GOYA, THE BOY GENERAL

Philippines, 2018, 155 minutes, Colour.

Paulo Avelino, Carlo Aquino, Arron Villaflor, Mon Confiado, Jeffrey Quizon, Alvin Anson, Gwen Zamora, Che Ramos .

Directed by Jerrold Tarog.

Writer director, Jerrold Tarog, had made the historical film, Heneral Luna, in 2017. This is a sequel, the action beginning with the end of the previous film, the death of Luna.

This is a film for a Filipino audience, interested in Filipino history, going back to the Spanish-American war, American intervention in Cuba in 1898, and the war between the Philippines and the United States. For an audience outside the Philippines, it is an opportunity to meet the central characters, appreciate the nature of the conflict, the ineffectual opposition, though sometimes intense, of Filipinos against the Americans, understand the issues of the Spanish-Philippines heritage, the intervention of the US. (The presentation of the American generals is somewhat caricatured, as is the presentation of some of the Marines, feeling the jungle heat, but, ultimately outflanking and outwitting the Filipino opposition.)

For non-Filipino audience, with the running time over 2 ½ hours, the screenplay makes it difficult for picking out which character is which and what is their role.

However, the focus is on Gregorio del Pilar, in his early 20s, becoming something of a national champion because of his tactics in defence of his men. However, there is complex political manoeuvring in the background, especially with the focus on President Aguinaldo, prominent in the first film, leading the nation, but relying on advisers, especially business man allied with trade with the US. And there is his chief adviser, Mabini, who, with debilitating illness, is away from the central government but observing wisely and wanting to intervene. The presentation of Aguinaldo is quite unsympathetic, highlighting his compromises, his advisers – and an epilogue for the film highlighting his defeat in 1935 by Quezon (with Googling to find more about him, sympathy to the Japanese during World War II, condemnation, rehabilitation, living until 1964.)

Paulo Avelino is Goya, young, preening, family, friends, something of a womaniser, and a challenge from the daughter of a leading household as regards his life and commitment.

While a lot of the film shows Filipino society, the poor, the affluent, the influential, there are also many battle sequences – especially the final battle, the troops taking to the hills, the pursuit by the Americans, the strategy of going high and looking down on the American enemy, but the Americans, superior in strategy, outflanking the Filipinos.

And, we can remember that it is only 40 years further on in Filipino history that the Japanese invaded, the Americans left, General MacArthur said that he would return, and he did, and began the modern history of the Philippines.