SUMMARY
Rizal sa Dapitan, an award-winning film by director Aguiluz and scriptwriter Jose
Lacaba, gives us a restraint account of Rizal’s stay in that small town from 1892 to 1896.
It features arguably the best Rizal performance by a movie actor (Albert Martinez). The
movie may be of worth even for those who are already well-versed in Rizal’s life. There
may be a surprise, or two, left for the Rizal enthusiasts.
A well-loved doctor, Rizal’s legacy goes beyond his clinic. He creates the town’s
water system, organic gardens, and fruit orchards. He made improvements to the town
plaza by planting trees. He is a firm believer in education. Not only did he build a school
for the children but he also teaches the kids in the afternoons. This strong belief in
education is one of the reasons why he rejects the idea of revolution as broached by Pio
Valenzuela. Jose Rizal (Albert Martinez) believes that the Filipinos are not yet ready for
independence. He may be a gambler but he is not a fool to push his ill-armed and ignorant
compatriots to wage war against the Spaniards.
Rizal’s honor and integrity is severely tested when friends and allies coerce him to
escape. He refused saying that he gave his word not to leave the place illicitly. It is in this
idyllic town that he meets Josephine Bracken (Amanda Page). The film shows the couple
having a mock wedding because the Spanish parish priest will not accede to their
marriage. They eventually became live-in partners. It is not entirely a rosy affair in the
beginning. There is a scene wherein Rizal confronts Bracken about some rumors that
cast a bad light on the character of the lady. The heated argument may have led to
Bracken giving birth prematurely to a stillborn baby.
Rizal as a father? Yes, he is the father, not of Adolf Hitler, but of Francisco Bracken
Rizal. And, he is also rightly called the Father of our Nation. He takes pride in being part
of the Los Indios Bravos. He calls for reforms that will in time pave the way for complete
independence of the Filipinos. His determination to forge a nation with common
aspirations and ideals makes him the First Filipino.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS
The casting of the film was decisively done. Actors and actresses that are known
and are just starting to make a name in the industry have been integrated to produce a
more realistic film. The portrayal of Albert Martinez as Rizal was excellent that made me
appreciate more our National Hero because of the firmness in movements and formality
that Albert had done. Rizal seemed to be a notable intellectual in the film like what he
really is in the reality. Amanda Page as Josephine Bracken was also commendable
because considering Josephine’s nationality Amanda portrayed her role very well. These
major characters have been supported by the roles of Teodora Alonso, Maria, Narcisa,
and many others that had contributed as to how Rizal has been shaped into a laudable
individual. Other important characters include Father Sanchez, Father Antonio Obach,
Capt. Ricardo Carnicero, Joselito and of course Rizal’s students.
DIRECTOR’S INTENT
In the movie “Rizal sa Dapitan”, it centered however on the life of our hero during
his 4-year stay in the remote area of Dapitan as exiled by the Spanish government. Its
director Tikoy Aquiluz emphasized Rizal not as a hero but as a well-educated and talented
man: an engineer, a doctor, a teacher, a sculptor, a scientist and many more. Here, we
could see Rizal living a simple life as a normal yet a detained person who had a love affair
with an Irish woman by the name of Josephine Bracken. The interpretation of his exile in
Dapitan here was good and something new for the audience to see since most of people
only knew Rizal as a hero. The director’s purpose was to create a deep understanding of
who Rizal really was, he want to instill in the mind of the Filipinos that Rizal is not only our
hero but also a person with a varied experiences and abilities. Rizal sa dapitan is entirely
created out of the director and scriptwriter's imagination, with a real 'what if' premise. A
true entertaining and historical experience on the life of the world's most popular Filipino.