Movie Review of GOYO: Ang Batang Heneral

‘Goyo, Ang Batang Heneral’ was based on a true story in Philippine History. After the assassination of General Luna, the story of General Del Pilar also known as ‘Goyo’ was started. He was the favourite general of Emilio Aguinaldo during that period. Aguinaldo ordered Goyo to continue Luna’s task so that no one will strike against him. Goyo accomplished it and honored as the Governador Militar of Pangasinan.

He met a girl in Dagupan, Remedios Nable Jose. Afterwards, then they fell in love to each other. Months was passed, the American’s soldiers tried to catch Emilio Aguinaldo, but Goyo block the foot of the mountain in the Tirad Pas to secure the escape of Aguinaldo together with his family and other alliances. Unfortunately, their enemies surround them that result of their lost. Goyo and other of his troops were killed.

For me, the important key moments are first, when Goyo and his men captured Manuel Bernal and they then proceeded to torture him to make him work for Aguinaldo, but they eventually killed him. In that scene, it gives us a very important lesson which is to learn to differentiate idols from the true leaders and that will be connected on when Apolinario Mabini stated that the only way for Aguinaldo to regain his dignity as a leader and as a person was to die in battle, but it would be Goyo and his men who would lose their lives to give Aguinaldo, his men, and his family a chance to flee from battle. This movie showed us something we were all afraid to admit that we put our own interests above the country’s and it teaches us that too much of something can destroy everything.

The main character of this movie are: first is Gregorio Del Pilar, a boy who had too much weight on his shoulders, loved his country dearly, but followed the orders of another mind instead of his own heart. Next is Apolinario Mabini, Apolinario Mabini is the former Prime Minister of the First Philippine Republic and former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, who served as the adviser of Emilio Aguinaldo. Despite his incapacitation due to polio, he offered the President legal and professional advice founded on his intellect on the field of law. Next main character is General Emilio Aguinaldo is the President of the First Philippine Republic and thereby General-in-Chief of its Revolutionary Army, who led the Filipinos during the Philippine-American War in 1899 until his eventual capture in Palanan, Isabela in 1901. Lastly is General José Alejandrino is the Secretary of War and the former Secretary of Agriculture and Industry of the First Philippine Republic. He is a general of the Philippine Revolutionary Army and a close ally of Gen. Antonio Luna during the Philippine-American War.