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.