Film Review
Jose Rizal; Directed by Marilou Diaz Abaya;
Produced by GMA Films (1998)
"Salute"
I. Brief Summary of the Movie
Plot:
The story of the movie starts when Jose Rizal is in Ghent, Belgium when he said that the country has a social cancer that should be known to his fellow Filipinos. It is the place where the printing of his second novel, he describe that he is like Crisostomo Ibarra in his first novel wherein he is full of love, but then on he became Simoun a very rich jeweller that is full of revenge. Then Rizal goes back to the Philippines to establish the La Liga Filipina in 1892. Later on the Katipunan is established, it is a group of rebel wants a change in terms of violence. Paciano, a brother of Rizal is a member of the Katipunan, and also Andres Bonifacio who acts as a leader of the rebel. Andres Bonifacio idolized Jose Rizal and his works or novels the reason why he used the name Rizal in their every attack. Paciano has been caught and tortured by the Spaniards they insist to make Paciano tell that his brother Jose Rizal is a member of the rebellion. The novels of Jose Rizal has been burned and the people who had this has been arrested, but eventhough they burned it the message of the novel will encrypt to the mind and heart of the Filipinos, and also the truth of what the Spaniards do to them.
In Rizal Residence in Manila (1896), the family inside has been in chaos, they insist that Jose Rizal's father and brother Paciano to leave their house because the eye of the Spaniards is in them. Also, in November 1996, Jose Rizal has been arrested and jailed in the Fort Santiago. There he met a Filipino servant and he told him about his story. He flashback about his life when he was a child, when Theodora his mother teaches him the alphabet in Calamba Laguna (1869) until the life of Rizal in the Ateneo Municipal (1872).Also the reason why he uses the name Rizal while studying because of the eyes of the Spaniards are in them because of Paciano being close to Fr. Burgos who accused of being subversive. While imprison in the Fort Santiago he was given a chance to have a lawyer to defend him, and he chooses Luis Taviel de Andrade. There, they talk about many things; when Rizal first saw the racial discrimination when he is studying in UST (1878) until when he was in different counties. Also when he is deported to Dapitan as a punishment, met Josephine Bracken, practice his profesion, even when his child died he tell him. In August 1896, the rebellion starts, lead by Andres Bonifacio. December 25, 1896 is the saddest Christmas of Rizal, because he is not able to hug his mother and to be with his family. On December 26, 1896 is when the trial of Rizal and the result is given at December 27, 1896, where he is judge as guilty and a death sentence on December 30, 1896.
Characters:
Jose Rizal (Cesar Montano)- The protagonist of the story, he is a martyr who wrote the book "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo", in which it depicts the life of the Filipino's in the hands of the Spaniards. The reason why he was arrested, imprison in Fort Santiago and give a death sentence.
Paciano (Pen Medina)- He is Jose Rizal's brother, a member of a group of rebel known as Katipunan. He was tortured by the Spaniards for him to tell lies that his brother Jose is the leader of the Katipunan.
Andres Bonifacio (Gardo Versosa)- He is the one who lead the Katipunan, a person who idolized Rizal very much. A person who wants freedom and insists the name of Jose Rizal to used whenever they have attack.
Luis Taviel de Andrade ()- He is a Spaniard lawyer that Jose Rizal chooses to defend him for his trial against the accused of the friars to him. He became a good friend to Rizal, and even has a shame of what the Spain do to him.
Crisostomo Ibarra/Simoun (Joel Torre)- He is the main character in the book of Rizal "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo". In the first Novel, when he was Crisostomo Ibarra, he still has a heart, a loving heart, but after of what the friars do to him. When hee came back on the second novel, he became revengeful, and known as Simoun, a very rich jeweller.
Servant (Jhong Hilario)- In the life of Rizal in Fort Santiago, he is the servant, who became a friend of Rizal.
Theodora Alonzo Realonda (Gloria Diaz) - A loving mother of Jose Rizal, she is also the first teacher of Rizal she teaches the alphabet and told him the story of "the Moth".
Josephine Bracken(Chin-Chin Gutierrez)- An English woman, whom Rizal fell in love with, when he was deported in Dapitan, the mother of his dead child.
Setting:
The setting of the story of the films happens in the Fort Santiago, because it is where Jose Rizal imprisons and taking a flashback about his life, since he was little until he was sentence death.
II. Strengths / Weaknesses of the Movie vis a vis the book of Zaide
The strength of the movie is that it shows of an actual happening of what happens before, it shows there the life, works and also the teachings of Rizal. Also in movie it gives us a good view and further understanding especially to those who are easily learn when they see and hear. And the weakness of the movie is that the context of story, because some of the events is change, like the most cruel things to be light or smooth, and the flow of events is not in sequential order. They used flashback to depicts the life of Rizal in the movie, and also there are some unnecessary.
On the other hand, the strength of the book of Zaide is that it gives us more detailed facts about the life, works and teachings of Rizal it is because the book itself is a compilation of the researches of the author. It means it composed of the findings of others. Also the order of the book is in sequence the life of Rizal. While the weakness of this, is that, because of modernization, only few people read books, especially if it is about history, and somewhat neglected.
III. Contribution of the Movie to historical/bibliographical awareness to the life, works and teachings of Rizal
The contribution of the movie in the historical awareness to the life, works and teachings of Rizal, is that it gives us an overview of what happened in the past. The view of the characters or the heroes of the past that contributes to the life of the Filipino's nowadays. Also the history itself that may change the present if may consider. While in bibliographical awareness that, it gives us the facts of the result of the things that happened before, and an overview, of the life of our heroes. All in all, the historical and bibliographical awareness shows us the things that happen in the past.
IV. Personal effect of the movie as student of PI 100
As a PI 100 student, the effect of the movie Jose Rizal is that it makes the Filipino's to be nationalistic. It tells us, what the Filipino's before do just have our freedom. It makes us to realize the importance of prosperity, integrity and loyalty to our own country. Watching the movie, it shows how the Filipino's sacrifice their life just to have our freedom, because of this it boost the confidence of ourselves to fight if you know that you are right about things, it makes us fight as long as we can do, don't back down, and be brave. It open our minds to believe that our country Philippines, to be one of the pinnacle country again.
