The feedback has been amazing thus showing for over a month now, daily and racking in a whopping PHP 240 million pesos by October 2015. I was envious at first because I knew the movie was in Tagalog and I can't really speak or understand it. However after finding out that the Power Plant Mall cinema at Rockwell, Makati screened the movie with English subtitles, I was ecstatic and immediately made plans to watch it.
Heneral Luna is a biopic set during the Philippine-American War from 1899-1902 when the US nation bought the Philippines from their Spanish colonists and claimed the Philippines as a US territory. The story entails the US army in battle with the Philippine forces and bases its plot around the main protagonists of the film, Heneral Luna, who was the Supreme Chief of the Army under the First Philippine Republic.
The general plot begins with the American forces entering the Philippines over a hostile takeover. The then President Aguinaldo, Heneral Luna and important cabinet leaders are seen gathering to decide on the action that they must take. It is clear that Luna's stance was to fight hard to reclaim their own land from the US and there was a clear division amongst the leaders.
Luna is almost portrayed as a tyrant leader who is too harsh in the way he conducts his leadership role.This was seen when Luna marched into the base of the Kawit Battalion under Captain Pedro Janolino after he refused to listen to direct order from Luna to send reinforcements. Luna catches him in bed with a lady and pulls him out by the crotch, embarrassing him in front of his soldiers. Luna believes that this harsh way of leading is the only way that the Philippines can win the war and reclaim their own land.
The ultimate demise was the fact that his own people brutally murdered him. Teaching us (the audience) that the Filipino people biggest enemies were not the Americans but however themselves.
The most powerful scene for me was the killing of Heneral Luna. According to stories told and portrayed in the movie, he took countless number of strikes from the machete and gunshots to the face and body, but he did not go down easily and without a fight. A true story of a heroic man who seemed almost invincible.
The ending scene shows the two American soldiers saying how the Philippines only hope was Heneral Luna and they killed him themselves.
I urge everyone to watch this film. The cinematography, story line, acting, directing and editing is second to none.Jerrold Taong, the director and editor, along with his team of writers and cinematographer did an amazing job on this film. I hope it wins the Oscar for best foreign film, they truly deserve it.
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