A Nation’s Struggle: A Sociological Critique of Heneral Luna (2015)

By: Liam Lael Ladores

Introduction

A film released on September 9, 2015, under the directory of Jerrold Tarog, Heneral Luna is a Historical Film portraying his life and leadership in the Philippine-American War. The film highlights Heneral Luna’s nationalism and willpower in defending the Philippines from the oppression of America, leading to his tragic death. Heneral Luna is not just a film, it’s a historical film on the political struggles and societal divisions which continue to remain relevant to this day. With the use of sociological criticism approach, this establishes a link with the current political governance and the issues and struggles Filipinos go through. The film showed powerful storytelling, historical significance and execution, on the other hand, it had weaknesses including dramatized elements that may be historically inaccurate. Ultimately, Heneral Luna continues to be a film that urges Filipinos to think about the nation’s history and political realities. 

Body

Heneral Luna follows the story of General Antonio Luna in leading his country to escape from the oppression of

the Americans, facing two opponents, the Americans, and his countrymen who soon betrayed him, due to their prioritization of personal interest over what the country needed. The film highlighted nationalism and corruption between the leaders. His tragic death at the hands of his fellow countrymen shows a pattern in the Philippine government, the internal divisions between the government leading to the downfall of great leaders (Joaquin, 2005).

The film was able to effectively portray the Philippines' vulnerability due to people's disunity at the time. The

film reflects on the historical state of the Philippines and how it continues to remain as a relevant issue and an ongoing topic over the governance of the politicians that continue to pursue personal desires over the need of the country, the film is not simply a historical recount but a social commentary on present-day political dynamics (Deocampo, 2017).

The film’s theme revolves around the conflict between nationalism and self-interest, Heneral Luna and his fierce

nationalism against the other leaders that pursue their selfish interests. This conflict continues to remain significant, as corruption and disunity is still entrenched within current-day politics (Guerrero, 2019). The film also shows heroism, debating whether nationalism leads to recognition or persecution in the Philippines (Agoncillo, 1990).

Critical Analysis

Tarog combines historical evidence with some dramatic elements creating a film that is both engaging and

urges philosophical thinking among its viewers. Additionally, the film provided great cinematography and production as well as the manual use of effects made with little CGI, helping the viewers feel as if they were in the late 19th century, with accurate costumes, setting, and battle choreography, in addition, the film was graphic and brutal, they took every advantage of it making the movie a lot more realistic, showcasing the harsh reality of wars, the blood, sweat and tears from the soldiers increased the emotional tension in the film. Moreover, John Arcilla’s role as Heneral Luna powerfully depicted the general’s competence and his fearless attitude as he runs into the battlefield with his enemies shooting at him, John Arcilla delivered his scenes in character and charisma. Heneral Luna's brilliant tactics and motivational insights led us to see what kind of general he was, a leader that prioritized the nation's needs and identity. The film’s dialogue, filled with wit, humor, drama, and action, enhanced the emotional weight of each scene (Tarog, 2015), the film had humorous scenes even in the trenches of war, constantly shifting from light-hearted to dark violent scenes. Conversely, the film had weaknesses in its historical accuracy, as some historians asserted that Heneral Luna had some exaggerated scenes in recreating the events to appeal to the viewers and media (Guerrero, 2019).

For example, the depiction of some characters may have made them look antagonistic, disregarding the nuances of political struggles, in addition, the films’ focus on Heneral Luna may have overshadowed the broader context of the war, with some details being left out such as the factionalism with magdalo and magdiwang which had contributions in fighting against the Americans. The scenes were dramatized to heighten the film’s impact; it also raises concerns about historical accuracy (Agoncillo, 1990). 

Conclusion

The issues in the film continue to persist to the current day, selfishness in politics and disunity continue to

stagnate national progress. The film may serve as a warning that urges Filipinos to learn to break free and to have an open mind from these recurring patterns that disrupts national unity and progress (Deocampo, 2017).  Overall, Heneral Luna is a compelling film that propagates a sociological critique on the issues in the Philippines, exposing corruption and disunity within the politics and people. Despite the inaccuracies due to the emotionally charged piece of cinema is undeniable, the film continues to be a lesson and advocate against the current issues. As the Philippines continues to mend itself from current political and societal challenges, Heneral Luna serves as a timeless piece that recounts and reminds Filipinos of the previous uproar that they faced.

REFERENCES LIST

Agoncillo, T. (1990). History of the Filipino People. Garotech Publishing.

https://archive.org/details/historyoffilipin00teod

Deocampo, N. (2017). Cinematic Nationalism in the Philippines. University of the Philippines Press.

https://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/socialsciencediliman/article/download/5661/5076

Joaquin, N. (2005). A Question of Heroes. Anvil Publishing.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6469276-a-question-of-heroes

Tarog, J. (Director). (2015). Heneral Luna [Film]. Artikulo Uno Productions.

https://youtu.be/SYWo6FoVacY?si=qrx_c_FxRJge4XhN