Cabanilla, Jurojin M.
BSBA MM 2
GRizal
10/13/25
Film Review Activity: "José Rizal" (1998)
FILM SUMMARY
I think the movie is a sad but powerful story about Dr. José Rizal, who tried to save
his country but was executed for it. It takes place in the Philippines in the late 1800s,
when the country was colonized by Spain, who treated the Filipinos harshly. The main
problem of the film is the Filipino’s desire or longing for freedom. The key character is
Rizal, an intellectual and a highly intelligent writer who used his books or novels to show
how cruel the Spanish rulers were. Other important people are Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade,
the Spanish lawyer who was forced to defend Rizal, and Andrés Bonifacio, the leader of
the Revolutionaries known as Katipunan. The movie also portrayed how Rizal was
persecuted for a crime he was wrongly accused for and then later on got killed. Before
that, we observed his life as writing his famous books, seeing the injustice done to his
family, and living quietly for a time in Dapitan. The main conflict of the film is between
Rizal's peaceful way of fighting using intellect and the cruel Spanish government.
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
I chose Rizal and his lawyer because they show the two sides of the story. Dr. José
Rizal is the main character of the film, a highly intellectual and compassionate man who
felt it was his duty to help and defend his country from the Spanish cruelty. He wanted to
open the eyes of people and free them by teaching them and telling the truth, not by
fighting. His best quality was his bravery and patriotism, he didn't back down even when
he knew he would die. His flaw was that he was too hopeful, thinking that the corrupt
Spanish government would actually follow the law and let an innocent man go free. Then
there is Lieutenant Luis Taviel de Andrade, an honest Spanish soldier whose job was to
defend Rizal. He starts to truly believe in Rizal’s innocence and becomes passionate about
getting real justice. His strength is his good heart for fighting for a man his own people
called a traitor. However, his weakness is that he couldn't stop the killing, showing that a
single honest person can’t always beat a broken and unjust system.
THEMES AND MESSAGES
Two big ideas in the movie really stuck with me. First is the theme of Social
Injustice. The film clearly depicted how the Spanish friars and soldiers abused the Filipino
people. A great example is when Rizal's mother, Doña Teodora, is unjustly imprisoned
and humiliated by the friars. This shows that no Filipino was safe from the cruelty of the
Spanish regime. The second main idea is The Power of education over the sword. The film
often argues that true lasting freedom requires people to be smart and educated. This is
best seen in the scenes where Rizal is in Dapitan. He is always seen sharing his wisdom
and using his medical knowledge to assist the community, proving his point that, building
a good country starts with making its people smarter and more capable, which he felt was
more important than rushing into a fight.
CINEMATIC ELEMENTS.
I think the film is a really well-made piece of art that I found deeply moving. The
acting was certainly convincing. Cesar Montano played Rizal with peaceful and subtle
power, which made his sadness and courage feel genuine. The cinematography also
enhanced the story a lot. They used black-and-white for the scenes from Rizal's books,
making those examples of injustice look sharp and timeless, separate from his daily life.
Finally, the music and sound were fantastic intensifying the emotional impact. The grand
music made the serious moments, like the trial and the execution, much more dramatic
and emotional, making the experience more immersive.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
The movie made me feel a lot of things, first anger at the unfairness and unjust
system of the Spanish regime, then a humongous respect for Rizal. When he died, I felt
very emotional and inspired at the same time. The biggest thing I learned from Rizal’s life
is that having courage is doing the right thing even when you're scared, and that true love
for your country means using your intellect and skills to help others. The movie is still
very relevant today because it reminds us that the fight against bad leaders, corruption,
and ignorance, which can be observed happening even right now is unending. One
example of these is regarding the mass corruption of the Contractors handling the
unreasonably expensive flood control projects which were either abandoned or were
substandard, resulting to the flooding of countless places in the Philippines. Lastly, Rizal’s
message that people need to use their mind and be aware is a very important and valuable
lesson that everyone living in the modern society must remember.
Bonus: If you could change one scene or add a new one, what would it be and why?
If I were to add a one scene in the movie, I would add a scene where current
corruptions are depicted and that the youth inspired by Rizal are using their intellect and
power to oppose and eradicate the corruption. If this scene were shown, it would make
the film more immersive and more relatable to the youth, which can further influence
them to utilize their ability as Filipino citizen in fighting for the wellness of their country.