MALAY FILM PROTAGONISTS OF 2025
In BLOOD BROTHERS, the anti-hero gangster protagonist rides toward the sunset at the ending, This type of scene is usually reserved for a true, morally upright hero. Not for gangsters. Subliminally, and also cinematically, it is saying that it is OK to be gangsters and crime pays.
Compared to a recent anti-hero film playing on Netflix called HAVOC, a corrupt police force is constantly in fear of getting caught since he is sitting in between two opposite sides. The ending shows him in full dilemma with a close up of his face, in pain and regret.
In BLOOD BROTHERS, the whole gang walking pride in broad daylight, in slowmotion. Without fear of law or the authority. A cinematic treatment usually given to, like Ive said earlier, to a morally upright hero archetype. Not gangsters.
I was quite shocked to see a scene where their leader, the 'Kepala Naga' appears on the front page of a magazine, shaking hands with a real life Malay politician! What does this scene actually trying to say?
In 6 JILAKE, the protagonist, Si Kuping, who just survived the battle in Melaka against the Dutch, is being invited and welcomed politely to spend the night in a kampung house. He then wanted to pray and asked for the direction of the kiblat but the man of the house said he knows not about it, resulting Si Kuping to go berzerk onto him with question like, "Do you not pray?"
That is not a thing to do when you are a guest in someone else's home. Does not matter if you are a Malay or not. In Malay it is called 'adab'.
And how does 'mereka lama dah rancang, kita sahaja yang lalai' goes with the story? It is also the official tagline for the film. The same line that is always used by keyboard warriors in backing up their conspiracy theories.
Last but not least, the IPMANisation of the life story of Datuk Meor Abdul Rahman, the founder of the Silat Gayong, in the film GAYONG. Whilst it is not wrong in using other's film template and applies it to your own, at least try to study what seperate cult figures like Ip Man and Datuk Meor Abdul Rahman against normal people.
In the IP MAN franchaise, it is established firstly by the camera work. It makes IP MAN appears 'larger' and higher than others. That play does not appear at all in GAYONG. The character played by BETO appears 'small' if not on the same level as others.
What made me really shook my head in disbelief, is when the SHAFIE NASWIP character mimics and made fun of Chinese Kungfu with with sound of Bruce Lee, with BETO’s character laughing in approval! What is the point of this mockery?
This is what you call a failed 'pastiche' where one copies something just for the look but totally miss the whole point of doing it! There is a quote from the film IP MAN 2 after he beaten the British boxer. He said,
“I believe that no martial art is superior. What matters is the person who practices it.”
And the call for unity amongst the Chinese were made in context of the story through play of montage, without uttering a single word. It does not preach the audience into something like defending your motherland etc.
It is shocking to see this at the ending sequence of GAYONG which says something like 'Ini tanah kita. Lindungi Bangsa dan Agama,' which sound eerily similar to what a political figure says in an election campaign! That is not cinema!
NORMALISATION OF MEDIOCRITY
The line between TV, streaming service, TikTok and cinema is quickly dimishing, if not already gone. Of all the points I stated about the nature of the Malay protagonist in 2025, Ive seen or read none of the influencers reviewers realised it was shown on the big screen.
One if the main reason is that it has been subconsciously normalised. They have seen it on TikTok and Youtube reels of influencers and even political leaders childishy mocking others.
The mess and blames on the Jalur Gemilang. The proposal to rename Malaysia back to Tanah Melayu. Abang Belon. Hindu Temples. Durian Raub. (also, the timing of all these. You dont see this happening before)
With the internets already showing as such, why cant the Malay cinema put some effort or at least not to feed in the fire? It is the year 2025 forgodsake, why and how could we all settle with this kind of poor writing and mediocrity?
Repeated chants of DARAH, BANGSA dan TANAH into the minds of local audiences.
Why is the fear-mongering on the theme of 'penjajah' kept being fanned even after nearing 70 years? Are we already creatively bankrupt?
Recently, at a talk organised by PROFIMA, veteran director ADMAN SALLEH (of AMOK and PALOH) too, said on the topic of 'PENJAJAHAN' and acknowledge the existing divide between Malay, Indian and Chinese films in todays Malaysia. (He missed on mentioning the Sabah and Sarawak film scene). By acknowledging that, Malaysia has missed on a chance to live on a fresh challenges as a new narrative apart from dwindling around the ghost from the past era. The door was opened with the birth of a film such as SPINNING GASING in 2001 (btw catch PALOH if you can. It has a different 'penjajahan' narrative compared to what those in power wants you to believe.)
BLOOD BROTHERS. Proud of finally doing what Hollywood, HongKong and Tamilwood has been doing for decades? 6 JILAKE. What looks to be a tribute to Mamat Khalid but in return missing the mark by miles? GAYONG. A failed and lazy copy of IP MAN? And add a bit of MAT KILAU while youre at it coz it a proven formula??
It is nice to 'menang sorak' and be a 'jaguh kampung', while others around us is watching. Indonesia cinema culture anyone?
Again. Its 2025, we are living in a time where technical and spectacle images is the EASIEST to achieve (if you can get the funding lah) yet the writing is worse than copying from the book SAVE THE CAT.
Recently there was a post from a senior film director calling the academics to wake up from their 'cocoon' and shape the community. I know some of them and they have been relentlessly sharing everything they know to anyone who wants to listen for ages now.
The main question now is, WHEN WILL THE INDUSTRY LISTEN TO THE ACADEMICS?