NAME: Laus, Leonesa A.

YEAR & SEC.: BSSE II-A

“BONIFACIO: Ang Unang Pangulo”

(Film Review)

“Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo” is a historical action epic that brings to light the
powerful, true-to-life story of Filipino revolutionary Andres Bonifacio–one of our country’s
national heroes–with his virtues and humanity, unfolding through the eyes of a young man in this
day and age. It is also layered tragic love story to the country that will always be relevant in the
age of revisionism. A good metric of this is how it is able to move individuals, people, and a nation
with or without the recognition of passion more than a century after offering an incomparable
sacrifice.

This film is directed by Enzo Williams. The main character of the movie are Robin Padilla,
Vina Morales, Danieal Padilla and Jasmine Curtis-Smith. This movie was released on December
25, 2014.

"Bonifacio" starts with a graphic scene showing the execution of the priests Gomez,
Zamora and Burgos by garotte. From there the story would shuttle back and forth from present day
to past. Historical scenes were shown as students (Daniel Padilla and Jasmine Curtis-Smith) learn
more details about the Revolution from an elderly museum curator (Eddie Garcia). We see the
essential events as we have learned them from our history textbooks.

Bonifacio (Robin Padilla) met Rizal (Jericho Rosales) when La Liga Filipina was formed.
Bonifacio established the Katipunan when the La Liga was discovered and Rizal arrested.
Bonifacio courted and married Gregoria de Jesus (Vina Morales). A staff member of the Diario de
Manila, Teodoro Patino, spilled the beans about the Katipunan to his sister, who convinced him to
tell the Gobernador Cillo. Bonifacio led the ripping of the cedulas at the house of Tandang Sora.

Bonifacio led the first successful attack of a Spanish garrison. This part showed close-up
intense fencing matches which were very well-choreographed, executed and shot. Bonifacio gets
shamed at the Tejeros Convention. That election scene was really a highly dramatic scene of
politics that was shot beautifully with an excellent ensemble of character actors. I felt these two
segments were the best scenes in the whole film.

Political intrigues eventually led to Bonifacio's arrest and inglorious death at the hands of
Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's men. The story telling in this part about Bonifacio's controversial last
days felt rushed. I was expecting more inside stories and revelations than what we already knew
from our history textbooks.
 Everything was neatly covered in an hour and 40 minutes, a running time just right for the
young audiences’ targets. Within that time it was even able to include side stories about the
marriage proposal to Bonifacio's sister Nonay (Isabel Oli) and the legend of Bernardo Carpio done
in animated format and narrated by a very well-modulated Lou Veloso. The framing device of
modern-day scenes with students just further defined for whom this film was really meant. It was
also there to explain and reiterate why Bonifacio should be recognized as our first President.

Try as he may, Robin Padilla has too iconic a look and swagger to become totally
believable as Andres Bonifacio. What acting tics he successfully avoided in last year in his award-
winning "10,000 Hours" all came back in this one. He was delivering his lines in a consciously
"heroic" way, like his whole script was a declamation piece. He was walking, running and even
sitting in that same "heroic" way. It was not bad acting per se, but his style seemed a bit too
unnaturally theatre for the big screen. .

Vina Morales did better as Oryang. Her scenes towards the end when Andres was in prison
were done just right, no over-acting. That scene when she sought Aguinaldo's help in vain was
heart-wrenching. Too bad they did not show more of her during the Revolution itself. Daniel
Padilla has a very limited role, which he played mostly with an unsmiling serious face and
demeanour.

Overall, "Bonifacio" is a well-presented, albeit abridged, tableau of events we already

know well about the Philippine Revolution by director Enzo Williams. The production design by
Roy Lachica were very meticulous to be appropriate for that time in history. The cinematography
by Carlo Mendoza is lush with vivid colours and dramatic camera angles and lighting. The images
were complemented by a sweeping musical score by Von de Guzman. This moving visual
overview should jump start interest in history in the younger generation of Filipinos and ignite
their patriotic fervour.
This film opened my heart and my knowledge towards Andress Bonifcacio that he is really
a good leader and a good follower. I’m so inspired by him because he proved that a leader is not
based on the degree you’ve finished rather it is based on your character as a leader and your
determination to lead your fellowman. So I strongly recommend youth to watch this so that they
will learn how to fight for our nation building.
Thankfully, the movie does its job well consistently and even excels in bringing a terrific
experiences in the cinema.