Movie Analysis: Jose Rizal (1998)

The movie Jose Rizal (1998) was directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya, it is a biographical film about the Philippines’ national hero, Jose P. Rizal, portrayed by Cesar Montano. It was released on June 12,1998 as part of the Philippine centennial celebration and an entry for the Metro Manila Film Festival. “Pareho ba tayo ng nakikita o may ayaw ka lang makita?” This is one of my favorite quotes in the film, this was the line of Jose in the scene where he was talking to Taviel inside his cell. Rizal fought using pen and paper, and he died for what he loved the most and that is his motherland. This biographical film about Rizal showed what being a writer is capable of, importance of freedom of speech, nationalism, patriotism, how unjust the Spaniards were to the Filipinos, enslavement of the Filipinos, heritages, and culture. For Rizal, all he wanted is for his countrymen to be treated fairly, freedom of press, and liberalism.

The setting of the movie took place in the 18th century, it is observed on the vehicles, houses, clothes, and the culture at that time. In present time, the places mentioned and shown in the movie are now considered as national heritage sites in the Philippines, namely, Dapitan, Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Malacanang Palace, and Manila (Luneta Park). Observing the symbolisms used in the movie, they use the theme black and white if the scene is about Ibarra, from his novel Noli Me Tangere and El filibusterismo, then later on it will be back to colored scene, meaning “back to the reality”. The mood of the story started calmly, Montano, who portrayed Jose Rizal, is narrating a part from Noli Me Tangere. The scenes were not chronological, it goes back to the past then present alternately. 

There were highlights in the film, I took down some notes, Rizal is a genius. He’s weapon in attempting to liberate the country is just a pen and paper. The Philippine Culture was also observed, wearing kamisetas, barong at baro’t saya, use of po at opo, kalesa as vehicle, and “mano” to elderly to show respect. Rizal had many lovers, including his cousin, I see as incest, and up to his last, Josephine. The love for his motherland is never ending. That's why he still wrote his very last piece until his last day. Rizal is considered as “makata”, the words, phrases, and sentences he used have double meaning and some encompass underlying messages. The one that left me curious is the scene where Rizal was confessing to a priest in which it led to thinking about Rizal’s retraction. The day of his death, when he was on his way to Bagumbayan, on his right hand he was carrying a rosary. 

The movie somehow brought justice to what had really happened in that era. Although there were some parts that left me confused, and some weird shifts and transitions of the scenes. Yet, I was able to understand Rizal's intention in attempting to have a grasp of liberalism. This film made me realize that all of us are a bunch of hypocrites. I observed that the soldiers who shot Rizal were his fellowmen, isn’t that ironic? Also I observed that there were some parts in the movie where they were in Europe, at the party they were talking about freedom and girls, which is disgusting. I remember the first scene where the woman is raped by a priest, and that conversation at the party is not different from that scene. Overall, the film was educational and I want to say thank you, with the help of Rizal, we have independence.