2. The Great Heneral Luna

Antonio Luna de San Pedro y Novicio Ancheta (29 October 1866 – 5 June 1899), an Ilocano born in Manila, was a Filipino-general who fought in the Philippine–American War. He was also the founder of the Philippines's first military academy, which existed during the First Philippine Republic. He was regarded as the most brilliant of the Filipino military officers during the war.

In 1898, General Antonio Luna (John Arcilla), commander of the revolutionary army, is spoiling for a fight. The Philippines, after three hundred years as a Spanish colony, has unwillingly come under American rule. General Luna wants to fight for freedom but members of the elite would rather strike a deal with the United States. The infighting is fierce in the new cabinet but General Luna and his loyal men forge ahead even as his military decisions are met with resistance from soldiers who are loyal only to President Aguinaldo (Mon Confiado). Ultimately, it is the general’s legendary temper and pride that bring him to his death when a pack of presidential guards assassinate him in broad daylight. While American newspapers are quick to point the blame to Aguinaldo, the mystery has never been completely solved and the General’s killers were never put to justice.

                                                            (Picture of me with Mr. John Arcilla)

This movie catches my interest when the main character (John Arcilla) together with their Director, Mr. Jerrold Tarog and some staff of Artikulo Uno Productions, came to our school to promote their movie which is “Heneral Luna”. Our term break was near when they came to school so after we watched the trailer, together with my classmates, we decided to watched on the first day screening of the movie, though some of my classmates couldn’t watch it with us, we still came. The movie was really fantastic that made me think of our true history, what are the Philippines been through and how we got this freedom we’ve been experiencing for a long time.

The picture above is the heart melting scene that I’d watched. I mean, I felt pity for General Luna’s death because after he served the late President Aguinaldo and serves the other country men, he just killed my his own ally and that’s not all, his body chopped like his an animal or something. I really cried when that scene happened.