*CTO*
After watching Heneral Luna last Wednesday, September 16, 2015, I realized how underrated Heneral Antonio Luna was, and now people are talking about it and how successful it became and how the movie also made me feel foreign in my own country. I’d say the theme of the film would have to be, “Your worst enemies are your own countrymen.” Reflecting on this, I have realized that our Philippine hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, has also been killed by his fellow Filipinos from the commands of the Spaniards and how Heneral Antonio Luna and Dr. Jose Rizal both fought and showed their full dedication for our country over any other things. Yet, one question stuck in my head, why was Heneral Luna was not talked about and famous like Rizal, knowing that they have numerous similarities? I have learnt new things after watching the movie: First is that Heneral Luna really helped me in giving more information (added facts) and in reconnecting the things I knew or learnt in my grade school and high school years and what really happened during the Philippine Revolution, especially about the life of Heneral Antonio Luna. In this movie, it even showed the other side of Heneral Luna, his funny side, also his co-officers, so it wasn’t the typical Heneral Luna we knew in years. This is, surely, one of the reasons why this movie went viral because the way people talk, even Heneral Luna, is related on how people talk nowadays.
I have found two mise-en-scenes in the movie: First is the destroyed/damaged Philippine flag with bloodstains, that represented we are attacked by the Americans or foreign people and how we are enslaved by them, the Americans, in our own country. Second mise-en-scene is when the Spoliarium, by Juan Luna, was revived in the film. The Spoliairum showed fallen gladiators being dragged by Roman soldiers. In the film, when the katipuneros who have been told 'traitors' were pulling the killed Heneral Luna and his right hand, Paco. The use of Spoliarium made a very big impact in the film. In just one mise-en-scene, it summarized how we, the Filipinos were being treated before. Also, because it was shown in a slow motion effect, it added a more dramatic scenery of what the film wants to say. My favorite scene in this film is not just the Spoliarium, but also when Heneral Luna’s mother shared a story to him, the film also showed the events what the mother’s been saying. Like, it helped us to visualize them and it’s like, we are also traveling through time.
The cinematography of Heneral Luna: the special effects, the lighting, perfect music for the scene, is undeniably the bomb! Also, the use of the locations is perfectly chosen so, really, kudos to the Heneral Luna team. Also, a friend of mine told me that the movie is low-budgeted, but I am amazed because the costumes and the props looked like the team produced a lot of money for this movie. Other people say there are some mistakes in the movie, but all throughout, it was a very good film. I guess that is one of the reasons why it went trending for days and up until now, netizens still talk about how great and must-see this movie is. I am also very happy that after the film, we, the viewers, applauded at the end and many people, including me, did not go right away, we really waited for the credits and (spoiler alert) the next teaser to end.
I consider Heneral Luna as one of my favorite Filipino films not just because of the Cinematography and the Mise en Scenes, but the fact that I have really listed a few quotes from the film! Since I really loved it, I’d share my two favorite quotes: For the most intense: “Para kayong mga birhen na naniniwala sa pag-ibig ng isang puta.” and for the funniest quote: “Ingles-inglesin mo ko sa bayan ko?! Punyeta.”
-Orge, Xandra
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