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JonathanRameshRaj
Reviews
The Lord Musang King (2023)
A Garbage of a Movie
I am not going to write a detailed review but I must say that this movie is absolute garbage!!
From the script to the casts, it is pathetic. The plot is rubbish! Horrible production! It is sad to see mediocre brains in deciding to colour grade a tropical country into an autumn season. How dumb is that?
The fight scenes were pathetic and lame. Dialogues were very amateurish, more of what a film school leaver may do.
Very weak script and no creativity. Camera works are equally horrible. Art direction, a sad case. Make up and hair, intern level.
A film which is equivalent to a school leaver trying out a hand in filmmaking.
12th Fail (2023)
12th Fail ... a Masterpiece, truly
Overview :
A visual product from India where it deviates away from all the glam and glitter, endless songs and stylised fight scenes, 12th Fail is a masterpiece where inspiration is the keyword here and personally it is one of the best movies I have seen this year (12th Fail was released in 2023).
Based on Anurag Pathak's bestselling novel of the same name, 12th Fail depicts the true story of an IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma hailing from a small town in Chambal, who fearlessly embraced the idea of restarting his academic journey and reclaiming his destiny at a place where millions of students attempt for the world's toughest competitive exam, UPSC.
In brief, this film is about perseverance and remaining honest without compromising one's integrity. Not over dramatic, yet dramatic enough to keep you engaged and involved at all points in time, it engages you, sometimes chokes your emotion and surely inspires.
1) Script, Screenplay & Dialogues :
12th Fail is a triumph of narrative ingenuity. The script, a finely woven tapestry of emotions and conflicts, engages the audience in a visceral journey that oscillates seamlessly between moments of heart-wrenching vulnerability and soaring triumph.
Writer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra went through 179 draft changes to the script before finally rolling the camera. Chopra used this inspiring and exciting tale as his canvas and paints it with several emotions - of pain, anger, failure, victory, helplessness and confidence, all in a great balance. The film was co-written by Jaskunwar Kohli, with Aayush Saxena credited as associate writer.
Despite not being a larger-than-life action packed love story flick where the Indian commercial cinema is particularly fond of, 12th Fail celebrates rooted, public-minded men and women who swear by the Constitution and are brave enough to go the distance in protecting the principles that it enshrines.
9.5/10
2)Direction :
Chopra's filmography, including gems like Eklavya, Mission Kashmir, and Khamosh, has always delved into real-life stories, adapting them seamlessly for the cinematic experience. However, 12th Fail stands out not just for its storyline but for its intelligent direction. Under his direction, the film becomes a compelling cinematic journey celebrating the spirit of youth and triumph over adversity.
Chopra's direction crafts a realistic and relatable world, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in the story. Certain scenes are bound to evoke tears. These powerful emotional moments add depth and authenticity to the narrative, making it a truly immersive experience.
And based on his mastery, each character is meticulously crafted and impeccably portrayed by the talented ensemble cast, becomes a conduit for the film's thematic resonance, contributing to a narrative depth that transcends the traditional boundaries of the genre.
10/10
3) Cinematography :
The film's visual aesthetics are nothing short of breathtaking, with each frame meticulously crafted to evoke a wide range of emotions. Rangarajan Ramabadran's cinematography is spellbinding, capturing the essence of the characters' struggles and triumphs in a way that is both visually stunning and emotionally poignant.
The use of light and shadow is particularly noteworthy, adding layers of symbolism to the story and enhancing the overall viewing experience. The cinematography succeeds in bringing the characters' struggles and triumphs to life in a visually stunning manner.
The only flaw that I could see was the usage of a wide-angle lens capturing a wide of Manoj walking towards the interview room. The pillars naturally become distorted or symmetrically off.
9.5/10
4) Production Design :
Production Designer Prashant Bidkar was tasked with bringing the grounded, relatable narrative of 12th Fail to life. He elevates familiar everyday settings with the use of rugged realism. Costume design, helmed by Malvika Bajaj, work in tandem and seamlessly blend aesthetics and harmony with the film's milieu.
9/10
5) Casts :
Vikrant Massey's portrayal of Manoj is nothing short of brilliant, breathing life into the narrative with his impeccable acting. The on-screen portrayal of Manoj has become a symbol of the dreams and struggles faced by millions of underprivileged job seekers in India, evoking a profound emotional response from the audience.
Massey as Manoj is the beating heart of the film. He brings a rare vulnerability, honesty and earnest dignity to his character. His nuanced performance allows us to empathise with the character's journey, laying the foundation for the transformation from an ignorant teenager to the unwavering determination of a struggling young competitor. His performance goes beyond mere dialogue delivery and cements his status as a standout talent.
Medha Shankar makes a confident debut with 12th Fail and her Shraddha shares a rather genuine chemistry with Manoj. Her character is beautifully written with a whole lot of finesse.
In his supporting role, Anant V Joshi as Pritam Pandey delivers a nuanced portrayal that captures the dual intention of support and jealousy with finesse. Anshumaan Pushkar, as the mentor Gauri Bhaiya, brings an uplifting presence to 12th Fail.
9.5/10
6) Post Production, Sound Editing, Music :
The conventional editing style occasionally disrupts the viewing experience. However, when it breaks away from the pattern and lingers on a shot, it creates cinematic and emotional magic.
Shantanu Moitra's background score works in tandem to create an auditory symphony that not only captures the essence of each moment but also elevates the emotional resonance. The music is subtle yet effective, enhancing the film's tone and mood. With only three instruments used, including a sitar, flute, and another unidentified instrument, the music complements the storytelling and adds depth to emotional scenes, such as the protagonist's interview and moments of triumph.
The sound design by Manav Shrotriya adeptly captures moments of chaos, nuances, and silences with alacrity, transporting us seamlessly into the universe of the film and heightening our engagement with the characters.
9/10
What truly makes 12th Fail a cinematic gem is its ability to leave a lasting impact on its audience. The ideas in the film make you think about your own life and get inspired by the characters' stories. It also makes you question what people usually think about success and failure, pushing you to see personal achievements in a new way.
In conclusion, 12th Fail is an awesome choice for those people who think they have lost everything in life, especially for students. It's a kind of movie that makes you think deeply about life and overcome the challenges in life.
Restart! Restart! Restart!
Overall rating : 9.5/10.
La Luna (2023)
A Taste of Reality
Be advised that this review is NOT for :
- hypocrites
- the "holier than thou" cluster
- those who cannot accept reality and choose to remain in their own ideal bubble world of lies and deceit
- those who are practically known as "penunggang agama"
- those who live in fear thinking that a simple movie could change the course of their respective religions
- those are against liberalism without knowing what "liberalism" is about
- those who include religion in any form of debates, arguments or an explanation in a civil society
Overview :
La Luna is a simple tale which hits out at religious hypocrisy, male-dominion machoism and the suppression of the fairer sex. It is also a story where the sidelined female community goes into a transition where most of them now feel liberated and empowered while passionless marriages are suddenly reinvigorated in joyful hijinks.
Set in the present day, "La Luna" takes place in the fictional rural village of Bras Basah, a quintessential Malaysian kampung named after a district in Singapore where the undisputed leader is Tok Hassan, an elderly scholar whose intense strictness regarding Muslim laws has resulted in fashion magazines being manually censored, sermons being purged of humour and teenage art being deemed a matter of police concern.
His authority however is challenged when Hanie, a modern entrepreneur from Kuala Lumpur inherits an ancestral home and moves to the village to open an upscale lingerie store, which quietly also becomes a refuge for a number of women in the village.
The clash between them is inevitable, with Tok Hassan using every trick in his book to get the shop to close down. Police officer Salihin Arshad a progressive-minded soul finds himself in the middle, as his professional capacity comes into conflict with his love for his daughter, Azura, who is constantly pressuring him to change his way of thinking and overall practices, and his relationship with the newcomer, which soon blooms into something more than friendship. Although Hanie scores some 'victories' in the beginning, her adversary is not eager to let go. Challenges go blazing at her from all angles but somehow this city rebel managed to find solace in the conservative communal.
Well, I am not going to spoil it here by narrating the entire story hence I am jumping next into the comprehensive analysis of the movie.
1) Script, Screenplay & Dialogues :
La Luna is in fact a breath of fresh to the norms of Malay cinema, perhaps owing to the heavy influx of the progressive minds of Malay Singaporean filmmakers contributing to this flick. Despite it being relatively shot with only a budget of RM3.5 million, La Luna is exceptionally good, compelling and in relevance to the current situation of where interpretation or rather a misinterpretation of religion blankets the society today.
The script by the director M Raihan Halim is well written and the screenplay equally executed well. Dialogues are predominantly in Malay but with a tinge of English being added to the linguistic fabric of the film. The dialogues are packed with a mix of seriousness and humour. The movie has a good sense of comedic timing and can be quite, shall we say, "daring" with its humour. A good chunk of laughs are derived from the sexual repression of the villagers, thanks to Tok Hassan's oppressive rules.
Taking into account is how writer-director Halim's skill in making this a story about censorship rather than a dig about faith. He cleverly paints the secular village leader as the baddie instead of his aide, the religious teacher, who resists his fanatical self-preservation. I believe some of the audiences have misinterpreted this movie as an assault at the assumed religious leader, the village head but NO, the religious head here is Ustaz Fauzi!
8.5/10
2)Direction :
Kudos to M Raihan and his team for this bold effort. M. Raihan's writing and directing are particularly intelligent with him managing to combine comedy, romance and drama with intense sociopolitical commentary, without allowing the movie to become polemic despite its context, which could easily lead towards that path.
In that manner, it is quite interesting to see how he achieves that particularly the last aspect. Apart from the overall lightness that permeates the movie, Halim takes care of having a number of opposite characters, who essentially state that the problem is not religion or the system, but the way people perceive and implement it largely through interpretations to one's whims and fancies.
8.5/10
3) Cinematography
Sofyan Daud Mohamed's cinematography captures the rural area with realism, with the right intensity of colour, the adequate amount of lights and the softness in choices of lenses. No fancy stuff shown but rather complementing angles and movements were used swiftly.
8/10
4) Production Design
The conservative theme was well executed in terms of production design. The rural setting was nicely laid with good monotonous look and feel where else colours within the lingerie shop played a pivotal role, perhaps in a way adding colour to the mundane lifestyle of the female folks there. It was done well in line to the script and the realism of the film.
The wardrobe stylist did a good job in getting the right fitting for the casts. No over-the-top clothings were shown. Hard to see any flaw in the wardrobe section though. A big ups to the wardrobe stylist here.
8.5/10
5) Casts
One of the most impressive part of this movie are the casts, top notch I must say.
The chemistry and overall presence of Shaheizy Sam as Salihin Arshad and Sharifah Amani as Hanie Abdullah is as rewarding as possible, with both actors embodying their roles rather convincingly, and with a sense of measure that is not that common in comedies from the area.
The ones who were largely impressive throughout are definitely the 'secondary' characters.
Wan Hanafi Su plays the role of Tok Hassan the 'noble villain' type to perfection, a terrific yet calmly terrifying role as the unyielding change opponent lurking in venomous daylight, hellbent on eradicating the work of "Satan" at his village.
The comical parts comes from Nam Ron's Ayob and Farah Ahmad's Enah and is seen as one of the most entertaining aspects of the movie. Both carried their roles exceptionally well and I must say, really well!
One of the characters I was captivated was in fact the feisty, all gusto cheeky teen Azura played by Syumaila Salihin. Apart from doing well in her Malay dialogues, her command of the English language was impeccable. She spoke it so well that there was not a single tinge of any local or Asian accents being heard. She spoke confidently without a flaw! She added depth into the "Azura" character and made her scenes so much livelier. I must say that Syumaila is a great actress in the making as she is certainly the face of Malaysian cinema of the future!
Dzuhrie Alaudin as Ustaz Fauzi highlights both his initial inner struggle and his eventual transformation in the most convincing way. Right expressions while maintaining the "holy man" persona while subtly being seen a progressive religion man.
An impressive portrayal of the domestically-abused Yam was carried well by Nadiya Nissa. She cultivated her role from a timid person to someone who was given immerse moral support to Hanie. The shift of characteristics is something notable and it add to the subject of women empowerment.
The lesser roles of the "ever-enraged" husband of Yam, Pa'at was carried adequately by Hisyam Hamid and the timid role of Yazid by Wafiy Ilha was executed well.
Generally, I was impressed with the individual performances of casts and I must say that they executed their roles with much flair, grace and with lesser intensity.
9/10
6) Post Production
Pacy edits were used with the right colours to fit the look and feel of the film. In general it was consistent throughout. Music and background sound were subtle but enough not to overlap the attention which was more on the dialogues and characters.
8/10
And finally my closing note.
From women's autonomy to political misuse of religion, La Luna tackles quite a number of themes in a tactful manner. This is a likeable film, pivoting from a "God is watching" stance to a "God is loving" embrace, is truly something wonderful to behold. A bold and expertly executed mixture of both mainstream and indie sensibilities, La Luna is the Malaysian-Singaporean film you never knew you needed.
Malbatt: Misi Bakara (2023)
A Feel-good War Flick If You Are a Patriot
Back in 1991 and being a massive fan of Ridley Scott, i jumped on the first chance I could to watch Black Hawk Down. War movies weren't part of my favourite genre but with Mr. Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer who happens to be that role model of a producer for me, I couldn't miss it.
In a summary, Black Hawk Down was a war film set during the Battle of Mogadishu where a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down with its crew and a rescue mission was immediately deployed. An assemble of stellar cast added to the production value of the film and it was eventually nominated for four categories at the Oscars, winning two for Best Sound and Best Film Editing.
Twenty one years later, a Malaysian filmmaker Adrian Teh decided to make a movie based on the same incident but from a Malaysian vantage point as the Malaysian Battalion were participating as one of the rescue unit alongside the Pakistan Army. Scott left this fact out in his film.
The movie opens well with a rescue mission saving the hostages from the Somali extremists and scenes that would be coming out straight from a Western war movie. Good camera movements and some stylised slow-mo.
But of course that didn't last long as the "typical Malaysian film" started to creep in. The comical part is basically a comic that went wrong. No humour and nothing hilarious with some corny dialogues. The foreign female journalist was a total waste of time, nothing made any sense with her in a flirting scene.
To break it down in categories, here we go .....
1)Script, Screenplay & Dialogues
The script lacked great depth. It has little flow without any strong dialogues and feel. At times it felt dialogues were all monotonous and especially being lined up with strong actors, it was all noticeable that there is a possibility that the casts were not entirely comfortable with the texts or were ordered to be "robotic" while reciting the dialogues directly off a notebook.
The "flirting" scenes in the beginning and towards the end were unnecessary. It was a complete waste of space with corny pick up lines done in overzealous spirits.
Having name titles appearing whenever each character appears for the first time (as a form of introduction) was a pain to the eyes. Instead of focusing on the characters, it sways our attention to the little text being typed out as the scene gets moving. After 10 seconds reading the names, I went totally blank in trying to recall their names.
The plot was mundane and characters were not developed well. We turn to lose track on who is who and what their ranking is in a military heir-achy. Most of the dialogues spoken were done in a rather loud manner. The casts were literally shouting at each other more than anything. A simple quiet dialogue session was a rarity. Almost everyone spoke at their top of their voices.
5/10
2) Direction
Adrian Teh may have employed more pace looking at it being an action packed war film but he still missed on several aspects especially in character development. Camera works are commendable but again his direction is a vast contrast with how Scott made his a film to remember. It is unfair to make a comparison between Teh and Scott but let's leave the overall budget out here for a moment. The storyline seems to lack emotions, the conviction and Teh failed to bring the best out of his experienced cast.
5/10
3) Cinematography
The cinematography was well crafted with some nice and fancy moves but somehow was overshadowed by the "fake look" it occasionally had when some of the scenes were done with matting shots. It was clear that the lighting on the subject(s) was off with the blurry background (the depth of field effect matte shot). Lighting of the subjects in these situations were totally a disaster. But in other close up shots such as the interiors of the APCs were well lit resulting with some pleasant images.
The aerial shots were tastefully done and I must say that some of the B-rolls or 2nd unit's shots were cinematic.
7/10
4) Production Design
Ho Chee Siang, a long time buddy of mine was the art director in this. I must say that he did a very commendable job and it certainly painted the exact mood and feel of a war-torn communal. I couldn't point a visible flaw and obviously at a war-zone, the more damaged items are used the more realistic the film can get.
The wardrobe stylists was quite accurate in her interpretation and the right costumes were used. Nothing look brand new coming out straight from the shelves.
Make up on casts was generally fair but I felt that it was overdone on some of the casts involved especially when faces were "over" drenched with sweat.
Otherwise, it was a job well done.
8.5/10
5) Casts
I am quite disappointed with the main casts on this to be honest. Yes, they carried out their roles as soldiers but they all looked too rigid, too bland. Some made silly jokes which were unnecessary and most of them were filled with too much of tense, screaming from the top of the voices. I haven't seen injured soldiers in a war movie cry or grimace in pain so loudly. I was wondering if their enemy was going to spot them because of how loud they were.
See, some of them are top actors of this country but somehow I feel that the mundane script overshadowed their talents or simply the director couldn't bring the best out of them.
Despite the setbacks here, I must say that the Somali interpreter Abdelle played by a Somali-American Musa Aden surprisingly stole the show from the otherwise all-star cast.
Having experienced the Somali Civil War in real life himself, his appearance adds a palpable sense of authenticity to the movie. It's hard not to root for his sympathetic character, who just wants to do the right thing between helping the Malaysian soldiers and saving his people from committing war crimes. Aden also deserved praise for his brief but winning chemistry with Shaheizy Sam, where the latter delivers a typically engaging performance as Lance Corporal Ramlee.
The movie also featured some other great acting from the likes of Zahiril Adzim, Iedil Dzuhrie Alaudin, Fauzi Nawawi and Adlin Aman Ramlie. The former three played Lieutenant Dahari, Lieutenant Mustafa and Major Osman respectively.
The casts for roles of the American soldiers were poor, typically looking like some B or C grade outcasts. They were not natural in their roles and seem so rigid and monotonous. There wasn't any flair as how an American soldier would be portrayed.
And lastly, the American female journalist was a complete waste of time and space. Pretty girl she is but it was certainly an unnecessary role given to her.
5/10
6) Post Production
Sadly, this was the most underperforming segment of the entire movie. Despite having the right grading of colour and some good editing, the CGI was a massive disappointment. The spotty CGI shot of a rocket shooting out from the RPG every now and then may have ruined some of the movie's intended grounded realism. Some of the explosions and fires seem so fake and unreal. The green/blue matting technique was a disaster for the plate shots and too much glare.
Considering Black Hawk Down which was released in 2001 and what the capabilities of VFX at that time, extensive work was put to achieve a certain degree of realism. For the most part everything looks very real in that movie. There was a lot of augmenting CGI used in Black Hawk Down. You'd be surprised how much of bullet impacts, smoke, helicopters, set extension, etc was all CGI. That is a stroke of a masterpiece from the director himself, 21 years ago!
3/10
Summary
Overall Malbatt: Misi Bakara is a watchable movie for those who want to see the battle of Mogadishu from a Malaysian perspective. It's not quite as the high cinematic standards of Black Hawk Down, but at least it gives us a little sense of pride on the true stories of the sacrifices made by our Malaysian army.
My rating for this movie is 5/10.
Pendatang (2023)
A Review by a "Pendatan
Pendatang, which means "immigrant" in Malay and is commonly used to label any non-Malay citizens of Malaysia.
Well, I anxiously wanted to watch this cinematic version of "Pendatang" and I finally got my chance.
The film is set in a dystopian Malaysia where a Segregation Act divides ethnic groups into tightly separated and controlled areas with curfews being imposed.
Well, I am going to skip the narration of the synopsis and jump directly into the movie itself from a vantage point of a servant of the film industry.
1)Script, Screenplay & Dialogues
Looking at its tight budget purely crowdfunded, Pendatang is exceptionally good and compelling. The script was well written and the screenplay was equally executed well. Dialogues were predominantly in Cantonese but some tinge of Malay added to the linguistic fabric of the film. To be honest, this is one of the rare times where I was intrigued for almost the first 60 minutes without batting an eye lid. Usually it takes me 10-15 minutes to hit the opening phase of boredom.
The plot was different in comparison to a number of Malaysian films released this year. Breaking out of being in the usual bubble of horror-comics, gangster flicks, police stories, love triangles and pendekar massacres, this film portrayed the obvious but told in the most fictional manner possible where ethnic groups are forbidden to mix with each other. That's a first in a Malaysian made film and a bold one in fact.
8/10
2) Direction
I must say that Ng Ken Kin had the "balls" to direct this in order to pursue with a clear cut message that "race is only a skin-deep notion". His imagination of "what if the ethnic resentments that are often seen and heard among Malaysia's different races today escalate into darker consequences" was well dramatised in a simplified manner. The message was loud and clear indeed.
Kudos to Ken Kin, a job well done.
8.5/10
3) Cinematography
Understanding of having limited amount of money and despite that the cinematography was done with a proper manner. With minimal lighting and minus any other fancy optical illusions, rhetorical camera works were tasteful though I feel that at times the handheld shots were way too jerky. Perhaps it could be the director's requirement to add realism into the imagery.
Framing of the B-rolls (house interior standalone shots) were less impressive. The choice of lenses used was not right as it showed optical distortion.
7/10
4) Production Design
It was done adequately to the script and the realism of the film. Minimal props were used but it was enough to tell most of the story from the interiors of a Malay home. There wasn't much required in terms of art direction.
The wardrobe stylist did a good job in getting the right fitting for the casts. No over-the-top clothings were shown.
The only flaw I noticed was the "brand new" soldier uniforms which should have been aged-down to be more realistic.
6/10
5) Casts
I was impressed with the individual performances of casts and I must say that they executed their roles with much flair, grace and with lesser intensity. Fear, which played a larger part in their emotions was the basis and yet it did not limit a little joy here and there.
The Malay language was exceptionally well spoken by the Chinese casts, without a slightest hint of accent typically spoken by the large Chinese community here in Malaysia.
The "Panda" character was well played by the little girl despite not having a single word uttered. Her facial reactions were enough to show her emotional rollercoaster.
8.5/10
6) Post Production
The colour grading of the film was toned down to fit overall look and feel of the dystopian setting. The gloomy overcast weather added to it. Editing was fairly done and kept simple.
And finally my closing note.
This film with its humble beginnings could make big waves within this country despite not having any form of theatrical release. It was a great effort shown with much courage especially when it touches the ever-sensitive racial topic.
All the best.
Anwar: The Untold Story (2023)
The Unforeseen Review
Anwar : The Untold Story, The Unforeseen Review.
To be honest, I do not know where to begin as my thoughts right now, after watching this piece of cinematic atrocity are all over the place just like the storyline and its plot.
As an overview, this piece stands out as a failure in almost every proportion. It lacks in its fundamentals where the script, the flow of the story and the dialogues are collectively poor with no conviction and no depth. In short, a soulless film.
The movie was seemingly rushed with some unnecessary draggy scenes. There is a scene where Anwar was seen lying on the prison floor and slowly getting up in such an excruciating pain. That scene alone was shown for two whole minutes! The follow up scene had no continuity to his last position.
The stolen "nutmeg" scene was totally clueless.
In a certain scene, Anwar's son was seen in a frustrated manner and tossing off a basketball. It was a scene which was meaningless or abruptly stopped and was left as a cliffhanger. Almost every spinoff scenes focussed on "corruption snippets" where Anwar was seen duly turning down any form of "gift". This was repetitive that I was beginning to wonder the motive of showing Anwar of being "anti corruption". We are all aware that he was convicted back in 1999 for corruption and abuse of power.
Transitions were executed poorly so much that it was actually lost in its own translation.
Being a biopic, facts are key to the entire film. But instead, this film is seen as an adulation of Anwar who is seemingly glorified as a near-perfect Muslim politician with great values especially in his motives to annihilate corruption in the country.
I am breaking it down into details as per :
1. Script, Screenplay, Dialogue
It is quite evident that there was not much effort taken in the scripting process. The dialogues were mediocre and monotonous. There is no single element of creative writing and the plot sunk way beneath the depths of actual plot.
There wasn't a flow in the storytelling stream as the scenes were all misplaced or rather splattered all over.
Being a biopic, it would have been an added value if footages of actual news reportings were shown.
The writers credited for this film were Viva Westi, Dian Bheno and Zunar. Sadly, a poor and shabby trio! And apparently, 7 revisions of the script were done prior to it moving in to production. Astonishing !
0.25/10
2. Direction
Viva Westi doesn't have it to be a decent film director when it concerns a biopic, perhaps she could pass off more as a director of made-for-RTM dramas.
She lacks a great degree of creativity and story telling, living it up to her other role in this movie, where she wrote the screenplay.
0.25/10
3. Cinematography
I was first impressed with the choice of lenses when it came to portrait shots of the characters but that was about it. It was perhaps the only saving grace for an amateurish cinematography stint.
The camera movements were limited, no sense of creative directions as of the angles or framing used. It was rather a flat imagery conceived and I must say that a low-key gaffer was hired on set, hence the tasteless lighting was glaring all over.
The film lacked B-rolls and with the handful B-rolls featured, they were meaningless and were poorly shot. A stand alone capture of the KL Tower had no substance and so was a shot where Anwar was seated in a moving vehicle and the B-rolls were of some greenery with a hill in the background. Again, a senseless shot with zero cinematic value.
There was a B-roll shot of the Masjid Jamek at the meeting point of Sungai Gombak and Sungai Klang where River of Life is located. In the late 90s, it was plain without any walkway decks and certainly not a tourist attraction as how it was portrayed in the film. The River of Life project was only launched in 2011 and then came those nice walkways. A blooper it must be.
0.25/10
4. Production Design
There isn't much to say about the production design on this film as it certainly didn't add or bring any values to the film. The art direction was poor, lacking in ideas and creativity.
Something which caught my eyes was this piece of microphone held by a journalist during an interview Anwar had. It was a microphone with a cube box which displayed the emblem of Al-Jazeera Malaysia. To my understanding, Al-Jazeera Malaysia was only established here in 2005 while the events was around the 1997/98 circa. A blooper?
The wardrobe worn were mostly looking like they just arrived from Jakel, all prim and proper with the exception of Anwar's bloodied attire in prison.
It is was also slightly odd to see that some were styled to look like in 80s when the actual events were going into the late 90s. Oversized spectacles were so of the 70s I must say.
I did notice that name tags on coats or jackets usually worn by Anwar and Mahathir were missing in this field. Some details were clearly ignored.
Anwar's wounded face looked more like a corpse waiting to be buried. The make up artist could have had a great wedding make up career prior to this film, I would assume. Factually Anwar didn't have a hairstyle of long tops and side shorts as what the lead cast portrayed here.
In fact there was a character (Mahathir's crony) who was clearly wearing a wig. It was so obvious that it was worn shamelessly.
The locations were generic but some were made to look like they were some sets made for a Tatler Magazine cover. Over the top dressing I must say.
0.25/10
Casting
This part is probably the worst segment contributed to the movie. The casting director (if there was one) had no clue of how monumental a character as big as Anwar was in the history of Malaysia.
Being a non-Malaysian had its bearing effects too as one has to understand on how much is needed to portray certain characters especially in a biopic.
I wonder who the casting director was as no records were found and should it be such a case, hence the film director could have been the one who selected the casts.
Farid Kamil isn't a fabulous actor to begin with but he did have an uncanny resemblance to Anwar. Having said that, he didn't possess the fire, the hunger and the appetite for destruction which Anwar had. He was more like a goodie-two-shoes Anwar who was all about being clean and fighting corruption.
Portraying a native orang Utara, Farid lacked a lot in delivering the dialogues in a northern Malay dialect despite being a Kedah-born.
Farid should have put more effort in learning how Anwar spoke, his intonation and his caliber in demonstrative speaking in a much persuasive manner. It wasn't just about putting up that iconic hand-raising scene. It was more than that. It was about character building and living to the persona of Anwar.
Acha Septriasa is a fantastic actress I must say but selecting her to carry the role of the then 46 year old Wan Azizah was absolutely a wrong move. She would have suited more for a younger Nurul Izzah character. There was not a slightest resemblance she had of Wan Azizah and being an Indonesian, she miserably failed in her accent whenever she spoke. She was rather seen pushing too hard.
I would certainly hold the film director and the casting director (if any) responsible for this error of judgment.
The role of Mahathir played by Hasnul Rahmat was kinda off. He didn't portray the characteristics of the cunning and conniving Mahathir.
He was seen more as a subtle Mahathir who could be easily tamed at any given time. Mahathir is always thick in his Kedahan dialect and here Hasnul lacked that mediocrely.
Anwar's parents played by Indonesians Piet Pagau and Dewi Irawan was good but again they lacked that dialect part. Somehow I noticed that their voices were dubbed over by Malaysians. If it was truly dubbed, the synching was simply outrageous.
Nurul Izzah's role played by Saskia Chadwick, an Indonesian actress was completely off! She didn't fit in at all and again, she didn't possess what a feisty Nurul Izzah was all about.
The rest of the casts involved in some small roles were all mediocre. The policemen characters at the lock up were just sad. They were monotonous just as their dialogues.
The assistant character of Anwar and Wan Azizah was another poor play and so was that "Daim" figure. Either they overdoing it or they were simply reciting nervously from the script.
And, the Chinese "nutmeg" guy didn't look like a Chinese at all in that needless scene.
0.25/10
Post Production
The editing was below par and it was choppy that some scenes were merely lost out. The matted shots of the KL City skyline looked more like a painting and the airport background scene was just shabby.
Little effort was put into colour grading and the images looked soulless. I doubt that there were any foley artists used and the sound mix was disappointing too. The background music seems to come out at odd moments and the types of music or sound effects needed for the appropriate scenes didn't come through. The sound sync on the dubs were erratic, works of a novice.
0.25/10
And finally my closing note.
The 1998 Reformasi movement part was an all-important event in the history of Malaysian politics and whether you like him or not, Anwar was the biggest figure then. Sadly, this movie didn't live to that magnitude of the said events. It didn't justify the trials and tribulations Anwar went through during that ordeal.
Lastly, Zunar should stick to being a cartoonist than to dabble into films. He doesn't have it when it concerns motion picture productions.
Overall : 1.5/10.
Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan (2022)
Poor Production Values
It was good that Mat Kilau : Kebangkitan Pahlawan was shown on Netflix as it gave me flexibility to watch the movie at my own pace. As the movie was shot in 4K and with its sound effects, my 5.1 system and an OLED screen was sufficient enough to support the screening, to get the best possible sound and visuals. Clearly stating it here in case if i get those "ko tengok kat Netflix, apa yg ko tahu" reactions.
Within the first 30 minutes, it was a challenge to watch it till the end. I will sum it up in my review below :
Script, Screenplay :
The script was poorly written and the dialogues were monotonous. It had no flow except that catchy lines in the tones of "race, religion, motherland, ancestors" was seen repeated by various characters throughout. It was like reminding the audience endlessly of what the Malay race is and how evil the British forces were. There were one too many occurrences where dialogues sounded more like a ceramah or from a prayer session. This was needless as it sunk the movie in its plot.
Characters of the film were not developed well as the movie progressed. The protagonist was suddenly introduced out of no where , thrown right in the role of a leader and most of his conversations were about race, religion and tanah pusaka. The movie titled after him didn't allow a chance to develop his character.
In fact, the most of the characters were under developed. This is due to a very weak screenplay.
Production, Photography :
It was nice to see the director opting for the 2.35: 1 aspect ratio as it gave a pleasant cinematic feel with its widescreen cinemascope format which suited cinema screens and modern LED/OLED displays.
The cinematography of this film was mediocre and the lighting was horrid. There was no craft or as it is that the DOP had limited creativity. Lighting was inconsistent throughout and the ambient light was seen so fake that even the glare and flickering seemed to be operated by someone who lacked experience. This film was set in a time where there was no electricity supply but surprisingly indoor lighting felt like there were several LED lamps being operated. The jungle and the village exterior were lit up as though there was one spot light used by the residents there.
Camera angles were limited and consistently repeated. It was mainly of a low angled static shot, a tracking shot at a single angle or a shot craned up. It was boring. Again, the DOP seemed clueless with expanding his shots or applying creative techniques.
The fight scenes were the most painful to watch. The choreography was acceptable but the camera movements were just horrid. It gave a dizzying feel and at times I felt nauseated. A proper gimbal or a steadycam would have done wonders but again, it boils down to the expertise of the operators in whether they would have had the knowledge to operate one. Watching those fight scenes felt more like being seated at the back of a 4 wheel drive vehicle going through a jungle ride. It was nauseating.
What was also lacking were B-rolls. B rolls are supplementary shots for example scenic shots of landscapes, natural elements or subjects that are used as transitional elements in a film. It explains the lack of creativity by the film director.
Production Design :
I must say that the production design of this film was poor, very poor indeed. When it concerns a periodic film, detailing is key. Elements such as sets, props and costumes are integral and should be designed to engage with the times the film was set upon.
The props looked new or polished, there was no aging process applied. The set where it portrayed a jetty seen to be something that was recently made. The wooden boxes at the ambushed area were all too neatly arranged pr stacked. The art direction was poor.
The tents at various spots such as the gold mine and the village were all squeaky clean. Too clean, not being weathered down. Again, the art director failed miserably in execution.
Props at the market were all too neat, prim and proper. It gave a feel of a pasar tani in a modern civilised era.
The costumes used were all ironed well and looked tardy despite the story background of its rural and rough setting. Some looked as though they were just picked up from a local boutique minutes before filming. Again, there was no aging process applied on the wardrobe. A mediocre work by the stylist.
Make up on characters were like they were all going for a wedding. The colour tones applied were not right for the film and lighting. But of course when the lighting was bad enough, make up applied will look equally bad.
Locations were merely some boring urban jungle or landscape. As locations looked redundant, more effort should have been put on cinematic looking scapes. The sets at locations were relatively dull and looked brand new.
Casting :
Adi Putra's character of Mat Kilau was poor. Most of his serious dialogues or ceramah were like watching Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal of the Terminator, robotic and dull. Even his expressions were unreal and his machoism was overwhelming. He was monotonous at most times.
In fact, Beto Kusyairy was a better performer. His portrayal of Wahid brought some character in depth even though there were times where he seems to be way over emotional.
Yayan Ruhian's character of Toga was commendable. The only odd thing about it was that he sounded exactly like who he was, an Indonesian. But perhaps, his intonation and dialect could have been the accurate overall setting for the film if it was used widely in the film. Some call it the "old Malay language".
I believe that choosing a Belgian with a heavy Flemish-sounding English for a role of a British soldier was a wrong move. Geoff Andre Feyaerts was poor mainly in the command of the English language in terms of intonation and pronunciation. And yes, the make up on him was equally horrible.
Having a handful English or Caucasian individuals as part of the British Regiment was also a poor choice and with the entire force made out of Punjabis was just plain silly.
The character of Ghuram Singh was poor acting. It was kinda surprising to hear a Punjabi from the British army in 1892 speaking a modernised version of the Malay language with much fluency and flair. And so were his own Punjabi co-stars.
I was also surprised with Goh Hoi, played by Farid Amirul for his impeccable command of the English language. Seriously, his character never made any sense in the plot.
I wouldn't want to say much of the other characters but they were portrayed accordingly by accomplished actors such as Rahim Razali and Jalaluddin Hassan.
Post Production:
The film lacked creativity in terms of edits. First and foremost, the grading was off as it didn't give a look and feel of that era but again, tones of colour grading is usually the director's choice.
Scenes looked like they were slashed here and there and then glued up together to create a sequence. The slow-mo effect was used frequently for the same type action and it became boring quickly.
Visual effects were mediocre. The bombing scenes and where certain soldiers seen burning were pathetic. Again, another hurriedly done shoddy job.
The movie started off with a scene where a title design was used at the foot of the frame. It was written as "Kuala Tembeling, Pahang (1890). The font used in there was a modern typography. This too explains the lack of knowledge and creativity.
Music, Sound Design :
Despite the frequent yelling of bangsa Melayu, tanah pusaka and what not, there was not even a single music tune with Malay origins. The music score largely sounded like compositions from Hans Zimmer, John Williams or David Arnold. Even the silat sequences was backed with a westernised orchestral music.
The sound design was just mismatched as though it sounded like a modern ninja film but with a 1700s backdrop. The foley artist failed miserably to enhance or create realistic sound effects.
The Ending :
This was baffling. It was weak and clueless, left hanging but not as a cliffhanger. Characters like Capt. Syers disappeared just like that. There isn't a proper closure except for the repeated sermons on race and religion.
Overall :
I would give the movie 2/10. Good effort in some ways but mediocre results.
The significant positivity of this movie was that it made more than RM90 million at Box Office. A remarkable achievement and having said that, the producers knew exactly what to ride on in making it highly appealing to the mass.
And, it also created a new legion of pendekar and pahlawan with kids starting to attend silat classes. That is classy, getting a chance to embrace culture.
As for penyatuan ummah, this movie is just another platform to encourage unity just like how the "Buy Muslim First" and "Anti-ICERD" initiatives first came by and fizzled out in no time.