Verdict: A shallow, forgettable portrayal of COVID-19 frontliners that fails to capture the real emotional weight of their sacrifices.
What Doesn't Work:
1. Underdeveloped, Unrelatable Characters
- The film introduces multiple frontliners-doctors, nurses, enforcement officers-but none are given enough depth for the audience to connect with. Their struggles feel generic, and their stories lack the emotional punch needed to make us care.
- The doctor's subplot with his pregnant wife was particularly unrealistic and dragged unnecessarily, making it easy to fast-forward through.
2. Inconsistent Messaging
- One glaring flaw was the hypocrisy in scenes where a frontliner scolds people for gathering without properly wearing masks... while she herself isn't wearing one. Such oversights break immersion and undermine the film's credibility.
3. Weak Story Selection
- With countless real-life stories of frontliners' heroism, suffering, and resilience, the film chooses the most mundane and uninspired narratives. There's no standout moment that lingers in memory-just a series of forgettable, half-baked vignettes.
4. No Lasting Impact
- A good pandemic film should leave viewers reflecting on the sacrifices made during COVID-19. Instead, Frontliner is instantly forgettable. By the time the credits rolled, my familyand my relatives felt nothing but regret for wasting our time.
Final Thoughts:
Frontliner had the potential to be a moving tribute to Malaysia's pandemic heroes, but poor execution, weak storytelling, and a lack of emotional depth make it a disappointing watch. If you want a powerful COVID-19 drama, you're better off seeking real-life documentaries or better-written films.
Would I Recommend It? No. Save your time-this one isn't worth it.
