Movie Review: Heneral Luna

I was ready to endure yet another earnest, somewhat insipid and lengthy biopic, but Heneral Luna turned out to be quite riveting and strangely comical - almost to a fault. I thought the story was gripping, powerful, and frankly, a bit eerie, and while not entirely accurate as it took some much needed dramatic licenses, it still had a ring of truth and authenticity to it. On a technical standpoint, everything was on point. It was beautifully shot and edited, the cinematography was stunning, the costumes and set designs were admirable, and the acting performances were exquisite. John Arcilla seized the chance to play this larger than life character and ran with it. He made me care about a man who wasn't all that immediately likable, and in lesser hands the role would've been a mess. Mon Confiado, on the other hand, was just as impressive. He may not be as showy, but his performance was textured and subtle. Heneral Luna was not a perfect film by any means - the humor, for example, became too overbearing at one point that it almost felt contrived - but it packed a powerful wallop regardless and it made me think, and that's all too rare. 8.5