MALAY MOVIE REVIEW:"LELAKI HARAPAN DUNIA" MEN WHO SAVE THE WORLD (2014)

      “There are some amazing things about this film. One is the PURITY and SIMPLICITY of the narrative line created by director LIEW SENG TAT. Another is the emotional complexity within the characters which is brilliantly portrayed by the competent actors.”

 These GULLIBLE KAMPUNG MEN are relocating their  friend’s make-shift WORLD (house) from deep forest to urban country ….. on their SHOULDERS. No mean feat, really.

 “MEN IN DRAG” IN A HILARIOUS ATTEMPT TO WARD OFF THE HORNY SPIRIT … Oily Man! (ouch)

“NOW I SIGHT THE HORNY GHOST!”

 Heave-ho, this drum roll is to get rid of bad karma.

 This “pondan queen” is the chief cause for all the spooky escapades.

 ” LELAKI HARAPAN DUNIA ” (2014)

MOVIE REVIEW.

“Men who Save the World”.

Hey, where are the Womenfolk?

“LELAKI HARAPAN DUNIA” is one giant gas bag.

In case you don’t know, the film director has intended a dramedy, layered with harmless scripted jabs straight from the heart.

The title “Men who Save the World” is appropriate to tickle anyone pink.

The film is fun, with guffaws aplenty, as everything has to be spiced up wrong first, in order to have these eventually sorted out and put them right. (Do you get the drift? Ouch, oxymorons kill!)

Fresh from the oven is a nicely baked piece of old school gem ribbing silly people, those who are unsure about letting their hair down to examine their inner self as to why they are supporting superstitious absurdities that are ruining friendships and upsetting rustic harmony. 

This is one pointer to address spiteful scandal mongers. You don’t have to believe in everything you hear. 

“LELAKI HARAPAN DUNIA” has a fine weave of the infamous arthouse Thai director APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL, and were this film shot ten years ago, I would unhesitatingly nail it as old cinema.

APICHATPONG is an award winning director who has won accolades for his art features TROPICAL MELODY (2004) and UNCLE  BOONMEE (2010, Winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival).

Sadly, his art offerings were box-office bombs in the current face of commercialism.

 Next, ILO ILO directed by ANTHONY CHEN is the first Singaporean feature film to win a prize at Cannes (the Camera d’Or 2013), thereupon it quickly picked up 25 other awards at film festivals around the world, including two prestigious Taipei Golden Horse awards for “Best New Director” and “Best Screenplay.”  Luck and timing? Precisely.

At the end of the race, the director ANTHONY CHEN switches gear and addresses it as a commercial offering minus the “arthouse” umbrella.

 Maybe there is no such thing such as an art-house or commercial movie these days.  Businessmen just want to recoup their investments.

Time changes everything. Right!

SYNOPSIS

In a peaceful Malay village where harmony prevails, the helpful villagers unite to help Pak Awang to (physically) carry an abandoned house from the jungle into the village. It would be a gift for his daughter who is getting married.

But by sheer bad luck, an illegal African immigrant who is on the run from the local authorities stumbles upon the house by accident, and decides to camp there and makes it his temporary abode.

When the village drug addict (SOFFI JIKAN) mistakes the creepy shadow of the black man he sees in the house as the oily man demon, the villagers are alarmed that getting involved with the transportation of the derelict house has enraged the vengeful horny demon. 

The progress of relocation of the house comes to an peremptory halt, much to the chagrin of Pak Awang.

BEFORE I SPOIL ALL THE FUN OF STORY TELLING, it is best you seek the answers yourself, and hear the continuous roar of laughter from the audience.

FOOTNOTE

Among all the actors, SOFFI JIKAN stands out in his role as a girlish nerd. He brings the house down with his mindless antics.

SOFFI is currently acting, directing and making rock music. We are wishing him all the best!

As for film director LIEW SENG TAT, he is one of the rare Chinese helmers who is able to deliver a Malaysian dramedy with pinache.

We anticipate looking out for his forthcoming production.

RATING: 4 out of 5 (for straight laughs)

Local Distributor: GSC Movies
Production: Everything Films Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia)