Aguila

In my quest to see more Philippine classic movies, I came across Eddie Romero's Aguila, considered by many as one the most accomplished Filipino films. I haven't lived long enough to know him and I haven't made an effort yet to read about his life but I'm pretty sure he left the country better than it was before through his art.

Aguila started really slow for me. Maybe it was the old quality of the picture or the crickets in the background that I stopped at the 50-minute mark to sleep. Just like the dreams on my nap, a lot of things happened when I resumed my viewing. I was hesitant to continue but the remaining 160 minutes proved to be the best parts. My eyes were glued on the screen as the film showed little by little the complex and tragic history of the Philippines. The Americans 'rescued' us from the Spanish. They taught us their ways. Then the Japanese conquered our lands. Filipinos killed Filipinos. Of course, we already know these but the rich storytelling and humanistic characters made this one of a kind. I had to pause several times because I was mesmerized with the bold writing. It was brave yet grounded by humor. Most notably, it is relevant today as it was relevant before. The film throws interesting ideas and challenges the audience to think for themselves. I loved that about Aguila because it didn't glorify the plot. The line between good and evil was clear but nothing was right more than the other. Its characters were flawed just like everyone is. Aside from the pain seeing an honest depiction of our society, Aguila gave me comfort reminding that each of us are weak creatures turned stronger by our experiences. Finding meaning isn't a straight line because at the end of the day, we can only control so much. I don't know about others but that thrills me always.

Thank you Aguila team for the detailed, rewarding, and reflective history lesson!