MOVIE REVIEW

By James Roi M. Dela Cruz

I. TITLE

 El Presidente

II. CHARACTERS

 Jeorge "E.R." Estregan as General Emilio Famy Aguinaldo

 Nora Aunor as Maria Agoncillo
 Christopher de Leon as General Antonio Luna
 Cesar Montano as Andrés Bonifacio
 Cristine Reyes as Hilaria Aguinaldo y Del Rosario
 Ronnie Lazaro as Gen. Candido Tirona
 Bayani Agbayani as Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo
 Gerard Ejercito as Gen. Crispulo Aguinaldo
 Allan Paule as Gen. Tomás Mascardo
 Emilio Garcia as Gen. Pío del Pilar
 Wendell Ramos as Gen. Mariano Noriel
 John Arcilla as Mariano Trías
 Mike Lloren as Vicente Riego De Dios
 Ian de Leon as Artemio Ricarte
 Felix Roco as Gregorio Del Pilar
 Alicia Meyer as Inang Bayan (Motherland)
 Alvin Anson as Felipe Agoncillo
 Sunshine Cruz as Gregoria de Jesús
 Joko Diaz as Procopio Bonifacio
 Gary Estrada as Jose Tagle
 Sid Lucero as Gaudioso
 Troy Montero as Frederick Funston
 Ronnie Quizon as Apolinario Mabini
  Joonie Gamboa as Ambassador Felipe Buencamino
 Yul Servo as Pedro A. Paterno
 Lou Veloso as Julian Felipe
 Ian Veneracion as Gen. Ernesto Aguirre
 Dennis Padilla as Tal Placido
 Roi Vinzon as Lazaro Segovia
 Archie Adamos as Luis Aguado
 Soliman Cruz as Maximo Inocencio
 Jericho Ejercito as Young Emilio Aguinaldo
 Roldan Aquino as Maria Agoncillo's Father
 Gloria Sevilla as Maria Agoncillo's Mother
 Jhulia Ejercito as Lorenza Agoncillo
 Maita Ejercito as Marcella Agoncillo
 Lariel Castro as Cecillo
 John Regala as Padre Agustin
 Karl Michael Bentozo as Benguzozo

III. SETTINGS

 Cavite
 Biak na Bato, Bulacan

IV. SUMMARY

The story is told in flashbacks as Emilio Aguinaldo thanks the US government for
giving him the opportunity to attend the full restoration of Philippine independence on
July 4, 1946. The film begins with his capture by Philippine and US forces under
Frederick Funston's command in 1901, then flashes back to 1886, when an old woman
gives Aguinaldo and his childhood friend Candido Tirona cryptic prophecies. Ten years
later, Aguinaldo is inducted into the Katipunan and later assumes leadership of its
Cavite chapter while becoming mayor of Cavite El Viejo. When the trouble breaks out in
Manila in late August 1896, Aguinaldo tries to assure the Spanish provincial government
of non-interference and covertly marshals his forces despite a lack of weapons.
Learning that the Spanish mostly put their forces in Manila, Aguinaldo finally mobilizes
his troops and takes the command of the Katipunan forces in Cavite.
 As the rebels gain ground in Cavite and several provinces, its Magdalo and
Magdiwang factions convene to elect a provisional government. Andrés Bonifacio
oversees the Tejeros Convention, which elects Aguinaldo as president, Mariano Trías
as vice-president and himself as interior minister. He storms out of the convention when
Daniel Tirona objects to his election. Aguinaldo's brother Crispulo informs him of his
accession and convinces him to leave his troops just as he was seeking to defend
against the Spaniards at Pasong Santol. The rebels are defeated and Crispulo is killed.
Meanwhile, an embittered Bonifacio establishes his own revolutionary government and
is later arrested. Aguinaldo is concerned about Bonifacio's actions and wanted him
exiled, but the War Council advises his execution.

Several months later, Aguinaldo leaves Cavite with most of his forces intact and
makes it to Biac-na-Bato in Bulacan, where he signs the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and
heads for Hong Kong. There he meets with US officials who approach him with offers of
support and recognition of a new Philippine Republic amidst the Spanish–American
War. Aguinaldo returns to the Philippines and formally declares independence from
Spain. As the Malolos Congress convenes, Felipe Agoncillo tries to represent the new
nation at the Treaty of Paris negotiations, but gets stonewalled at every turn even as US
forces gradually arrive in the Philippines. The Philippine–American War breaks out in
February 1899 and Antonio Luna is appointed commander of all the Filipino forces. He
is assassinated three months later and the Filipino troops are gradually routed by the
Americans. As a result, Aguinaldo's forces travel all over northern Luzon to escape the
Americans. General Gregorio Del Pilar volunteers to lead some troops in holding them
off at Tirad Pass and buy Aguinaldo time to get away. His loyal courier is later captured
by the Americans while getting some medicine for his son. Now aware of Aguinaldo's
hideout, Funston plans his capture.

Having been made to accept the American occupation over the Philippines,
Aguinaldo lives a quiet life, which is marred by Hilaria's passing in 1921. He meets and
marries Felipe Agoncillo's niece Maria in 1930. Over the next few decades, the couple
witness Philippine history unfold once more as he is defeated in the 1935 presidential
elections, Japanese occupation and the restoration of full independence. In 1962, an
elderly Aguinaldo and his wife comfort each other over President Diosdado Macapagal's
decree to restore the actual date of the Philippine declaration of independence. In his
final hours, the same woman who gave him his prophecy appears to him one more
time.
V. CLIMAX

Aguinaldo leaves Cavite with most of his forces intact and makes it to Biak-na-
Bato in Bulacan and he leads to other country. There he meets with us officials who
approach him with offers of support and recognition of a new Philippine amidst the
Spanish-American war breaks during Antonio Luna is appointed commander of all the
Filipino forces.

VI. REACTION

The movie is so amazing because the cast of this movie is a veteran in this kind
of industry like Cesar Montano even though he didn’t make an effort to resemble
Bonifacio, he acted with passion just like Andres Bonifacio. I also feel ashamed
because Emilio died in hand of our fellow countrymen.

VII. OPINION

I hope if there’s a sequel or remake of this movie, Cesar Montano will make an
effort to resemble Andres Bonifacio.

VIII. CONCLUSION

This movie is worth watching, because it shows how much our National Heroes
went into getting the freedom that we enjoy today.