Rizal Sa Dapitan
A Film Analysis

There are only a few people who are able to stand up and fight for what is right. Only few can get the courage and believe that there really is hope if we all just fight for our rights, our beliefs and our country and one of these people showed Filipinos that we are not inferior and that we deserve a life that is the same as others. Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, opened our eyes and fought for our freedom even if it means endangering himself and his family. He knew the consequences of his actions yet he still continued and never gave up the fight and stood till the very end. Being exiled in Dapitan is not really a haven for him, it was a prison, a place where he is away from his family and friends, where he felt sad and alone and still made the most out of it. Rizal Sa Dapitan is probably the one that stands out from the other Rizal movies that I know since it was very specific, focusing only on Rizal’s exile in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. It gave viewers a quick glance of what life was like when our national hero was in a remote place and how did he cope up not only with the lifestyle in Dapitan but with his separation from his family. The film was able to depict how he used his talents and intelligence to help the small community in Dapitan and impart knowledge to young men. He made an irrigation system; he planted plants and crops, raised chickens and cure those who are sick. Even if our hero is in a remote place, people still look up to him which only shows how charismatic and great Rizal is. The film was able to show that even if we are far away from home, we can still find love and Rizal found it when Josephine Bracken came to his life. In addition, Rizal continued studying and he was able to discover new things and have more friends. Even if the church are saying things against him, Rizal just gave the cold shoulder and tried to find happiness in his life while he’s in exile. His love for his family, his mother and sisters, were seen in the film which shows that Rizal would do anything for them, especially for his mother. Regarding the film’s historical context, there were able to show the important experiences of Rizal while in Dapitan. Some scenes in the film probably did not really happen but it gave us a background of what happened to Rizal during his last years. One key event is when Rizal and Josephine wanted to finally get married but the church would not let them because of Rizal, nevertheless he tried to reason out to the priest but obviously, the friars were close-minded and arrogant. Through the actions of the people in Dapitan, I can clearly see how much they look up to the man who is hated by the friars. Even if the sermon of the priest was insinuating Rizal’s life, others continue to judge him but there are some who still believed in the hero, sending their kids to him for education and helping those who are ill. Lastly, one of the scenes that broke my heart was when Josephine gave birth to a premature baby named Francisco, who died shortly after birth. Rizal was devastated on his only son’s death, which manifests a father’s love and coping up with the loss of a loved one. While in exile, Rizal lived a productive life. In the last few years of his life, before his death, he was able to accomplish more by helping the small community of Dapitan, discovering new things and passing his knowledge to the youth. This film depicting his exile should be viewed by people for them to be more familiar with our hero’s hardships and heroism. History is not the only thing that we will learn but the values in life as well. Dr. Jose Rizal is a role model for us all and he showed us that life is worth living if we don’t just live for ourselves but for other people as well. Amidst all the pain he felt while in exile, he taught us to never give up and there may be some sacrifices along the way but it will all be worth it as long as we know that we are fighting for what is right and just.