Jose Rizal is a very significant person in the history of the Philippines because of

the nationalism he showed and the sacrifices he made to achieve freedom for the
country. We can find Rizal in every history book and article, added to they even made a
movie about his life story. The movie "Jose Rizal" uncovers his life from childhood until
his execution at Bagumbayan Field done by the Spanish colonizers. As a viewer, we
wanted to express our gratefulness to the one who made this kind of movie since the
movie is ideal for knowing the life of our national hero. Also, it is a wise decision to
produce this movie because it is privileged to this current generation as it will serve as
enlightenment about the scenes that happened in the past.
There is a quote which perfectly fits the life of Dr. Jose Rizal, “Not all heroes
wear capes”. He showed to us in the movie that if you just have the will to change
something, then you can really change that something. He is not a typical national hero
who has fought many wars through sword, guns, and blood, instead, he fought against
the Spanish colonizers through his pen and paper. This movie revealed that the
combination of a great mind, pen, and paper is a powerful weapon.
Within the three-hour epic journey on the life and struggles of our National Hero
and patriot Dr. Jose Rizal, we saw his remarkably interesting life, the development of
his principles, and his undying love for his country. In the movie, we saw that Rizal was
indeed a knowledgeable and capable man; not merely was he just a writer of his worldly
famous books, but also, he was a painter, teacher, scientist, sculptor, doctor and
surgeon, engineer, economist, and theologian. He was excellent at everything that he
does; studied college in different continents such as Europe, America, and Asia; and
was able to travel to different countries and able to speak twenty-two languages.
Rizal on the first scenes was thinking again of his life and writings from his prison
cell in the fortress of Santiago; the people that show up are a mixture of the real people,
friends, and enemies along with those he created in his books. He vowed to write in
regard to the sufferings of the Filipino people underneath the tyranny of Spanish ruling,
and about all their abuse by the simply corrupt friars. Rizal’s articles and novel
galvanized the Filipino people, but earn the scorn of the Spanish government, which
then they vowed to destroy the rebellion spirit of the Filipinos.
Dr. Jose Rizal’s life is like a roller coaster, he experienced so much challenges
but still managed to finish his ride with an exclamation point. He fought against the
Spaniards with all his heart and even sacrificed his own life for the betterment of the
whole country. At the scene of his death, he muttered his last words, which were
“consummatum est”, which simply means it is finished. By the time he was gunned, it
teared the hearts of the Filipino people. And in that event triggered the Filipinos to get
back their stolen freedom from the Spaniards.
Rizal at his young age already experienced unrighteousness causing him to see
what others cannot see. He was not naturally born with intelligence, but his passion to
know everything helped him finish his studies. His love for the nation is incomparable.
He’s not afraid to start a flame, opposing the and trying to break through the wall that
Spaniards built to show their superiority towards the Filipinos, even if it burns his wings.
Knowing that his writings put him in danger, he continues to seek for freedom.
In fact, in the movie, during his stay in Europe, Rizal wrote his novel, Noli Me
Tangere. The book was written in Spanish and first published in Germany, in the city of
Berlin on 1887. The Noli Mi Tangere, tells the story of a young Filipino man who travels
to Europe to study and returns home with new eyes to the injustices and corruption in
his native land.
Rizal used specific characters to symbolize the different personalities and
individualities of both the tyrants and the oppressed, paying notable attention to
Filipinos who had adopted the customs of their colonizers, forgetting their own
nationality; the Spanish friars who were depicted as immoral and greedy men in robes
who sought only to content their own desires, and the underprivileged and ignorant
members of society who knew no other life but that of one of miserable poverty and
brutality under the yoke of the church and state. Dr. Jose Rizal’s very first novel was an
obvious criticism of the Spanish colonialist system in our nation and the Philippine
society in general, was met with bitter responses from the elite (mostly Spaniards), the
church and the government.
After his arrival to the country, he was immediately beckoned by the Governor
General of the Philippine Islands to explain himself considering the allegations that he
was a subversive and an instigator of rebellion. Rizal met the charges and defended
himself successfully, and although he was vindicated, the name Jose Rizal would
remain on the watch list of the colonist. Similarly, his work also formed a great upheaval
in the Catholic Church in the Philippines, later on, he was excommunicated.
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, those two books that open the eyes of the
Filipinos the truth about the Spaniards. Crisostomo Ibarra and Simoun was portrayed by
Joel Torre in the film wherein they give some excerpts fromt he Noli and El Fili scenes.
Taviel found out that Rizal was innocent. But, the friars who were the main target of his
books, wanted to end Rizal’s life. Rizal influenced and inspired the natives to revolt by
revealing his thoughts, his aspirations and his suggestions through Ibarra. Andres
Bonifacio was a fan of Rizal they both want to escape from the Spaniards but in two
different ways.
All grievances and frustration as the speaker stated in the movie. Also, a scenario of
Paciano beaten up by the Spaniards, a brother who will always do anything just to
protect his family. He was the one who motivated Rizal to do better in school for the
sake of his future. In 1986 when Rizal was arrested in Fort Santiago, he was accused in
three cases which are rebellion, sedition and illegal association.
Jose Rizal might not be in the actual bloody battlefield for freedom from Spanish rule,
but his writings were sources of inspiration for revolutionaries, especially lead by Andres
Bonifacio. They have this line called long live Philippines or “Mabuhay Pilipinas”. Jose
Rizal was not up for independence but only for reformation that would lead to the
equality of the natives and the Spaniards in terms of opportunities and uphold better
and liberal education for Indios. However, as personal crisis of Rizal hype up, especially
when his mother was unjustly imprisoned, Rizal’s emotional state of made him furious
with the Philippine situation. He chose to make Simoun more radical in his way in
toppling the oppressive forces. From Crisostomo, who only wants reformation, Rizal
transformed him into Simoun who’s dangerously seeking for independence from the
Spaniards.
All human born with different talents in life; One could be brave enough to fight for a
battle and it could be a weak one, and that's what Jose Rizal reflected to be. He might
not good at fighting against those enemies with guns in his hands, but he has a creative
mind to fight without killing anyone he uses his hands to write and trying to fight with
those noble’s, letters and many more books he wrote.
The life and works of Rizal remain the most memorable story for us Filipinos. He
showed on how to be courageous, determination and equality for fighting against our
enemies. Rizal is a man who is ready to die and sacrifices for his own land and to our
country.