The divide between the gutless but glossy epics and the braver but more

intimate independent productions is so immense. As a result, movie-going

masses are fed with didactic rubbish that are designed primarily to treat
viewers like kids who prefer their stories visualized like soap operas than read
from a textbook, oblivious of the fact that there exists another vein of historical
cinema that dares to ask more questions than provide the same answers over
and over again.
Jerrold Tarogs Heneral Luna provides that essential middle ground. It is a film
that is crafted with just enough meticulousness a reasonable budget can
afford but does not pander to common but erroneous knowledge and wisdom.
Instead, it goes straight to the point of unravelling those details in history that
were left out by those who hanged the heroes. Tarogs film is an immense risk,
one that is probably fueled not by quick profit but by a profound desire to
unmask demons of idols.
As ferocious leader of a seemingly hopeless army, he is rabid and stern. As a
pal to his trusted lieutenants, he is unpredictably hilarious. As son to a devoted
mother, he is heartbreakingly dear, echoing the same sentiments he has for
his family as if it were for his motherland.

Rappler

Amidst pacing problems, Heneral Luna manages to tell a

compelling story allegorical and timely to present day
supported by a fantastic script, an impassioned score, and
inspired cinematography.

At first glance, one might mistake Heneral Luna as your run-ofthe-mill historical biopic that showcases a hero of yore whose

bravery and passion unite his people in the face of dastardly

foreign invaders. Well, this is only partly correct. There are
invaders, Heneral Luna (John Arcilla) is indeed fiercely brave
and madly passionate, but there is no unity to be found amongst
country men only infighting, personal interests, and politicking.
-

Directed by Jerrold Tarog and with a script co-written by

him, Henry Hunt Francia, and E.A. Rocha;Heneral Luna takes
a different approach in telling the story of how we lost the battle
and got occupied by the Americans. Taking cues from Oro, Plata,
Mata; the movie deliberately puts the colonialists in the
periphery, making them merely a backdrop whose presence
stirred the pot. The real focus here is the tension, the inner
turmoil, that brewed in the ranks of our so-called Filipino founding
fathers. Heneral Luna is a tale of how a dissenting voice can get
swept away and ultimately perish under a wave of egos and
personal interest.

Carrying the weight of the story is the above stellar performance

of John Arcilla in the title role of General Antonio Luna. Arcilla
plays with the whole spectrum of emotions in his portrayal of the
larger-than-life general. He is able to showcase the fierce,
boisterous, and volatile man the general has been historically
known to be, yet he is also able to flip the coin and show the
passionate, sympathetic, and battle-weary softer side of the
character. Heres a man who rides head first screaming into
battle just to rile up his troops morale, but at the same time he is
a one who can share warm moments and some banter with his
mother. He is an antihero the Wolverine of the Filipino
insurrection.

Film Police Review

One prime example of just how dynamic Arcillas portrayal can be

is during this one scene involving a chicken vendor.
Delivering virtually the same line of dialogue on two separate
moments, Arcilla is able to convey anger bordering on madness

at first and compassion nuanced with frustration soon after. It is

truly his performance that propels Heneral Luna (and, sadly, his
alone).
-

There isnt much to be said about the rest of the cast of movie,
which is a pity given that Heneral Lunaassembles quite an
ensemble. Youve got names like Joem Bascon, Alex Medina, Mon
Confiado, Nonie Buencamino, Mylene Dizon, and even Ronnie
Lazaro; but sadly none of the other performances stand out. Not
that there are any weak performances, its just that none are able
to keep up with the gravitas of John Arcillas Luna. Mon Confiados
Emilio Aguinaldo seems more like a spineless weakling who hides
behind his cohorts rather than a respected political foil; while
Ketchup Eusebios Capt. Janolino, the leader of Lunas killers,
feels too forced as a villain scorned by the titular general. The
closest character who can keep up with Lunas onscreen presence
is his equally proud contemporary, Heneral Mascardo (Lorenz
Martinez) whose refusal to give in to Luna provides a tensionfilled back-and-forth sequence in the middle of the film.
Unfortunately, because of some jagged pacing, tension such as is
this is not consistent throughout the movie.

This erratic pacing is felt most during the first act of Heneral Luna
where things play out very much like an oral history. Used as
plot device to serve as the audiences perspective, Arron Villaflor
portrays journalist, Joven Hernando, who is tasked to
interview the general. This frame narrative leads to various
snippets that feature Lunas patriotism: from an expertly-shot
rowdy meeting with Aguinaldos cabinet to earlier battles against
the Americans. Oddly, these scenes just feel lacking in connective
tissue. Its pacing is too quick to really tie the storytelling together
and it doesnt help either that some set pieces looked too clean
and glossed over lacking the grit and weariness youd expect
from a war movie. Couple this with efforts to add humor at some
odd moments throughout the film, and youve got a trifecta that
hinders the movie from fully immersing you.

Heneral Luna more than makes for these flaws though through its
artistic components such as its beautiful score, well-crafted
cinematography, and, most especially, its fantastic rhythmic
script.

Technically marvellous is the only way to describe the movies

sound design from Lunas table banging overpowering the
raucous in a cabinet meeting, to a guitar mini-concert midway
the film, to the overall masterful score. You have to give it to
effort put in by Jerrold Tarog, who not only directed the movie but
also provided its music.

All sorts of appealing too is Heneral Lunas cinematography. One

scene you have to look out for is the flashback sequence to the

generals youth. This particular scene employs one long take,

seamlessly moving from different sets that pass of as a childhood
home, Europe, and other settings from different timelines. It is a
visual spectacle, innovative and masterful in its execution.
-

Most notable though among the movies artistry is its

script. Poetic yet conversational, Heneral Lunas script is filled to
the brim with flowery lines of dialogue as if lifted from a sonata.
Its not everyday that you get to hear lines as beautifully crafted
as kailangan mong tumalon sa kawalan, digmaan ang iyong
asawa, ako lamang ay iyong querida, and para kayong mga
birhen na naniniwala sa pag-ibig ng puta. Here is a script so
elegant that it can even make curse words sound so cultured, so
tasteful.

Overall, Heneral Luna is not just a film but a wake up call driving
the ever reminder that some things never change. Its message
we Filipinos are our own worse enemies, lacking in resolve and
torn by self-interests. It is a story representative of not just our
current and still chaotic political landscape but of who we are and
what we can do but dont. Though it may not be perfect in its
execution, the film does its duty in leaving us with the question
lingering Bayan o sarili?

You might be uncomfortable with the word Hero. I know I am. It is such a loaded
word normally when I think of it in a political context. Who makes national
heroes? Well, politicians. Why? Normally because they have an agenda that they
want to push, and they single out people who they see fit the ideology they want
to back. The Filipino national heroes then, are people who push forward an idea
of nationhood for which they have sacrificed much. Being someone raised
between two cultures (I am Filipino-British), I find this idea uneasy. I see the
nation as an organizational construct, not something particularly worth dying for
or espousing violence for in order to protect. But if I look at the hero from a
particularly artistic perspective, I am more at ease. A hero is a main character
who pushes the plot of a story forward. In a sense, national heroes do the same

they are movers of our national narrative, one that is not as simple
and straightforward as our high school history books would suggest. Antonio
Luna, then, is one such person in our history, and the DAKILA Collective, an
organization that seeks to inspire heroism in the countrys youth, did a great job
by screening this biographical film for young Cebuanos before its official
September 15 release date.

Plot: the Philippines Forgotten War

The film begins at the start of the Philippine-American war as the Spanish flee
the Philippines and the Americans start to take over. The local government of
Emilio Aguinaldo (Mon Confiado) is unsure whether to compromise on Filipino
sovereigntywith American protection or to begin another war to assert the
independence of the young Republic. During the deliberations in the Aguinaldo
Cabinet, Luna (John Arcilla) convinces the President to fight and remain true to
patriotic ideals. Luna, being the Filipinos best tactician, leads the defense
against the Americans, and, well, you should know the story as the rest is history.

History as Action Movie

Heneral Luna is history as filmmaking in the Mel Gibson mode. It is quite light
on historical accuracy (the script is written in modern language), but it did take
the most juicy parts of the Luna story and dramatized it entertainingly. Like
Gibsons historical movies, the baddies are really bad (the Americans, those
genocidal bastards!), and Luna is a flawed but macho hero, admirably
characterful. I am glad that the director, Jerrold Tarog, portrayed Lunas craziness
with some emphasis, as it lifted the film above the normal Filipino
historical/hagiographical movie. Luna still comes out as quirkily lovable, however,
as it is clear that the film creators love their hero.

Hero Vs. Politician

Special mention has to go to Nonie Buencamino, who was the most watchable
performer in the movie, despite having a despicable role as the traitorous
politician Felipe Buencamino (no relation, I think). His character was not written
very sympathetically, but the humanity in Nonies acting made me really question
if he was such a bad guy. The problem with the hero vs. politician struggle is that
to be a good hero is very different from being a good politician. A hero stands up
for their beliefs against all odds, while politicians are compromisers. They have to
be the pragmatic ones who are less ideologically minded and think about what
would really be the best move for the people.

Personally, I have more admiration for the good politician as opposed to the
good military man. Give me a non-violent Ghandi or Mandela any day over any
glorification of bloodshed. However, diplomatic talks are less diverting than
explosive battlefields. Heneral Luna does do what the director in his introduction
to the film in the Dakila Collective showing said he wanted, to open up a
discussion about Filipino heroism. The fact that he introduces this question in
such a theatrical and bombastic way in this film is very admirable. For bringing
out the inherent fun in our history, Luna and Tarog, I salute you!

The Philippines has countless films about national hero, Jose Rizal, and in recent years, movies about Andres
Bonifacio have also started catching up in number.
The problem with films, however, is that they tend to leave viewers confused on whether the scenes showed on film
happened in real life. Some directors also tend to focus too much on artistic license, rather than on historical truth.
Enter Jerold Tarog and his film, "Heneral Luna." If Tarog's name sounds familiar, it's because he was named Best
Director in Cinemalaya Directors Showcase in 2013 for his film, "Sana Dati." He is also known for two other films,
"Confessional" and "Mangatyanan," which, together with Sana Dati, completes his Camera Trilogy.
The film focuses on General Antonio Luna, the brother of the famous artist Juan Luna. The younger Luna is known
for his bad temper, an aspect of his personality that was beautifully captured in "Heneral Luna."
Set during the Philippine-American war, "Heneral Luna" showed different aspects of the country's history that is rarely
shown in other local films in this genre. Tarog did not hesitate to show the flaws in Luna's personality. Luna can be
heard spewing curse words all throughout the film as he tried to win against the Americans.

Interspersed with Luna's tough personality is his determination to take back the country's independence, to the point
of pushing almost everyone against him.
Although it is common knowledge that Luna died in the hands of fellow Filipinos, seeing it in action and in the big
screen will make the viewers feel bad for Luna.
Of course, any film will not be as successful without the acting prowess of its actors. John Arcilla is perfect for his role
as the short-tempered Luna. His acting is complemented by Mon Confiado's superb portrayal as Emilio Aguinaldo.
Arcila and Confiado are joined by Epy Quizon, Joem Bascon, Archie Alemania, Aaron Villaflor, Nonie Buencamino,
Ronnie Lazaro, Ketchup Eusebio, Paolo Avelino and Mylene Dizon, among others.
As soon as the film starts, Tarog warns viewers that he used his artistic license to alter series of events depicted in
the film. Despite this, the film stuck as close as possible to historical facts, as seen in the details in the film.
One of the most unforgettable scenes in the film is Luna's death, which was depicted as close to the actual event as
possible. Watching what happened to Luna may make one lose his or her faith in humanity, or in his or her fellow
Filipinos, at the least.
Aside from his death, the film was also able to depict Luna as normal as possible. He is a man who curses, a man
who loses his temper over small things, a man who loves, a brother, a son, a musician, and most importantly, a great
leader who was not afraid to use violence to get what he wants.
Arcilla's acting is also a big factor, enough to make one think that the film may not be as effective had a different actor
played the role. But then again, most of the actors were trained in independent films where they are asked to go out
of their comfort zones.
Brutal and tragic, yet eye-opening, "Heneral Luna" may well be one of the few films that was able to combine both
history and art, without sacrificing anything.
The film does not aim to change one's view on heroes, or to replace Rizal and Bonifacio in the Filipino
consciousness. Rather, its simple goal is to share a lesser known hero's story, and to make Filipinos realize that
heroes are human, too.

First, a confession: I learned more about Philippine history in two hours inside the theater than I did in one
semester inside the classroom.
We finally found the time to watch Heneral Luna at Cinema 3 of Gateway Mall in Quezon City last Sunday
and we were not at all surprised why all seats were taken (ask Tempo columnist Robert Roque who was
there with his family) because more and more people (50 percent discount for students, two of them with
us) have been trooping to the theaters, thanks to the glowing reviews (and word-of-mouth endorsements)
the movie has been reaping.
In fact, Luna opened in only a number of theaters on Sept. 9 and its now drawing big crowds in more
than 100 theaters, hooray! Now we know why the movie has been selected as official submission to the
Best Foreign Language Film category of next years Oscars. I dont quite agree with the opinion of some

friends that the 5,000 voting Academy members will frown on Luna because, according to my friends, it is
anti-American, set as it is during the Philippine-American War in the 1890s when Luna and his trusted
men led a Philippine Revolutionary Army.
But director Gil Portes, who has had three films entered also as official submission in the same Oscar
category, doesnt think so because, he said, most of the Academy members are Jewish. Lets keep our
fingers crossed for Luna which, if you ask me (with the expected hundreds of other official submissions
from other countries unseen), deserves a serious attention from some 400 Academy members who vote
for the Foreign Film category.
The two students with us were asking if Gen. Antonio Luna was as temperamental, threatening to kill
anybody who disobeyed him, as John Arcilla portrays him. Not good in history (whether World, American
or Philippine), I told them that I presumed Gen. Luna was and I was discovering it from the movie. I didnt
see John from start to finish. He got under the Lunas skin so effectively that it was Luna that I saw on the
screen from our third-row seats (the only ones unavailable).
Although admittedly older than Luna was (heard that John Lloyd Cruz was the first choice but negotiations
failed), John fleshes out the character with impunity, consistently brash, aggressive and impulsive until the
very end when he is killed in a manner more bloody and more brutal than the slow-motion killing of
Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde.
Right before the Irish band U2 performed Helter Skelter during their live concert recording for
their Rattle and Hum album, lead singer Bono told the audience, This is the song (murderer) Charles
Manson stole from the Beatles. Well, were stealing it back.
I am glad that Jerrold Tarogs film, Heneral Luna was made because it steals" back something precious
from the way history is written by the victorious Americans.
You see, the Philippine-American War has always been viewed as an insurrection by the American
government than a genuine war. If we follow that train of thought then theirs too is an insurrection against
British rule during their own war of independence. They formed their own Continental Congress and
declared themselves free and independent states in July of 1776 (although the war ended in 1783). How
different is the Philippines' Declaration of Independence made in Kawit, Cavite?
From the jaws of victory, independence was cruelly snatched away from the Filipinos who fought so hard
for independence from Spain. And for $20 million, the country was sold by Spain to America. It wasnt an
insurrection. It was a war of independence from two colonial masters and this film pays honor and respect
to Antonio Luna, one of the men who boldly stood against imperialism.
Tarogs film has generated a firestorm of interest and admiration, and it not only puts Luna on the
pedestal he deserves but venerates him (and short of vilifies Emilio Aguinaldo who was indirectly or
directly involved in the deaths of two strong-willed military leaders of that era Luna and Andres
Bonifacio).

Having said that, Heneral Luna" is a masterpiece and here is why.

First and foremost, it is a historical biopic done the right way. It is as accurate as it can be. There are
embellishes here and there but never to the point where it spins the story into something altogether
different. The casting is spot on, the production design a marvel to behold, and the cinematography, a
pleasure to watch.
A wonderful script that flows
The script is clever and it flows. Scenes do not drag especially in the long exchange between Luna and
Tomas Mascardo.
Heres where Tarog hits it out of the park the humor in the dialogue, although used sparingly like a
well-laid ambush, isnt contrived and is priceless. Its usage is so totally unexpected like how it was so the
Guardians of the Galaxy film that makes it more memorable or even quotable.
And it brings something so Filipino to the film finding humor in the bleakest of situations. For example,
the train station scene was absolutely hilarious! But it never gets out of hand, never trivializes the incident
or the story and it quickly veers back on course. They were in the middle of a war after all.
And John Arcilla, in the titular role of Antonio Luna, delivers his lines with aplomb and never in that
overacting manner that seems to come with Filipino films.
The manner of how Luna dissects the problems of the nascent republic resonate and touch a chord
because they hold true even to this day. Remember that famous quote by Spanish philosopher George
Santayana Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. A lot of the problems
that plagued those early patriots still face us today. Whether it is a message or a sermon, it doesnt come
across as preaching. In fact, it is an incredible comparison that should leave you thinking that we have
learned nothing.
Now we all know what befell Luna. And throughout, there are subtle reminders. However, the impending
doom as imparted by his mother, Laureana (and not his brother, Joaquin, in real life) makes it even more
tragic. What parent wants to bury their child? And it was made all the more poignant as Lunas family life
is briefly told in a beautifully executed flashback.
A deadshot of a cast
Remember the scene where Luna asks for a volunteer and a certain Garcia stands up and makes his
way close to the American lines where he takes some shots just to send a message that they arent as
safe as theyd like to think? Well, that Lieutenant Garcia in real life commanded Lunas Black Guard and
like the deadshot that he was so is the cast of Heneral Luna.
Its a large cast and most everyone is given proper time to flesh out their personalities.

Based on all the historical reports about Luna, John Arcilla captures the fiery officers personality
perfectly. When he shifts from that gruff exterior to a gentler person when around the ladies, he does it so
well.
As a child who keenly devoured anything and everything related to our Revolutionary War of
Independence, I have strong feelings against Aguinaldo. Yet I like how Tarog doesnt exactly make out
Mon Confiados Aguinaldo to be the power hungry leader many believe him to be following the deaths of
Bonifacio and Luna at the hands of his men. He leaves that to the audience to decide.
I thought that Epi Quizon was magnificent as Apolinario Mabini. Like Confiados Aguinaldo, he is pensive
but he is quick to make his thoughts known. In spite of Mabini being rendered immobile due to the
ravages of polio, Quizon brought a regal bearing and sage-like aura to the Prime Minister.
Although not much is known about Lunas two aides, Colonel Paco Roman and Captain Eduardo Rusca, I
love how Tarog depicted them like the ying and yang of Lunas personality.
Joem Bascons Roman was the more serious and pensive one while Archie Alemanias Rusca brought a
light-heartedness to an otherwise grim situation. Sort of reminds me of Ron Livingstons portrayal of the
fun-loving alcoholic Captain Lewis Nixon in "Band of Brothers" as an opposite to Damian Lewis serious
Captain Richard Winters.
Mylene Dizon, who brought in a fictional love interest for Luna, showed that Isabel was strong in her few
minutes of screen time.
Oh those delicious homages
I love how Tarog borrows from scenes from Saving Private Ryan where Luna is momentarily
shellshocked before he regains his wits and wades right back into battle. Theres that Braveheart scene
where Luna sits atop the mountain lost in his thoughts with Celtic-like music playing.
When I saw the part where the bodies of Luna and Roman are dragged in the Churchyard, I thought it
was a great geek moment, Hey, thats a neat way of paying homage to Juan Lunas 'Spoliarium.
An excellent bookend framing sequence
The fictional biographer/journalist of Joven (as played by Arron Villaflor) provides an excellent framing
sequence as does the Revolutionary Flag that seems to grow darker and dirtier as time passes. I figure it
also signifies the assassination as a dark time in our nations history. And Luna was proven correct all
throughout his short life from the duplicity of the Americans, to the need to conduct guerrilla warfare
and to build that fortress up in the north.
Tarog freely admits during the films introduction that he took some liberties to heighten the story. I am fine
with that. One of these incidents was Lunas famous charge atop his horse. In the film, that takes place

early in the war against the Americans. In reality, it happened three months after his first battles with the
Americans in La Loma.
However, I wish though that Tarog gave more screen time to the death of Jose Torres Bugallon who dies
in that battle in the trench. Bugallon led a charge on the American lines and though fatally shot, continued
to advance. Luna rescued Bugallon and before he passed away, promoted him to the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel.
I wish that they had placed a date to the assassination that would have showed that there was indeed a
conspiracy to murder the general. For on the very day of the assassination, Felipe Buencamino, the
Secretary of Development in Aguinaldos cabinet and a Luna foe, says that the President had left
Cabanatuan for Tarlac. Yet around the same time Luna is murdered, Aguinaldo shows up at Angeles to
disarm General Venacio Concepcion and his troops who were loyal to the former. Lunas other aides, the
Bernal brothers are also brutally murdered.
The scene between Aguinaldo and his mother and the subsequent slaying where Trinidad, the Presidents
mother, asks from the window if Luna is still moving has me thinking, Oh, theres a Cersei Lannister and
Joffrey Baratheon!"
They say that history is written by the victors. But if my recollection is correct, those Philippine history
books werent exactly written by Americans. The murder of Bonifacio and then Luna leaves everyone
hanging as if it refuses to bring down a so-called venerated hero of the revolution. As a kid (and I still feel
the same way now), I felt that these historians did someone a great disservice.
Thanks to Jerrold Tarog, Heneral Antonio Luna is given his due.

When a movie decides to take on the subject of our history, it tends to adhere to a certain
form. It is, more often than not, a form dictated by reverence. The subjects are heroes first,
and humans second, and the events depicted within are all moments of great import, every
single scene some great turning point in their lives and in the tide of history. And more often
than not, this form results in staid, boring storytelling. Heneral Luna achieves distinction
by going against all that. It is the rare historical film that seems to recognize that our history
is in equal parts farce and tragedy. And it places in its center one of the most complex and
flawed personalities to take part in these absurd proceedings.
The film picks up with the Americans arriving in the Philippines, their true motivations still
unknown to the fledgling Filipino government. Antonio Luna (John Arcilla), as commander of
the Filipino military, advises President Aguinaldo (Mon Confiado) to strike before the
Americans gain too much of a foothold in the country. He meets resistance from other
members in the cabinet, particularly those interested in doing business with the Americans.

Soon enough, the country is at war with new invaders, and Luna tries to fight them off while
having to deal with the rampant insubordination within the ranks.
What is immediately striking about the film is that its funny. This is ultimately a very serious
movie, one that can only drive towards the tragedy of its subjects fate and the implications
of that event. And it ends up delivering a very powerful message about the country and its
history. But it manages to find levity in its depiction of our revolution. It doesnt take very
long for the film to reveal its irreverent streak, its first big battle designed to highlight the
absurdity of Lunas situation. There is an element of farce to the whole thing, the film finding
strange, sad humor in the national pursuit of self-interest. And Luna himself is a comedic
figure, a madman prone to bursts of manic laughter in the face of the bloody realities of
warfare.
The result is a much stranger film than one might expect from a historical epic. These films
tend to be little more than limp-wristed hagiographies, the usual demands of storytelling
giving way to the perceived need to pay tribute to the giants of history. But quite
appropriately, given its subject, the movie is much braver and much more accomplished. Its
just more willing to try things, to break out of the staid, boring bonds of the genre in order to
make the history come alive. The film gets as much out of a series of telegrams between
Luna and General Mascardo as it does from big battle sequences. In accepting the frailties
of its characters, the film is able to find action in places other than the battlefield.
Some parts do feel a little awkward. American speech from the period just never seems to
fare well on screen, and a section of the film devoted to Luna the lover feels like a
distraction more than anything else. But though not everything works, the films willingness
to take risks ensures that its never boring. And those risks are managed well enough with
sharp filmmaking and excellent acting. John Arcilla puts on the performance of a lifetime as
Antonio Luna. The actor gives Luna a certain sense of glee that separates the performance
from any other portrayal of a national hero. His Luna seems fully human, if a little bit
monstrous. At his side, Archie Alemania almost steals the show as he goes above and
beyond in a strong supporting turn. Mon Confiado, Epy Quizon and Nonie Buencamino,
among others, offer strong, bold spins on big historical figures as well.
Beyond its obvious technical achievements, Heneral Luna is worth seeing for its
audacious approach to tackling our countrys tragic history. It is all at once bold, artful,
darkly funny, informed and deeply entertaining. Some bits of it work better than others, but
as a whole portrait of this volatile, fascinating individual and the time in which he existed,

the films audaciousness pays off in spades. It makes the revolution come alive in
surprising, delightful ways. This film triumphs in capturing the spirit of its subject, the whole
enterprise fueled with a heady mix of rage, irreverence and a genuine love of country. It is
everything that an Antonio Luna biopic should be.

By focusing on arguably the most ruggedand therefore the most dynamicfigure of

the Philippine war against the American invaders, Jerrold Tarogs Heneral Luna
revives the historical action movie and in effect, revitalizes two dormant genresthe
action film and more important, the historical film.
El Vibora, which is actually a film adaptation of the Tagalog komiks novel
mythologizing the life and exploits of the Filipino general Artemio Ricarte, whom
Luna succeeded as commanding general of the Philippine Army, was a hit in the early
1970s, which, extending from the 1960s, perhaps constituted the golden era of
Philippine action movies.
Heneral Luna is hardly an all-out action movie like El Vibora, but its battle scenes
are well-choreographed and engagingly photographed. The advances on film
technology have been fully exploited by Tarog, an all-around filmmaker, in the service
of the historical action movie.
His technical facility and viewer-friendly approach (Tarogs romance movie, Sana
Dati, won the Cinemalaya Directors Showcase for best picture and best director in
2013 over more serious movies by very senior directors) have enabled him to revive
the fortunes as well of the historical movie.
Financed by a group led by businessman Fernando Ortigas, Heneral Luna is
superbly made; the camera works are among the most impressive of late in a
Philippine movie. The production design and art direction are topnotch.
The opening scene has Luna boasting that his master painter brother, Juan who else,
had helped him design the uniform of the nascent Philippine Army; and the movie
later makes references to Juan Lunas Le Parisienne, in telling the life of the
Filipino expatriates and Propaganda Movement in Europe, and of course, in a very
stark fashion toward the end, to Spoliarium, in which the assassinated bodies of the
general and his aide, were herded like the vanquished gladiators in the famous mural
that now graces the National Museum. And of course, the all-star cast is first-rate,
with John Arcilla in the career-defining role of El Heneral.
It helps that the subject matter is an action man in the most literal sense of the term.
Movies on Filipino patriots have been either frozen in timefossilized and even
desiccated because of their subject matters contemplative character (the
intellectual Rizal) or their clich heroics-cum-hysterics (Bonifacio and his monumental Cry of Pugad Lawin). But with Antonio Luna, Filipino audiences get both an

intellectual (Luna was a scientist and poet) and a man of action (he was a marksman
and fencer and studied military tactics in Europe).
Moreover, Luna was a far cry from the tale of Philippine heroics: he won battles
against the vastly superior Americans and was not a loser, unlike Bonifacio and
Aguinaldo and perhaps much of the Philippine pantheon of heroes.
Of course, Heneral Luna is an action movie with significant content, even a
distressing and depressing content. Weaving both fact and fiction, the screenplay (by
E.A. Rocha and Henry Francia with Tarrog) plumbs one of Philippine historys
greatest mysteries: the assassination of Luna. The result is a compelling tale of
political intrigue and even conspiracy.
A tragic hero in the most literal sense of the term because of his brilliance, hubris and
tragic flaw (his arrogance and inflexibility), Antonio Luna appears the hapless victim
of the shallow personality orientation of much of Philippine politics and government.
Perhaps even worse, hes the victim of the damaged culture of the Filipinostheir
lack of discipline, their incapacity to rise beyond filial, feudal, regional, parochial
interests, their emotionalism and extreme sensitivity that make them harbor deadly
grudges for the pettiest criticism or slightest slight, and the historic unprofessionalism
and opportunism of their military and police officer corps.
Above all, Luna was the victim of the ultra-nationalism that has bedevilled our study
of Philippine history and made us apes and parrots of the Anglo-American yarn of la
leyenda negra. Luna was a reformist who did not believe in the Philippine revolution
or at least like Rizal, believed the Filipinos were not yet prepared for independence
from Spain, and like Rizal much later, sided with Spain in the war with North
America, and eventually with the Filipino revolutionaries in the defense against the
invasion. It has been repeated no end that Lunas is again one tired proof that the
revolution devours its own children. This is not true. The revolution did not devour
Luna: El Heneral was assassinated by the revolution

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Historical biopics are tricky. You must check and countercheck facts since this is no fiction. It is as
real as it gets.
When Artikulo Uno came up with Heneral Luna, a biopic on Antonio Luna, the task was far from
easy.

Here was a man even his American military adversaries hailed for his brilliant strategies. Here was a
man who commanded the respect of thousands of soldiers, and evenif the film is to be believed
made Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, feel jittery in his lofty post.

HUMAN SIDE. Still, General Antonio Luna (ably played by the award-winning John Arcilla), is
human. The film made sure moviegoers aged 13 and above (the Movie and Television Review and
Classification Board rated it R-13) saw that.
He fell in love with Isabel (played by Mylene Dizon). He admits getting tired of fighting and plotting
ways to outwit the enemy in times of war. He is putty in the hands of his mother (Bing Pimentel).
And oh yes, he flies into a rage all the time when he sees cowardice and laziness.
Thats because Antonio Luna was anything but cowardice and laziness. He flirted with danger and
death. He went the extra mile to marshal military troops, even when his own carriage driver thought
it was time to call it a day.
In the heat of battle, Luna thought nothing of charging solo at American troops armed with cannons
and machine guns. He called esteemed men in government and business moguls as cowards
because they chose to collaborate with the enemythe Americansinstead of fighting them to
liberate the Philippines from yet another colonizer.
Luna was unforgiving when it came to traitors and soldiers who twiddle their thumbs while their
counterparts elsewhere die for the motherland.
The Sublime Paralytic Apolinario Mabini (played by Epy Quizon) was right when he said that it was
impossible to control Luna.

POETIC LINES. Nasubukan mo na bang hulihin ang hangin? he asked when someone, in
desperation, sought his advice on handling the feisty general.
These poetic lines are something you dont usually hear in rom-coms that fill moviegoers ears many
times over.
Kailangan munang tumalon sa kawalan, Luna replied yet again to a young mans question on how
Filipinos can finally enjoy freedom.
Filipino is not the only language the well-educated, well-traveled Luna is fluent in. His trips to Europe
made the affluent Luna conversant in French (after all, his mom went by the aristocratic name Dona
Laureana Luna).
So, its strange that one scene showed Luna talking in halting English, and finally ordering one of his
men to arrest an American trying to stop him from using the train because he (Luna) admitted
running out of words to say to the foreigner.

This is no Indio. This is a man who studied in the best schools, Ateneo, among them. Best of all, this
is a man whose confidence was tested in the toughest of places: the battlefield.
Hes expected to speak the Kings Language with utmost confidence.
Or were the filmmakers trying to inject humor in an otherwise heavy film filled with gore, fighting,
confrontations, intrigue and betrayal?
The opening scenes did say that the filmmakers took some liberties here and there. Was this one of
them?

WRONG VALUES. Another scene showed Filipino civilians crowding a train Luna wanted to use to
transport soldiers in the fastest way possible (back in 1898, that was the fastest means of
transportation).
In so doing, the soldiers cant even take a single seat in the train jampacked with their kababayan
raring to enjoy the sights.
If this was again a case of creative license, it hit the bulls eye this time. It showed howthen and
nowwe Filipinos still prioritize family over everything, even something as sacred as love of country.
This, Luna rightly observes, is our undoing, the waterloo that keeps us from forging ahead to a
brighter future.
Theres another fly in the ointment: Emilio Aguinaldo, no less. The film depicts him as an emotional
weakling. Although the film didnt show any specific scene pointing to Aguinaldo as the culprita
series of events singles him out.
Aguinaldo sent Luna a telegram summoning him to go to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, in what the
general thought would be a meeting that will anoint him as a new cabinet member.
Before that, his men were telling Aguinaldo how Luna posed a serious threat to his (Aguinaldos)
presidency. Read: Luna literally and figuratively had to go.
Put two and two together, and you get the picture, without images staring at you on screen. Who
needs those images when you also know that Aguinaldo is also a suspect in the killing of another
hero, Andres Bonifacio?
While Antonio Luna stands erectlike a lion looking over his lair, Aguinaldo (played by Mon
Confiado) lacks that unmistakable glint in the eye, that gung-ho leaders are known for.
If the goal is to show Aguinaldo in a less-than-flattering light, the film succeeded, not only in the
steady march of events it shows. It succeeded in the way Confiados stance lacked that sparkle of
leadership, that sure-footedness one expects from the head of a republic.

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TO INSPIRE, NOT TO BRING DOWN. The film is tilted in Antonio Lunas favor.
After all, the film is for, of, and about Luna. Its a film that will move you to dare, to love your country.
It aims to inspire, not to bring down.
Aguinaldoif you are to go by the films premiseis not someone who will not deliver on this
promise.
Where Luna follows the beat of a more noble drummer (the motherland), Aguinaldo seems to listen
only to the call of selfish ambition.
Moviegoers, especially young people who are the prime targets of Heneral Luna, are supposed to
see the stark contrast, and take the cue from there. Not only that.
Theyre supposed to do something about it by letting Lunas fire consume them as well.
If only it were that simple. Seeing a hero die for ones country on screen is one thing. Luna did it.
Ninoy Aquino did it.
But seeing change happen because of it is another.
The death scene of Antonio Luna is as brutal as it is highly stylized.
When Luna's lifeless body is being dragged across the courtyard, the scene is suddenly arranged to
mirror The Spoliarium, the famed painting of Juan Luna (the brother of Antonio).
Instead of a bloody gladiator being pulled away from the Roman Colosseum, a bloody Antonio Luna
is being pulled away from the cruel battlefield that is Philippine politics.

SLEEPING LUNAS. Will the seeds Heneral Luna plant once it opens in commercial theaters bear
fruit, especially among the young?
It should. But the question is, will the present political systemchaotic as it isallow it?
The film is a clarion call to awaken the sleeping Antonio Lunas in each of us. Like Luna, that cry of
Fuego! may misfire. It may get muffled in the political wrangling and crass ambition all around us.
But as Heneral Luna shows, its worth a try. It may be flirting with the unknown, with danger.

But why curse the darkness when you can light a little candle? Thats what heroes are supposed to
do.
Thats the challenge Heneral Luna poses. Yes, it could be like fighting windmills. But youve got to
start somewhere, however smallby reporting a wrong, standing up to corruption, saying no to
mediocrity.
It could get you in trouble. But it could also make you feel good about yourself.
Hope does spring eternal, after all.

P.S. Stay behind for the post-credit scene: you won't regret it.
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Its a challenge to create a historical movie based on differing accounts with the added burden of
portraying one of the countrys national heroes in a manner faithful to the persona.
What we knew in high school of Heneral Antonio Luna (played authoritatively by John Arcilla) is, like
other heroes, sketchy. He is remembered as a formidable general, a cut above the other generals.
What he accomplished has been murky and his life tragically cut down by soldiers loyal to General
Emilio Aguinaldo (Mon Confiado) at the height of the Filipino American War.
Lunas earlier years in the war against Spain, or his role as propagandist is bypassed to concentrate
on what has been a puzzle for historians: The defeat of Filipino forces by American troops.
Vintage photographs of Aguinaldo and his cabinet composed of wealthy gentlemen and radical
ideologues and revolutionaries all have the same serious and officious poses, belying the
antagonistic differences they actually had for one another. In contrast, a movie with charged scenes
of shoutings and debates among these same gentlemen, each side with very arguable positions sets
the first historical lesson for viewers. We lost the war because of disunity. That disunity stemmed
from a native penchant of thinking about family, clan, or even province before a then nascent concept
of nationhood.

The movie also underscores how the conscripted Filipino troops, full of patriotic intentions, had little
military training or fighting experience as opposed to confident American generals and their gung-ho
troops with ample firepower who saw previous action fighting Indians and reconcentrating tribes in
the American plains or earlier, in the grisly Civil War.
The portrayal of Luna, his colleagues, and his opponents are not one-dimensional. Instead, we see
their vulnerabilities and stained characters. Luna may have been brilliant as a military strategist and
leader but his irascibility and obsessive demands for discipline would fatally backfire later. Felipe
Buencamino (Nonie Buencamino) and Pedro Paterno (Leo Martinez) presented as wealthy citizens
ready to negotiate with the Americans arent just capitalist sell-outs but were under the notion like
Aguinaldo that the Americans were coming to help rout the Spaniards and give some degree of
freedom, like what they did in Cuba. Besides, they asserted, the months old republic couldnt afford
a war against a new world super power.
Lunas persistence in continuing the fight against the Americans didnt come across as knee-jerk
nationalism. In a dream sequence induced by his elegantly terno-draped mother, Doa Laureana
Luna (Bing Pimentel), a love for country is poetically traced beginning with his painter brother Juan
Luna and the camaraderie developed between him and Jose Rizal. The seamless sequence
continues through several scenes ending with Rizal executions and his poetic farewell to his country.
There is the requisite romance for heroes but Lunas love affair with vivacious Isabel (Mylene Dizon)
is not maudlin in the least. She is strong willed and wealthy who initiates a passionate kiss with Luna,
and slightly worries but doesnt fret about his fighting knowing that its necessary. At one point,
caught in a contretemps between Luna and his opponent, she severely admonishes both, comparing
them to children. It came to no surprise that their love scene would be unconventional. No slow
seduction here; rather, they tempestuously fling themselves onto the bed. The burly Arcilla and the
self-possessed Dizon manage to pull off an erotically charged bed scene in the midst of a war.
General Aguinaldo is the enigma in the movie and Mon Confiado mysteriously acts it as well. We
were taught in school that Aguinaldo put up a good fight against the Americans until he was captured
in 1901 and called on his fellow soldiers to surrender. The death of Andres Bonifacio and Antonio
Luna, both in the hands of Aguinaldos soldiers are not satisfactorily explained. Instead, both are
accused as arrogant, disloyal and going off on their own battles which amounted to treason. In an
abnormal war atmosphere with little time to dispense fairness, Aguinaldo may have had to engage in
quick retributive justice. We will never really know what happened as the film ends with deadpan
Aguinaldo recounting his version of the event leading to Lunas death.
Apolinario Mabini (Epy Quizon) is portrayed sensitively as the wise counsel to Aguinaldo and in more
than a few heated arguments, is deferred to with his wise insights or with just a raised eyebrow.
The battle scenes were quite authentic with bombs blowing away and bullets whizzing by and
soldiers being shots at indiscriminately. It felt you had no handle on when you would die or if you
should live to tell the tale. The gore that comes about with heads being blown away and blood

splattering all over leading up to the spontaneous ritual of the multiple stabbing and almost endless
point blank shooting of Luna (he manages to live and flail wildly for many more minutes) seemed
pretty horrific. The upshot can be a meditation on the cruelties of war and swearing never to repeat
it. Or theres a gore-thirsty audience out there that will certainly get their fix.
There are more actors in this movie that performed with distinction like Art Acua, as Col. Manuel
Bernal, Lorenz Martinez as Gen. Thomas Mascardo, Paulo Avelino as Gen. Gregorio del Pilar,
Archie Alemania as the ever loyal Captain Eduardo Rusca, Joem Bascon as Col. Paco Roman, who,
as soldiers, performed the necessary swagger, exhibiting courage or doubts in the task of defending
a fragile archipelago. What were to me, once archival images of the same stiffly posed soldiers, are
now, given sinew, sweat, and pathos by their thespian talents.
The director Jerrold Tarog did a masterful job of bracketing several years of Heneral Lunas military
period and contextualizing it in the maelstrom of the Philippine American War. Tarog captures wars
horror and the insidious feudalistic practices among the principals that would later work against
them. He is a genius in creating a dream sequence that poetically summarized the aspirations of a
people. The scenes of debate and harangues within Aguinaldos cabinet werent just raucous and
gratuitous behavior but the acting out of persuasive arguments that gives the contemporary historian
pause to reflect on and find these same arguments still alive today. Did the concept of nationhood so
very nascent then matured 100 plus years later? I fear not.
Where Tarogs directorial talent shines is in the way he casts his characters to be embodiments of a
young and searching nation. We are the jaded audience who have seen revolutions and upheavals
since coopted by the real sleaze and traitors that would make the Buencaminos and the Paternos as
mere petulant spoiled brats. Tarogs characters, either nefarious or saints, exhibited that strain of
innocent passion which weve long lost. After all, they just waved the new flag for the first time, sang
a new anthem in their language, written a constitution of their own, established an army, and before
this historical period begins, have just about vanquished the Spaniards and laid siege to Manila. And
were now poised to take on the most powerful country in the world. Tarog brings out that innocent
passion before the war spirals downward and the body count goes into the hundreds of thousands.
This movie inspires in its successful ability to remember the heroes and their decisive roles and
moments in history. Dont miss it.