I was happy when I learned that I would get my chance to watch Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral via Netflix... I didn't catch it in the Philippines because I had already migrated to the USA when the movie was released in cinemas. It is the sequel to Heneral Luna, one of the better Filipino films I've seen in a long time; my expectation, therefore, was quite high.
Goyo did not disappoint. In fact, I found it to be a better movie to Heneral Luna, particularly with cinematography. Thanks to my attendance to Nick de Ocampo's series of film talks at the Ayala Museum, I started noticing the way the camera moves, when the view on screen changes from one character to another, or from one angle to another...
This is the first time I've watched a movie about General Gregorio del Pilar. Before this movie, I only knew him to be the hero of Tirad Pass (which is how history books in the Philippines describe him). I learned more about him in this movie. He rose to prominence because of his bravery in several skirmishes during the Philippine Revolution... prominent enough to get the attention and the trust of Emilio Aguinaldo. And de Pilar wasn't even 25 years old!
The movie began the day after General Antonio Luna was assassinated by Kawit troops. Aguinaldo's revolutionary government was in disarray. His military officers were promoted, according to General Jose Alejandrino, based on their connections instead of their military skills. The soldiers were farmers and labourers... the number of trained military personnel were few and far between. And capturing the remnants of the Luna loyalists fell on Aguinaldo's favourite, the "boy general".
del Pilar's chase of Luna's aides-de-camp, Manuel and Jose Bernal, showed that Aguinaldo's army was not focused on winning the war against the American colonists (led by Lt. Gen. Arthur MacArthur, Jr.). Instead, it was inwardly focused, cleansing the ranks of members seen as disloyal to the current leader. Manuel Bernal, during a torture scene, even called del Pilar a dog (who followed a master). In contrast, Luna was widely seen as the better general because he followed principles and not personalities. The cracks in the troop's morale was evident because two factions still existed. And there was was no mention of people loyal to Andres Bonifacio, the other leader of the Philippine Army who was killed (executed after a court martial).
del Pilar and his friends were not gearing themselves for war either. Finding comfort in the five-month respite from fighting, he busied himself with women in the different towns he passed through. In Dagupan, he courted Remedios Nable Jose, though there was a trail of women sending him love letters. His womaniser reputation and fame made Remedios very cautious about del Pilar. He was, after all, changed by all the accolades bestowed upon him... Aguinaldo's sister noted how fame changed him into less of a soldier.
The story of the Battle of Tirad Pass was similar to the Battle of Thermopylae. Soldiers were in a narrow pass, seemingly impenetrable to the bigger enemy troops. They seemed to be winning at the beginning because they fought valiantly; however, they did not account human nature: people they had ridiculed and treated unfairly could turn against them and show the way around the narrow pass to the enemy who treated them with more respect. Both del Pilar and Leonidas experienced this. And history shows, repeatedly, that it is difficult to win a battle when the enemy finds a way to surround the troops in the narrow pass. In del Pilar's case, he forgot to crouch while checking where the enemy troops were. Hence, he got shot by an American soldier. del Pilar was brave; no question about that. But was he a great general as the books kept drilling in our heads?
His focus on courting women caused him to ignore impending signs of enemies approaching (like the sound of gunshots). His youth made him prefer play over war planning. And his lack of tactical training got him killed.
With the rear guard dissolving after his death, it did not take long for the Americans to capture Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela. The Philippines soon became a colony of the USA, with William Howard Taft as its first civilian governor-general (1901–1935) and then a commonwealth whose president was Manuel L. Quezon (1935–1946).
Unfortunately for Aguinaldo, he was portrayed in this movie in a very unflattering light. Apolinario Mabini said it best:
"The revolution failed because it was badly directed, because its director gained his place not by meritorious, but by irresponsible actions; because instead of sustaining the most useful men for the country, he rendered them useless by jealousy."
Goyo did not disappoint. In fact, I found it to be a better movie to Heneral Luna, particularly with cinematography. Thanks to my attendance to Nick de Ocampo's series of film talks at the Ayala Museum, I started noticing the way the camera moves, when the view on screen changes from one character to another, or from one angle to another...
This is the first time I've watched a movie about General Gregorio del Pilar. Before this movie, I only knew him to be the hero of Tirad Pass (which is how history books in the Philippines describe him). I learned more about him in this movie. He rose to prominence because of his bravery in several skirmishes during the Philippine Revolution... prominent enough to get the attention and the trust of Emilio Aguinaldo. And de Pilar wasn't even 25 years old!
The movie began the day after General Antonio Luna was assassinated by Kawit troops. Aguinaldo's revolutionary government was in disarray. His military officers were promoted, according to General Jose Alejandrino, based on their connections instead of their military skills. The soldiers were farmers and labourers... the number of trained military personnel were few and far between. And capturing the remnants of the Luna loyalists fell on Aguinaldo's favourite, the "boy general".
del Pilar's chase of Luna's aides-de-camp, Manuel and Jose Bernal, showed that Aguinaldo's army was not focused on winning the war against the American colonists (led by Lt. Gen. Arthur MacArthur, Jr.). Instead, it was inwardly focused, cleansing the ranks of members seen as disloyal to the current leader. Manuel Bernal, during a torture scene, even called del Pilar a dog (who followed a master). In contrast, Luna was widely seen as the better general because he followed principles and not personalities. The cracks in the troop's morale was evident because two factions still existed. And there was was no mention of people loyal to Andres Bonifacio, the other leader of the Philippine Army who was killed (executed after a court martial).
del Pilar and his friends were not gearing themselves for war either. Finding comfort in the five-month respite from fighting, he busied himself with women in the different towns he passed through. In Dagupan, he courted Remedios Nable Jose, though there was a trail of women sending him love letters. His womaniser reputation and fame made Remedios very cautious about del Pilar. He was, after all, changed by all the accolades bestowed upon him... Aguinaldo's sister noted how fame changed him into less of a soldier.
The story of the Battle of Tirad Pass was similar to the Battle of Thermopylae. Soldiers were in a narrow pass, seemingly impenetrable to the bigger enemy troops. They seemed to be winning at the beginning because they fought valiantly; however, they did not account human nature: people they had ridiculed and treated unfairly could turn against them and show the way around the narrow pass to the enemy who treated them with more respect. Both del Pilar and Leonidas experienced this. And history shows, repeatedly, that it is difficult to win a battle when the enemy finds a way to surround the troops in the narrow pass. In del Pilar's case, he forgot to crouch while checking where the enemy troops were. Hence, he got shot by an American soldier. del Pilar was brave; no question about that. But was he a great general as the books kept drilling in our heads?
His focus on courting women caused him to ignore impending signs of enemies approaching (like the sound of gunshots). His youth made him prefer play over war planning. And his lack of tactical training got him killed.
With the rear guard dissolving after his death, it did not take long for the Americans to capture Aguinaldo in Palanan, Isabela. The Philippines soon became a colony of the USA, with William Howard Taft as its first civilian governor-general (1901–1935) and then a commonwealth whose president was Manuel L. Quezon (1935–1946).
Unfortunately for Aguinaldo, he was portrayed in this movie in a very unflattering light. Apolinario Mabini said it best:
"The revolution failed because it was badly directed, because its director gained his place not by meritorious, but by irresponsible actions; because instead of sustaining the most useful men for the country, he rendered them useless by jealousy."
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