Abang

Synopsis of the film

Abang emphasize on the family relationship between siblings and parents. In Malay culture, the eldest son has to take up the responsibility of the family besides his dad. Fuad has been at London for more than 10 years and suddenly decided to return to Malaysia and visit his family. His siblings were worried that he come back to take over the business and fight over the properties and therefore they misunderstood him. Fuad tries to solve all his siblings’ wrong doing and teach them to be a better person before he died over leukemia.

Review

I like the moral of the story. There’s a suspension to this film that the reason Fuad came back to Malaysia was actually he suffered over leukemia. He tires in many ways just to help his siblings and correct their wrong doings even though they misunderstood him. But he never gives up on them in fact he asked forgiveness for his wrong doings. The only problem that I feel about this film is the cutaways. I discovered a few continuity issues. During Fuad asking for forgiveness from Mona, the cutaways were quite messy and have no continuity. The scene was supposed to be at night, but cutaways were morning. Fuad was sitting down and suddenly he was standing and next second sitting again.

I like the ending part which Fuad hold his mother’s hand and walk upstairs before he died. Fuad knows that he is going to die in a few moments so he shows his love for his mother. He stood in front of the window and has a last glimpse of the neighborhood. I dislike the way part where his family throws a ‘welcome home’ party for Fuad. That part is about Fuad missed the party and his brother was drunk and they end up fighting. The reason I dislike about it because it progress too slow just to prove a point.

The film highlight on culture and language hybridity. In this film, Fuad just came back from London and the way he carry himself is very western. For example, the way he dress up is very western, in fact the male characters in this film is dressing up the same. Fuad often have physical contact with his family members such as hugging them. Fuad’s family throws him a welcome home party in buffet style. As for language, Fuad will use a small amount of English words between the sentences. This shows a very obvious culture and language hybridity because of National Economic Policies (NEP).

Fuad’s wardrobe is very western style, slacks, leather shoes and shirt. This shows that he is a very modern Malay and he carry out the role as a big brother in the family very well. He is very strong at his opinion as well. The female characters in the family shows a mixture of modern and conservative. Because they would wear baju kurung in the house and when they are in the public place they wore fancy dress. This shows that they can be modern but well behave at the same time.

There’re not much props used in this film. The makeup style is very modern almost similar to this days. As for the lighting, sound and editing it’s not perfect but at least it carries out the message to the audience.

Overall this film is very easy to understand and it shows the love of the eldest brother in the family. No matter what happen between the family members, the love will always be there and nothing can separate them apart.

Selubung

Synopsis of the film

The film is about a group of young kids born from National Economic Policies (NEP) that went to Perth, Australia further their studies. Mastura and her friends always wanted to help the people in need, therefore when they finish their studies and head back to Malaysia, Mastura look for DR. Sardar from RESCAID and finding ways to send supplies to people in Palestine. The terrorist in Palestine was not happy of what the RESCAID was doing and they sent an assassin to blow up the RESCAID’s headquarter. Mastura was injured and left coma.

What do I like about the film?

I like the storyline of the film, it shows that friendship is very important to us even we know that our friends were doing something wrong. Friendship plays an important role in our live. In the film, Mastura never gave up on E.J no matter what wrong decision that she have done even though E.J turn down her offer again and again.

What do I dislike about the film?

The main element that I dislike about the film is the editing of the film. In the film, they hardly use proper transition between the footage and it’s very obvious that there’s a lot of jump cut. Besides that, the transition between present and past was not clearly showed. They should use sepia to show flashback. Because they did not do so, the film looks very messy between the flashbacks and present. It gives me a hard time to figure it out.

Which part of the film you like?

The expression of Brother Musa’s first wife was perfect. Her expression was real and psychotic, it gave the audience creeps when looking at her. It reflects and resembles the real people who have mental illness.

Which part of the film you dislike?

I dislike most of the part of the film because of the editing style. I was having a hard time to differentiate between past, present and future. The best particular scene as I mention would be all the flashback.

Highlight particular scene from the film as reference.

I would say that the best particular scene from the film as reference would be the terrorist on a mission to assassinate RESCAID’s headquarter.

Describe mise en scene.

Actor’s behavior

Mastura is a very modern, fun and emotionally strong lady. The way she dressed up shows that she is having a modern mindset regardless in Perth or Malaysia. She has a good career in Malaysia and she’s strong on her opinion and she doesn’t need any man (Kamal) to survive, therefore it shows that she’s feminism.

Kamal is a very modern and flirty man. He constantly wears modern working attire and jeans. Besides that he flirts with Mastura even when he already has a wife. This shows that he is a very flirty person.

E.J is very traditional, religious and conservative lady. Only E.J wears tudung and baju kurung no matter where she was, from Perth, Australia to Malaysia. E.J is very submissive towards Brother Musa, she will never oppose or speak out her mind to Brother Musa. She even gave up her studies halfway just to follow Brother Musa because she thinks that all she needs to do is to become a good wife according to her religion. Malay culture thought female to be a good wife by taking care of the family and listen to their husband.

Brother Musa is the best example to portray Malay society in Malaysia. He is a man that is strong on his religion and put it as the first priority. Brother Musa is always the dominant party among the relationship and E.J as a wife has to be submissive to him all the time. 

Props

Broken cars on fire were used in the film on the Palestine war scene. Buildings were blasted up.

Locations

Perth, Australia and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Costume

Baju Kurung means that conservative and Malay culture. Jeans, t-shirt, shirt, jacket and etc resembles modernism.

Make up

Modern make up and wounded make up.

Describe mise en shot

Lighting

The film uses a lot on low key lighting. Especially on the scene when the war in Palestine. With the low key lighting technique it enhance the effect of dramatic.

Sound

The sound effects that the film uses a lot when the war in Palestine such as gunfire, bomb and aircraft. It sound exactly how it is in a war.

Editing

There is a lot fast cut and jump shot in the film. Especially during the flashbacks and present when Kamal and Mastura was having conversation that why Mastura not willing to meet E.J.