The film also works through a series of flashback showing Rizal as a genius, a write, a doctor, an artist, a lover, a friend, a brother, a son that gives texture to his character.
It shows the great explanation of the Philippine history, the nationalism and heroism in a non-violent manner, though, there were times that the characters speak in Spanish language and I couldn’t understand it unless I will read the subtitles. I could also say that the other characters weren’t having any difficulties in reciting their Spanish lines.
The actors’ dedication for the film is inevitable especially Cesar Montano who is very perfect for the role of Rizal. His values and great performance as the lead actor is impeccable and has a great impact on me as the audience of the said film.
Also, the supporting casts like Jhong Hilario who played as Rizal’s servant, Jaime Fabregas as Rizal’s attorney did a great job on portraying their role fluently. They made it easy for me to understand the flow of the story.
However, there are also negative comments that I must say about the movie. The plot was full of twists and turns. It is confusing to watch because of too many flashbacks and you couldn’t guess whether it is still in flashback or not. Also, some scenes are brutal, and some are not suitable for young kids such as the bed scene wherein the Spanish priest with the used of his power tried to rape a Filipino woman.
They should’ve cut that scene knowing that this film is not only for old-aged viewers but also to the students who are studying the life of Rizal, particularly those who have the subject El Filibusterismo and Noli me Tangere.
All in all, the movie is superbly great. It was epic, melodrama and historian. There are funny, tearful, griefs; hatred scenes that would surely make you appreciate it. The characters are unforgettable.
I particularly love the last scene when Rizal fell in the ground facing the sky, having his last breath look at a beautiful surprise – it only shows that Rizal did not die in vain. His death was just the beginning of everything we aim to face the Spaniards who made us suffer.
After watching the film, I couldn’t help but feel the sense of pride being him as the Philippine National Hero. There is no one like Rizal. He is a legacy of what a real Filipino is. We can see here how Rizal fight through education and not through guns and swords because he stated here that fighting with such violence will just only lead to the freedom which everyone in the future will just suffer from the terrible past their ancestors give them. How Rizal’s family help him like his kuya Paciano and his uncle and also his mother to make him wise about what’s really happening here in the Philippines when the Spanish governance began. Every Filipino help him go abroad to study and to write his novels for what? Of course to fight the those nasty friars who enslaved them.