipino priests in 1872 for alleged subversion to the harsh and unequal treatment of Filipino students in the schools, this film is a stinging indictment indictment of of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. Philippines.
We
see scenes both from Rizal's actual life but also from his imagination (via his novels). As a young man, Jose is sent to study in Spain. Spain. hatched by his brother brother Paciano.
This is a plan
Jose will write and do everything everything in
his power to bring to the attention of the world the abuses of Spanish power in the Philippines, while Paciano will protect the Rizal family at home and keep up the struggle against against Spanish Spanish rule.
Jose excels excels in
his studies as a medical student at Madrid University and eventually earns a degree as an ophthalmic surgeon.
Meantime, he becomes becomes
involved with a group of radical Filipino students who also seek to end the Spanish abuses abuses in their country. country.
He eventually eventually has a falling
out with the student group as he realizes that the real struggle is
taking place place back home.
He decides decides to return return to the Philippines. Philippines.
He is arrested by the Spanish authorities upon his return to the Philippines in 1892.
He is sent to Dapitan in Mindanao where where the
Spanish authorities authorities can can keep a watchful eye on him.
It is there that
he meets the love of his life, Josephine Bracken, although the movie does not devote much much attention attention to this love affair.
When a rebellion
breaks out in 1896 the Spanish governor orders that Rizal be moved to the prison in Manila. It is here that Rizal is introduced to Luis Taviel (played by Jaime Fabregas) who has been appointed appointed to defend him at his trial.
Taviel
is a Spanish officer who at first mistrusts Rizal and views him as a dangerous revolutionary.
Most of the movie takes place place in Rizal's
prison cell cell and involves Taviel Taviel confronting confronting him about his life.
There
are frequent flashbacks but some of them are flashbacks to his novels, so it is sometimes sometimes hard to keep the order clear.
Eventually Taviel
learns to respect Rizal and he decides to do his best job in defending him. But it is to no avail.
The evil head of the Franciscan Franciscan order in
Manila arranges for a new governor to take over control of the Philippines.
The new governor promptly promptly orders orders a show trial where the
outcome has already been decided.
Rizal must die.
efforts, Taviel Taviel cannot cannot save Rizal from from his fate.
Despite his best
The verdict verdict is
reached and the execution date is set for December 30, 1896. Taviel admits to Rizal that he is ashamed to be a Spaniard. In what is the most bizarre scene of the movie, on the night before his execution, Rizal is confronted by his own character Simoun from his novel.
Simoun urges urges Rizal to rewrite rewrite him so that his mission can
be for a higher purpose. purpose.
And so in his final work, Rizal pens "Mi
Ultimo Adios" knowing full well that his death will light the torch of the Filipino Revolution. The final few scenes show Rizal being led out to the execution ground.
He requests to face the firing squad but he is denied.
Spanish want to shoot him him in the back as a traitor.
The
But as he is shot
full of bullets he manages to turn as he falls so that he lands facing the sky.
I must tell you that my my wife was crying like a baby during during
this scene and she's seen the movie movie twice. had some moisture in my eyes too.
I must also also admit that that I
I was also muttering muttering to myself
"Spanish Bastards! Spanish Bastards!".
Strong Stuff.
Rizal Movie Reaction Paper Submitted By: Kimpee M. Enriquez Submitted Submitted To: Prof. Jonathan Jonathan UY
BSC-IS-4B
Rizal’s Rizal’s Life, Life, Works Works and Writings Writings
February 17, 2010
