Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Acuzar, Isaiah Yodie S. A Film Review of Heneral Luna and Macario Sakay Movie

BSIT 1-2N

“Heneral Luna and Sakay”

Both in Jerrold Tarog’s and Raymond Red’s film, the protagonist is shown as someone
who fights authority and critics for the sake of his country. They both captured many hearts of the
audience by showing how Sakay and Luna fight the American colonialism in our country.

It never fails to astonish me, even after I've seen Heneral Luna (2015) multiple time. It was
possible for the movie to grasp the concept that links with the Filipino sense of failing nationalism
under American rule because of Antonio Luna's excellent performance in the movie and the
terrible reality the people at the time had to contend with. The film just shows countless
interpretations possible. I couldn't help but feel excited whenever a scene changed, but it also
seemed dismal at the same time. We were shocked to see that the Filipinos faced a threat that
was even more serious than the invaders. The inhabitants of the Philippines, whether they were
members of the high class or commoners, their fellow countrymen operated in accordance with
their own selfish interests and personal safety rather than searching for ideas that may satiate
their centuries-long thirst for freedom. It came out that they just continued to believe the ridiculous
claims made by American adversaries who were indeed foes. Watching Luna wind up in the hands
of the people he had given his life to save was terrible enough. Although Luna was a maverick,
feisty, and hot-tempered military leader, no one could dispute his very cunning methods for
inciting his comrades to battle. He was a chauvinist, a man of honor, and a genuine hero. He was
one of the strongest characters and generals the Philippines could have ever had, but he suffered
a tragic end that cost the country a triumph that was already within their grasp. The first executive
leader of the Philippines and an errant man named Emilio Aguinaldo gave the order to kill Luna.
Aguinaldo felt he was going to be removed because he was afraid Luna would take his place.
 Filipino general Macario Sakay y de León, who served in both the Philippine Revolution
and the Philippine-American War, was born in 1870 and died on September 13, 1907. Sakay
persisted in his opposition to the US when the US officially declared the end of the Philippine-
American War in 1902, and the following year he was chosen to lead the Tagalog Republic. The
promise of freedom for Sakay and his government, in addition to the establishment of the
Philippine Assembly, which would serve as the "gate of freedom," was what persuaded Sakay to
descend from the mountains.

The final rebel who led the Filipino people against the colonial power is shown in Sakay
(1993), along with the time when everyone who violated the American flag was referred to as a
bandit. In all honesty, I did not particularly like the movie. Perhaps it was too outdated for me, but
I couldn't help but contrast it with the wonderfully performed Heneral Luna in terms of quality. The
acting was a little stiff, the transitions and editing were bad, and the film quality was clear. The
audio was also somewhat muffled. Even yet, it was nevertheless a sobering portrayal of the
nation's tragic past, one that was spiced up by the dramatic attempts to topple the colonial era's
successful rule. Even though the locals were forced to succumb to the powerful in that stressful
scenario, Sakay had never once capitulated. He was the driving force behind the Tagalog
Republic, another revolutionary state geared at national independence and resembling
Bonifacio's Katipunan. Without his mastery of counter insurgency, ground-breaking leadership,
and the love and devotion of the populace, the Generalissimo would not have been able to defeat
the colonial troops. They were able to raid well defended garrisons for large supplies of weapons
and ammunition, attack enemy positions, hold strongholds, and escape capture.

In this picture, the ideas of treachery and betrayal were heavily emphasized. Filipinos have
occasionally betrayed their fellow countrymen. Betrayal according to Rachman (2009) Betrayal is
the sense of being harmed by the intentional actions or omissions of a trusted person. The most
common forms of betrayal are harmful disclosures of confidential information, disloyalty, infidelity,
dishonesty. They can be traumatic and cause considerable distress. The effects of betrayal
include shock, loss and grief, morbid pre-occupation, damaged self-esteem, self-doubting, anger.
Not infrequently they produce life-altering changes. The effects of a catastrophic betrayal are
most relevant for anxiety disorders, and OC D and PTSD in particular. Betrayal can cause mental
contamination, and the betrayer commonly becomes a source of contamination. In a series of
experiments, it was demonstrated that feelings of mental contamination can be aroused by
imagining unacceptable non-consensual acts.

References:

• S;, R. (n.d.). Betrayal: A psychological analysis. Behaviour research and therapy.

Retrieved July 5, 2022, from
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20035927/#:~:text=Betrayal%20is%20the%20sense%2
0of,traumatic%20and%20cause%20considerable%20distress.
• Sakay (1993). Sakay (1993) directed by Raymond Red • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd.
(n.d.). Retrieved July 5, 2022, from https://letterboxd.com/film/sakay/
• Kuipers, R. (2015, November 30). Film review: 'Heneral Luna'. Variety. Retrieved July 5,
2022, from https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/heneral-luna-review-1201649617/