Abang by Rahim Razali

Synopsis

The movie “Abang” emphasize on a male character Fuad Din who is the eldest brother in the family.  He is away from his family about 10 years without any reason. However after 10 years, he suddenly decided to come back to his family. This was shocking news towards his family members, which most of them has faced conflict. Both of his brothers dislike Fuad Din return, because they thought the act of Faud Din is rather irresponsible. He tried to make the life as normal as he possibly know how and keep his secret intact. In the end of the story, the family members finally found out the reason of Faud Din leaving the family.

Review

The director of the movie Rahim Razali focuses on the Malay, while he always like to ask the question of what it means to be Malay and yet modern. Therefore in this movie, it has emphasized the effect of hybrid Malaysian, which this film do not portrays the Malay culture or definition that people expect. For example, the activities that done by the Malays, the Malays’ clothing, the languages spoken by the Malays.

Hybrids are not lost just that they do not really worry of who they are, which doesn’t involve identity crisis. In Malay cinema, we see hybridity in the form of racial or ethnic hybrids, language hybrids, cultural hybrids and gender hybrids.

In this film it has involves language hybridity, where Fuad Din has combined some English language in his Malay conversation after coming back from London. Other than Fuad Din, the rest of his siblings have spoken Malay mixed English Language.

Other than that, the movie has involved cultural hybridity too. Where during Fuad Din has returned to his homeland, his family member has organized a welcoming home party for him, which is from the western culture. The drinks that they drink are not Malaysian drink but the cocktails from the westerns. In the other scene, Fuad Din’s father smoking cigarettes in the garden, which this is one of the western act too. There is one more scene, where it shows the little boy wearing karate suits after learning his karate lesson, which this is a cultural imprealism from the Japanese culture. The dressings of the cast are not wearing Malays’ traditional clothing but the western clothing like jeans, suits and so on. In this movie, it shows some casts play western instruments too, like violin and piano.

The racial hybridity has implant in the film too, where Faud Din has already adapt to the western practices after living in London for ten years.

Lastly gender hybridity has been used in the film too, where Faud Din’s sister has more interest on the boys’ activities like racing than the girls activities.

There are certain things that I dislike about this film, which are the casts portraying a bad habits towards the audiences, like smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol and drunk. Other than that, it also portrays the main cast has forget the root of his nation.

In the other hand, the things that I like about this film is the main cast Fuad Din, as he is a good and caring brother that protects his siblings and family. As the movie shows he protects his sister from the boys that forces her to smoke. 

Selubung

Synopsis 
Mastura is a Malaysian who studied in Perth, who just returns from her studies and joined the voluntary work ‘Rescaid’.  ‘Rescaid’ is trying to bring a group of Palestinian children to Malaysia. Mastura is a woman who is progressive, independent, strong minded, and articulate, speak a mixture of English and Malay, and well educated, also portrayed as the second portrayal of femininity.  Therefore Mastura is attracted by Kamal, Head of Research Department, who is also a married man. Mastura was disappointed with Kamal when she found out he is a married man, until Kamal divorced with his wife, and they get back together. During her studies in Australia, she has a group of good friends, which include EJ, who has married her religion leader Brother Musa. Unfortunately, the relationship among EJ and her married family doesn’t goes well, due to jealousy Brother Musa’s first wife has gone insane and killed EJ’s baby. After that incident, EJ has moved back to Malaysia, and with Mastura’s help, she manage to join the ‘Rascaid’ as well. Another of her good friend Halim has died in the war, during his missionaries. Halim was the one who encourage Mastura joined ‘Rascaid’. One day, an uncertainty happen in the head quarter office, a bomb was placed in the elevator of the office block while Mastura is standing outside the elevator, after the bomb exploded, Mastura has went into coma, until one day miracle happen and she is awake.  

What do you like about the film?

In this film, I admire the talent of Deanna Yusof, her acting brought up the personality of the character. She managed to bring out the message of the movie, and portrays the characters of second portrayal of femininity. Other than her acting, at the same time her languages are fluent too.

What do you dislike about the film?

I dislike the editing of the film; some of the transitions are too sudden, especially between the flashback scene and present scenes, it makes the audience confuse about the storyline. Other than that, the lighting for the film is too dark and it does not show hope. Some of the shots in the film have poor headroom. The Script writers are trying to put too many messages in the film, which somehow neglect some of the important scenes and storyline and causes the audiences confuse.

Which part of the film you dislike?

I dislike the part when during the explosion scene, Kamal showed suspicious act instead of urgent and rushing act while going up the stairs knowing the girl he loved is injured. Other than that, during the scene when butterflies are in the patient room is too fake. During the scene where someone is fixing a speaker in the critical patient room and speaking so loud doesn’t show logic at all. 

Highlight particular scenes from the film as references

During the climax of the film, when the bomb exploded and Mastuka was injured, M.Nasir needs to improve his acting skills, by showing more urgent and concern than just suspensions.

Misc En Scene

The locations of the movie is good, especially the war scene, it manages to let the audience believe that they are in the war location. But the props is rather bad, the newspaper written ‘pejabat Rascaid dikhianati’ but story didn’t show who betrayed Rescaid and no reason to bomb a charity organization.

Misc En Shot

The lighting for the movie is too dark. Some shots have poor headroom. There are many unnecessary or sudden shots. The flashback transition during Mastuka found the dead baby does not smooth and it confused the audience. During 59.22s transition is weird with the background music continues from BGM to radio sound.