Name: Reanne James S.

Quibral
Block Section: BSEMC-DAT 1A
Year Level: FirstYear
Student Number: 21-15266

Reflection Paper about “Jose Rizal” Movie

The film depicted Jose Rizal's life as a national hero of the Philippines. The three-hour epic
chronicled Rizal's life and hardships from boyhood to death at the hands of the Spaniards. In flashbacks,
the film depicted "Pepe" as a genius, a writer, a doctor, an artist, a lover, a friend, a brother, and a son.
The film depicted the lives of Filipinos living under the dominion of the Spanish friars.

"Reminiscing about the time before Rizal was hailed as a hero is more than a historical exercise."
When I finished seeing Jose Rizal (1998), those words came to me, and I was blown away by his strength,
independence, intelligence, love, and bravery. I admire his creative talent, which he has used to fight for
the Filipino people's independence against Spanish mistreatment and to educate readers about the
reality behind the Spanish government's mistreatment. He fought for independence not just for himself
but for his countrymen. Writing a novel was his means of combating brutality, greed, and discrimination,
particularly among the indigenous peoples. He is, without a doubt, one of our heroes in the Philippines.
Rizal yearned for independence from his beloved nation because he rejected the church's and the
Spanish government's systems.

Rizal had been brilliant since he was a small child. He has caring siblings and loving parents. He
was born into a middle-class family and was able to attend many schools and institutions both in the
Philippines and in other countries. He consistently performs well in his classes. He was tormented by
racist Spanish students, but he also made friends at school. If you do not correctly answer the question
that your instructor has asked, you will be whacked on both palms with a stick at his school. He went to
a foreign nation to gain a higher education and to carry out his hidden mission, which is to inform others
about his country's and countrymen's plight at the hands of Spaniards. He is a well-educated man who
used his expertise to show us how Filipinos lived under the authority of Spanish friars through his
writings. During that period, there is also cruel tyranny of the Catholic church, including a scene in which
a Spanish priest beats a youngster for allegedly stealing money, as well as the execution of a Filipino
priest. He already understands what is going on in his nation at such a young age, and his eyes are wide
open to see the reality.

Despite his exile in Dapitan, he created a clinic and a school for children to aid many people. He
simply asked them to help with tasks as recompense, despite the fact that they had no money. His
commitment to ensuring equal rights and freedom of expression for his fellow natives continues to
increase. He battles without weaponry, instead utilizing pen and paper. He depicted the lives of Filipinos
in the hands of Spaniards in his writings, detailing how the Spanish friars mistreat his nation, particularly
his countrymen, and how the Filipino existence is truly horrible. He attempted to address the false
allegations made about Filipinos by exposing the tragic status of his nation, as well as all of their
problems and disappointments.

Jose Rizal's life is chronicled in this film, from his youth until his exile and execution at the hands
of Spaniards. So, I believe the film's fundamental topic is: what and how was life like for Filipinos during
the Spanish rule, and what were the conditions or obstacles that Jose Rizal experienced in his battle for
his country's and countrymen's independence and equality? This question is based on a video that
focused on the mistreatment and exploitation of Spanish in the Philippines.

Life during Spanish colonization is extremely tough, and Jose Rizal's death fueled Filipinos' desire
for the independence they had long desired. The benefits of his extraordinary commitment and
conviction to his life's aim can be seen in our everyday lives, and I recognized how fortunate I am to
have been born and raised in a nation where freedom already exists.

People's lives were difficult during the time. Even though the leaders were already suppressing
their rights, they were obligated to obey every law, regulation, and word of the Spanish friars and
government. The conquerors mistreated them in many ways. Even the Catholic Church has exploited its
authority to achieve its goals. Spain believed they could deceive everyone.

The movie depicted how Rizal motivated Filipinos to fight for their rights. Many Filipinos were
awakened to what was truly going on in their nation as a result of his works Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo. It led to the formation of Katipunan, a group dedicated to fighting the Spaniards.

We owe our current independence to our warriors who battled for our homeland, either with
guns or with words. Because of this film, I can appreciate the fortitude of those who sacrificed their last
breath with the goal of achieving Philippine independence in mind. I learnt a lot about the history and
how it relates to our current circumstances. Although we are not now colonized, most of us are losing
who we are and what we are capable of. We've lost sight of the fact that we're Filipinos.

Dr. Jose Rizal demonstrated in the film that if you have the will to change something, you can
change it. He is not a typical national hero who has fought many wars with swords, guns, and blood;
instead, he fought against the Spanish government with his pen and paper, proving that the
combination of a great mind, pen, and paper is a powerful weapon.

Dr. Jose Rizal lived in Dapitan during one of his most creative times. He was more focused on
serving the people and society during this time. He engages in civic activities, medical practices,
education promotion, child teaching, and a variety of other activities that benefit and grow our society.

He met Josephine Bracken at one point in his life. Dr. Jose Rizal fell in love with Josephine
Bracken, and they wanted to marry because of their unconditional love for each other. The difficulty was
that no priest wanted to conduct their wedding. However, this did not prevent them from marrying;
they made vows before God in their own unique way. Their love bore fruit after a while, and Josephine
became pregnant. Josephine unfortunately gave birth to a preterm baby who barely lived for three
hours. The kid was buried at Dapitan and given the name Francisco after Jose Rizal's father.

By the time Josephine was pregnant, I was furious with Rizal since it came out that he was the
cause of their baby's death. When Rizal's rage erupted over an accusation that his wife was a spy, his
wife was tormented mentally and emotionally, resulting in their baby's loss. Rizal's only straight lineage
was lost due to Rizal's own actions, which is quite upsetting.

If he had been an average guy, he would have been forgotten long ago. However, I feel he
deserved to be our national hero because he was remarkable. Many people looked up to him,
particularly those in Dapitan. They adore and appreciate him, and the little ones were eager to learn
everything he had to teach and instruct. He created a school in Dapitan that was attended by 16 young
boys from famous families who were not paid matriculation fees but were instead required to perform
community work.

Dr. Jose Rizal's life has been like a roller coaster; he has faced several hurdles but has always
managed to come out on top. He resisted the Spaniards with all his might, even sacrificing his own life
for the sake of the country's improvement. His last words before being shot dead in Bagumbayan were
"consummatum est," which means "it is completed." The Filipino people's hearts were torn apart by the
time he was shot. That event inspired Filipinos to reclaim our independence from the Spaniards.
 Filipinos united under Dr. Jose Rizal and resisted the Spaniards till the end of their colonialism.
Without his sacrifices, no one could arouse the Filipinos' desire to reclaim the independence we've
always desired.

I hope that witnessing the film has rekindled patriotism and nationalism in others as well. I hope
Rizal may continue to motivate us to work hard, finish our education, and be educated regardless of our
financial circumstances. Because the more you know, the more equipped you will be to protect yourself
and perhaps your nation in the future.

If I had to rate the movie on a scale of one to ten, I would give it a eight out of ten. The subject
of the film is intriguing; however, the production quality fell short of my expectations. The actors and
actresses did an excellent job acting, however some of the situations were perplexing. And while
viewing the film, several viewers were not paying attention to it, indicating that it lacked something to
hold the audience's interest. However, I would still urge that you watch the film because it is an
important element of our Filipino identity.