Movie Review

about
‘Goyo: Ang Batang
Heneral’

John Michael M. Regala

BSITSMBA – B03
 In the Philippines, we are taught to admire heroes from a young age. From
primary school up to high school we are aware of their general background. We are
even exposed to their failings that caused them to have tragic flaws and
imperfections despite their heroic image in our country. General Gregorio Del Pilar
is no exception.
‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’ is the sequel of its first movie ‘Heneral Luna’.
What I got is a more intimate look into the real lives of the heroes our country
always looked up to. I first saw Del Pilar briefly in ‘Heneral Luna’ in role which is
only short in film time. The character in this film and in the first is more of the
same. I got to see him as a general who is too reflective of himself. Del Pilar is a
victim of his own masculinity, he is like a playboy at in the present times.
Although I got a handful of his own background, it’s difficult to define who Goyo
is, just like him to his own self. 

The movie portrays the Filipino hero Gregori Del Pilar, one of the youngest
generals who fought in the Philippine-American War who is nicknames “Goyo” or
“Boy General”. It depicts the coming of the young general who will lead an army
in a revolution that was doomed to fail because of the failed leadership in its
highest ranks. It shows the many flaws that weakened the revolution and how its
leaders preferred to prioritize themselves that the country that they were supposed
to defend and fight for.

After the assassination of General Antonio Luna, the task of rooting out
Luna's followers in the Philippine Army falls to the President Aguinaldo’s favorite
General Gregorio "Goyo" del Pilar who is portrayed by Paulo Avelino. This
journey leads him to Pangasinan where they find themselves in a five month long
break from combat. Instead of preparing for the attack of the Americans, the
Philippine Revolutionary Government instead parties and continues the conflict
within themselves that is slowly taking away their strength. Goyo himself finds
himself in falling for the daughter of a rich merchant in the area, Remedios Nable
José portrayed by Gwen Zamora.

We shouldn’t compare "Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral" to "Heneral Luna".

These two films are completely as far apart from each other in terms of tone and
genre and even with this, both were effective in showing the deficiencies of the
heroes we have looked up to as strong and intelligent leaders. It would be unfair
though to judge the film the same as its first movie. In fact, "Goyo" is the better
film if you ask me.

As the movie was ending in the credits, I felt sad, burdened and, in deep
thought of what I just saw. It pulled me in an emotional level as a citizen of this
country. As it turns out, our heroes are not what they seem to be. They are as
human and as grounded as you and me and they also make mistakes and huge
mistakes in this case that shaped our country today. The film is a long one and
audiences might find themselves in a state of boredom as nothing exciting really
happens in more than half of the film. And that's probably the point, our heroes did
nothing but partied and let slip away our slim chance against the American
invaders. Overall, the film's production was excellent and one of the best. The
acting was also great.

‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’ is not a story of a hero, but a person trying to
be one. It was tagged as one of the most expensive production for a Filipino film,
the production design and technical aspects are wonderful. I think the cleanest I
have seen for a local movie. A recreation of the infamous Tirad Pass will show the
essence of the entire story, that some battles are never won because you are not the
most skilled, but because you might be lost on what you want to fight for in the
first place.
The movie dares to say what no other film can. It tells us to let go of our
blinding idolatry and fight for what we believe is right, and to stick to our own
principles no matter what anyone else says. It may not be a perfect film, but one
thing’s for sure, it’s a film we need now more than ever, especially in our country’s
current state.