JOSE RIZAL 1998

(FILM SUMMARY)

Submitted to:

Dr. Samuel P. Fernandez

Submitted by:

Janssen Hans L. Pascual

BBTE – BTL 4-2D

FILM SUMMARY

Jose Rizal. A noted popular National Hero of the Philippines. Jose Rizal was well
known in neighboring countries and even called the “The Great Malayan Hero” for
standing up against colonialism and fighting for the dignity of the Malay people. Jose
Rizal (1998) is a three-hour epic on the life and struggles of poet and patriot Jose Rizal,
the national hero and martyr of the Philippines, played by Cesar Montano.

It is a compressed overview of the key moments of Rizal’s life which greatly

contributed in making him a hero. Major events of his life depicted in the movie included
his childhood education, studies abroad, and his efforts to gain freedom through writing,
his imprisonment and death.

The movie introduces us to the life of subjugation of the Filipino people under the
rule of the Spanish friars. From the execution of three Filipino priests in 1872 for alleged
subversion to the harsh and unequal treatment of Filipino students in the schools, this
film is a stinging indictment of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. I also give some
respect the film for its bravery in showing the evil tyranny of the Catholic Church during
that time. Considering that the Philippines is a Catholic nation that is like butchering a
sacred cow but alas, Abaya works her magic in depicting the suffering of the Filipinos
because of the friars.

Let me give you a brief summary of the main concept of the film the film was
presented. Basically, in flashbacks in life of Jose Rizal. In the opening is while Jose
Rizal was waiting execution jailed in Fort Santiago, Manila. In jail, Rizal meets with his
chosen counsel, Luis Taviel de Andrade where Jose narrated his love from childhood to
being a man he is. Upon hearing his life story, Taviel begun to realize that the accused
is not only innocent but also exhibits the qualities in terms of the power in the
government and also an ordinary member of the society who wants equality and stops
the racial racism.

When the mock trial unreels, Taviel is all set to act as the prime advocate for his
client as Rizal himself is about to give an earth-moving speech to defend his honor and
address his countrymen. Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities have worked out the
enormous political machinery to ensure a guilty verdict until Jose Rizal was executed in
Bagumbayan. This triggered the revolution, and a blood was shed when Andres
Bonifacio, A leader of revolutionary group, attacked the Spaniards and Father
Rodriguez who ordered the execution of Jose Rizal.

One of the strengths of Jose Rizal is the incorporation of the characters of Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in the life of Rizal and of the Filipinos in general. This
only shows that the two books are reflections of the lives of the Filipinos during the
Spanish regime.

MAIN SCENE

Luis Taviel de Andrade and Jose Rizal’s conversation in prison. That’s the best
part in the movie that I love a lot. This part shows a wider picture of the history and
perspective of Rizal in the revolution. The talked and discourse on how to deal the case
of Rizal on how they need to prepare for the questions of the Governor General and the
Judge of the court.

How Rizal proves that he is innocent and ordinary concerned citizen of his
country. Rizal also explains he only gives enlightenment for his countrymen on how the
worst “Fraile” rules the Philippines. Using his novels, he wants to stop the Racial
Racisms against the ‘‘Mestizo’’ and “Idio” or Spanish and Filipinos.

SUB SCENES

 The introduction of Rizal’s life when he’s younger and how he experience during
the Spanish regime
 The process and ruling of fraile and how they treat the Indios or Filipinos when
he was young.
 The experiences of Rizal with his Spanish classmate. When they treat them
lower class of the society because of his height and skin tone.
 The narration of El Filibustirismo when the same perspective of Rizal in his
writing. When taviel compares Rizal and Crisostomo Ibarra in terms of fighting
and wanting a reform in government.
 The narration of Rizal that Ibarra is waiting for the right tie to fight. According to
Ibarra in El Fili he said that ‘Filipinos are not ready for the revolution’.
 The love interest of Maria Clara. Son of the deceased Don Rafael Ibarra;
Crisostomo changed his surname from Eibarramendia to Ibarra, from his
ancestor's surname.
 The short clips of Noli me Tangere and how Ibarra became Simun, a Filipino
who studied in Europe for 7 years,
 Taviel compares Rizal and Simoun of Noli me Tangere, because that tme
Simoun wanting a bloody revolution.
 Simoun plans to make a big explosion by planting it a candle light in a candle
holder in a big event with the big officials of Spanish on it. Specially the Governor
General and Fraile’s
 He fails because someone knows his plan and interrupted it and throw in a lake
and it explode. The Guardia Civil discovers it and they kill Simoun.
 Tavel’s says that he idolizes and salutes Crisostomo Ibarra for fighting and it’s
bravery with his pen and paper rather than Simoun who fights and will kill people
for the revolution.
 Taviel also ask Rizal if he wants to be Ibarra or Simoun in that time. Taviel’s says
that ‘Do you want to be a monster like Simoun or fight for the people with your
paper and pen”’
 Then Rizal realize that he don’t want a bloody revolution so he continue his life
writing and writing for people and wake them p. What the world with the fraile is.
Personal Reaction

The movie tells the life story of Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. It
Spanish forces occupying the Philippines in the late 19th century. We are also thrown
into the world of Rizal's novels (filmed in black and white), so we get a glimpse of how
he viewed Filipino society under the Spanish heal. One note, this movie is not for the
faint of heart. There are graphic depictions of violence and even torture.

The opening few scenes depict some episodes from Rizal's novels. In one a
Catholic priest rapes a Filipina. I guess I now know where the Mestizo (i.e., mixed
blood) class came from in the Philippines. In the other scene a Catholic priest beats a
child for alleged stealing. Strong stuff, and it made me wonder how the Catholic Church
could possibly retain any power in the country, if this is what the national hero thought
about it.

The problem in the movie is that it concentrates on historical and lesser the focus
in artistic contribution. The film, as mentioned, is basically a history book adapted to
film. My problem with this Rizal film is that the depth of this film's Rizal is as much as the
depth of Rizal you'd get from a high schooler's Filipino textbook. Compare that to Mike
de Leon's Bayaning Third World, all of which have their own historical inaccuracies, but
the Rizals there are definitely deeper, probably less a hero, but more a human.
Nonetheless, it is a splendid film that deserves much praise and acclaim.

An important movie to watch for all of filipino who wants to study Rizal. if you
want to learn about Rizal in 3 hours’ time. This is the movie to see. The film was
released during the Centennial Celebration of our Philippine freedom and it made us
appreciate more on the sacrifices made by our heroes. It also served as a reminder for
all of us on the significance of freedom and the importance of keeping it.