Heneral Artikulo Uno: Bravo, Superior!!! - Review of "Heneral Luna"

One word - "Masterpiece"

Photo courtesy of Artikulo Uno

"Heneral Luna" - I really wanted to watch this film as early as it was released; however, that R-13 rating was a roadblock of sorts and hindered me (Why? Can't bring my kid to the cinema). Anyway, the most important thing is I found a way and was able to watch it "finally" - today.

Now, how will I describe this critically-acclaimed (both by critics and audiences) movie?

One word - "Masterpiece."



Why do I call it as such? Here is why:

This is how a Biopic should be done

First things first, this movie is (if I am not mistaken) the first extensive chronicle/biopic about Antonio Luna. Little is known about the great man, to be honest. Our history classes, textbooks, and teachers offered us little about him. If there are any, most of those things are negative like he is short-tempered, tactless, and even sadistic and egotistic. Now, in Jerrold Tarog’s Heneral Luna, there is this revelation that Luna had a larger, even major role towards Philippine independence, right up there in greatness with Andres Bonifacio and even Gat. Jose Rizal.

This movie is a historical biopic done the right way. It is accurately done as it can be. There is a disclaimer at the start that there are liberties taken, but those liberties are all for the sake of making the movie watchable and enjoyable as a movie rather than being a textbook-like documentary that will make people in the cinema take some nap. Those embellishes are there, but not to the point where the story is being spun to something different.

The Perfect Casting


As soon as John Arcilla appeared on his first scene - standing in the front of the Philippine flag - I knew right then and there that he was the perfect Antonio Luna. He played the General with such understanding of the character and is a sight to behold when he delivers his interpretation of Luna's many personalities.

Photo courtesy of Artikulo Uno

As a kid back then, I always remember John Arcilla as the guy who said "Coffee na lang, dear", but after seeing him in this movie, there is no way I am going to call him that again, baka basahan pa ako ng Artikulo Uno!

Now, Emilio Aguinaldo. Well, to be honest, even before this film, I really do not have respect for the first president of our country. I despise him. I even have this rule in my coin bank - only 10 peso coins, no 5 peso coins. Bawal ang traydor sa alkansya ko! (that is how much I hate him) Surprisingly though, Tarog made Mon Confiado's Emilio Aguinaldo somewhat a palatable character, he does not look that power hungry even after all his actions. Tarog lets the audience decide if they will hate him or not. Mon Confiado's acting is a thing to behold too because his Aguinaldo is the perfect contrast to the fiery and bad-mouthing Luna of John Arcilla - his Aguinaldo is silent, cunning, and well...treacherous.

Epi Quizon portrayed Apolinario Mabini well. Even though he is permanently seated for all his scenes in the film (Yes, I have to really put that one!) because of what polio has done to his body, there is this wiseman and sage-like demeanor that Quizon brought to the portrayal of the Prime Minister.

Joem Bascon and Archie Allemana are scene stealers too with their portrayal of Col. Paco Roman and Cpt. Eduardo Rusca, respectively. Roman is the loyal and serious one and Rusca is the light-hearted and brings comic relief - even in dark hours and grim situations. They are somewhat the depiction of the two sides of personality of Heneral Luna, kinda like ying and yang.

A Script to behold

Photo courtesy of Artikulo Uno

The script was clever and well-written. There was never a dull moment in this movie that its running time of 1 hour and 58 minutes is barely noticed.

Did I mention the humor? Yes, the humor. I have watched a lot of local historical biopics, but nothing can match the humor that Heneral Luna brings. The delivery of it is somewhat ambush-like. You are engrossed in a serious scene and then "Boom!"  there goes a line that can crack a laugh that, to be honest, does not feel contrived and are priceless. You have seen the Heneral Luna memes right? There is the proof of the power of humor this film brings.

If there is humor, there is also deadshot seriousness in the script. The problems of our republic back then, still holds true up to this very day. Those lines that the general delivers will really hit you in the gut and bash you in the head and make you realize that even after more than a century, what is happening back then, is still happening now. Isang siglo na at mahigit, pero wala pa rin tayong natutunan!

Hey, I saw those homages!

Tarog cleverly borrows some iconic scenes and incorporated it to Heneral Luna and I gotta love him for doing that. When Luna was shellshocked after an explosion and overwhelmed with ringing of his ears while trying to gather his wits, it reminded me of a scene from "Saving Private Ryan."

The scene where Luna is atop the mountain lost in his train of thought with Celtic-like background music, I just thought about shades of "Braveheart" there.

When the General was brutally murdered by the soldiers of Kawit, or to put it more apt, his own fellowmen, I just can't help to think about Jon Snow being murdered by his own men of the Night Watch (from Game of Thrones of course).

Finally, when the bodies of Roman and Luna were dragged to the Churchyard, it has got to be the best homage to Juan Luna's "Spoliarium" that I have ever seen in recent years. A very powerful image.

Antonio Luna, immortalized

It is a bittersweet symphony that for all the surprising and striking historical events depicted in the film, it should not have been much of a surprise or even a new thing for most of us if we have only studied our history in a deeper way. We cannot fault our history classes, books, and teachers back then, but I think it is high time that history classes and teachers would be more inclined to discuss history to their students beyond Rizal, Bonifacio, and even Emilio Aguinaldo.

Thanks to Jerrold Tarog, this film is a great start to that. Technically a masterpiece in every aspect; sound design, cinematography, editing, scriptwriting, and casting, Heneral Luna manages to be an extravaganza without compromising its characters’ integrity. There is the usual theme of patriotism, honor, and sacrifice that all hero films should have, however, there is also the comment on our country's ongoing internal war up to this day and age - should we look more further for enemies? It is not Filipinos versus (insert any country here), but Filipinos versus Filipinos.

Tarog may not only have told a very moving historical epic that can be held up in the pedestal with Marilou Diaz-Abaya's Jose Rizal (or even higher), he also made the mostly forgotten story of General Antonio Luna enjoyable and relatable for the old generation, today's generation, and even the upcoming generations - "Immortalizing the man and his story."

Should I recommend this film? Really? Should we be talking about recommendations? Oh well, here we go, If I am going to rate this film in a scale of 1 to 10, I give it...an Eleven!

We all should get a history lesson with a bitter aftertaste. If it will shake us to the core and pump some sense to us, then it is a fair trade-off.


Artikulo Uno - Manood Ng Heneral Luna! 'nuff said!

Ciao!