Movie review

Reaction Paper

The movie was all about 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 equipped into the world of two novels of Rizal (filmed in black and white), so we get a glimpse of how he viewed Filipino society under the Spanish regime.

I really enjoy watching the movie because of its nationalistic theme and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride when watching certain parts. For the first time, I enjoyed watching a film without getting bored. The movie has its own complexity and some see-through based on true fact, I believe that the fact that Jose Rizal did have a love affair with his cousin should not have been shown in the movie because it gives Jose Rizal a new and bad light after he kissed Leonor Rivera, his cousin.

As I am watching the movie questions was on my mind. Does his death trigger the revolution activities? Was it beyond his will, or did he want it to happen? The night before execution, the ghost of Simoun came out in his room, and urged him to rewrite the story. At last Rizal says "Let me have a rest. To know who I am." Then he rewrites the story so that the lamp explodes to kill many suppressors. I really like this part.

Since I first knew of Rizal in a book when I was Grade 2, I have had a question. Why is Rizal the National Hero, not Bonifacio, nor Aguinaldo? Rizal did little except writing two novels. Why? Watching the movie, I found the answer. Historically, his books and his death triggered the revolution activities. But true reason is, I suppose, that Rizal had a universal view on freedom and humanity.

I was impressed by the following lines: A) after having death sentence, his barrister says he is ashamed as Spanish. Rizal says, "No, we are the same human beings." B) In a Madrid pub, he says "Unless we first learn self-respect, we will not be respected by any other people. He was not a perfect man, nor his ideas. But he left something everlasting, that Filipinos can be proud of.

I really like the setting of the movie. The actors and actresses were very good especially Cesar Montano who portrayed the role of Jose Rizal.

This movie is a worth recommendable especially for the Filipinos who were not proud where they came from.