Goyo brings patience and poleteismo on the screen

In a generation where attention span is dwindling as fast as how people scroll down through their social media feed, “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” brings patience back to storytelling.

This lengthy 155-minute film is not trying to be bigger and grander than “Heneral Luna.” It does not have all the explosive and fast pace sequences that its predecessor has. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as a matter of fact, it is one of Goyo’s positive attributes.

The film took its time to present its characters and plots, making the arcs in the third act of the film more glorious.

The film gradually reveals the core characteristics of Gre- gorio Del Pilar played by Paolo Avelino through the women in his life and his leadership among his troops.

His skills in military tactics are often shown in scenes where he interacts with the leading ladies in the film. His love for these women and, of course, the country are shown on the way he faced his enemies in the battlefield.

Fighting the enemies in this film is always as uphill as the slopes of Tirad. The story would lead the characters into overcoming a difficult challenge just to face the next one until they reach the peak.

The film was executed with precision that it could almost go toe to toe with Hollywood films. There was a point where the viewer could root for the Americans thinking that they are watching a World War II Hollywood movie against the Japanese or a Vietnam War movie.

Suddenly the movie reminds the audience that they are watching a Filipino film like a smack on the head saying, “That’s because your movie palate is colonized by Hollywood.”

Besides colonization, being blinded by the halo effects of our heroes and leaders is clearly one of the major themes of the film.

It was like Mideo Cruz’ “Poleteismo” where people turn their heroes and leaders into gods who would bring them salvation.

How the film shows the humanity of Goyo is beautiful. The scenes where he was hounded by the ghosts of his conscience and mortality were almost Shakespearean.

Goyo is truly an epic. It may not be as loud as Heneral Luna, perhaps because of its slow story telling but that pace is something this generation needs to practice their patience when assimilating artworks like these.