A fitting finale, 'Quezon' shows how heroes can turn into villains

Manuel Quezon will be remembered for his quote: “I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos than a country run like heaven by the Americans.” This soundbite isn’t just him calling for independence; it also establishes the tone of our political system today. Any frustration we have with our government now can be traced back to his patronage politics.

- By JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA

That’s what Jerrold Tarog implies in “Quezon,” his take on the former president, which serves as the finale to TBA Studios’ “Bayaniverse” trilogy that began with 2015’s “Heneral Luna” and 2018’s “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.” This time, Jericho Rosales takes the reins as Quezon, with Benjamin Alves playing his younger version.

Told through a nonlinear narrative, the film explores Quezon’s life and political career following the Philippines’ loss at the Battle of Tirad Pass. At this point, the country had surrendered to America, and all Quezon could do was play the game that could eventually lead the country to its independence.

The film doubles down on the trilogy’s political dynamics, trading the war battlefields for political chess. We see Quezon as a savvy lawyer-politician who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, putting him at odds with his frenemy and running mate Sergio Osmeña (Romnick Sarmenta), governor-general Leonard Wood (Iain Glen), and ally-turned-foe Emilio Aguinaldo (Mon Confiado).

One might assume from the trailer that the film will portray Quezon as a heroic president with flaws, much like Antonio Luna (John Arcilla) and Gregorio 'Goyo' del Pilar (Paulo Avelino). However, it pulls a bait-and-switch by revealing just how villainous Quezon can be. He may not have invented the political game, but he mastered its mechanics — so well, in fact, that his power-hungry mind considers losing friends irrelevant in his conquest for power. The same kind of dynamics can be seen in films like “The Social Network.”