The fancy cigarette smoke-motifed opening credits set very high expectations for the audience. Delivered in big-studio style, it belied a rather simplistic narrative. I could almost sum up the short film in one word – revenge. Okay, if that applies too generally. How about `Malay gangsters take revenge with cast of thousands, plenty of parangs and one lonely gun’?
In the film, a prominent member of gang discovers his `brothers’ have been killed in a fight. (when watching this, I was already immune to people dying because `Kichiro’, `Blood Ties’ and `One’ were screening before this one). So, feeling the heat of revenge under his skin, he wants to take justice in his own hads. Armed with a solitary gun (the only one in the film), he gatecrashes a teh-tarik and bandung drinking session of the rival gang at a coffeeshop and provokes them. At this point, the audience scratched their heads about the logic behind this solo act against Goliath. And after the gun shot, he flees. At this point his brothers have been stand-by apparently somewhere else. So they clashed and hacked every face in sight. Then, the final moments of the short was dedicated to the acting prowess of the lady playing the mother. She hears the news and emotes for the camera.
The `cast of thousands’ was present at Sinema Old School for the screening. It demonstrated a very a strong solidarity that was present in the film itself. While the film was let down by its paper-thin plot and weak storytelling, it was propped by confident delivery from the seemingly seasoned actors. There were also aspects of the film that reflected rather poor production values like the blurred-focus visuals and the inadequate lighting. Yet the confidence of the director and the engulfing support of the audience made me forget that. Hints were dropped of his next production `Perkataan Cinta’ – the word Love and immediately greeted by cheers. It convinced me Brotherhood was just a warm up. The main dish will be something to behold.
In the film, a prominent member of gang discovers his `brothers’ have been killed in a fight. (when watching this, I was already immune to people dying because `Kichiro’, `Blood Ties’ and `One’ were screening before this one). So, feeling the heat of revenge under his skin, he wants to take justice in his own hads. Armed with a solitary gun (the only one in the film), he gatecrashes a teh-tarik and bandung drinking session of the rival gang at a coffeeshop and provokes them. At this point, the audience scratched their heads about the logic behind this solo act against Goliath. And after the gun shot, he flees. At this point his brothers have been stand-by apparently somewhere else. So they clashed and hacked every face in sight. Then, the final moments of the short was dedicated to the acting prowess of the lady playing the mother. She hears the news and emotes for the camera.
The `cast of thousands’ was present at Sinema Old School for the screening. It demonstrated a very a strong solidarity that was present in the film itself. While the film was let down by its paper-thin plot and weak storytelling, it was propped by confident delivery from the seemingly seasoned actors. There were also aspects of the film that reflected rather poor production values like the blurred-focus visuals and the inadequate lighting. Yet the confidence of the director and the engulfing support of the audience made me forget that. Hints were dropped of his next production `Perkataan Cinta’ – the word Love and immediately greeted by cheers. It convinced me Brotherhood was just a warm up. The main dish will be something to behold.