Bunohan: Return to Murder • Bunohan (2011)
Genre: Action • Drama
Director: Dain Said
Starring: Faizal Hussein, Zahiril Adzim, Pekin Ibrahim, Bront Palarae, Namron, Wan Hanafi Su
Language: Malay
Duration: 97 min.
Summary:
A kickboxer, a businessman, and an assassin. Three estranged brothers fight
for their lives in a dark web of deceit, regret and murder.
Bunohan is a film written and directed by Malaysian filmmaker Dain Said. It is officially his second feature, but the first to be screened; as his 2007 debut, Dukun, was banned by the Malaysian censors and has never been released. Bunohan premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival and has been selected as Malaysia's official submission to the 2013 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Making it their first entry since 2004 (when they competed for the first time with Saw Teong Hin's Puteri Gunung Ledang).
It's a complex tale focused on the lives of three men, brothers but only in name. As these are three vastly different characters: Adil (Zahiril Adzim), a young up and coming kickboxer; Ilham (Faizal Hussein), a deadly hitman who works for a Thai gang, and Bakar (Pekin Ibrahim) a schoolteacher turned businessman from Kuala Lumpur. Individual circumstances bring each of these men back to their hometown. A small fishing village near the Thai border, named Bunohan (which appropriately means 'murder'), where events of the present and unresolved shadows from the past, combine for a deadly reunion.
Sounds like it could be the premise for another generic fight flick, and it does have its fair share of the expected bloody violence, but it also has an immensely layered and detailed story that contains a surprising amount of depth. As well, each of the leads here deliver quite strong and consistent performances.
This is a very beautifully shot film. Said and cinematographer Jarin Pengpanitch make the most of the natural surroundings of the village. A location sandwiched between a white sandy beach on one side, and a dense tropical swamp on the other, which provides for a truly majestic backdrop for the poetic compositions.
There's also an aura of mystique to it, with its fond depiction of the setting and of the ancient ways still practiced by a handful of the locals. A fascinating slice of magical realism, with its display of all the superstitions and bits of traditional folklore that will soon be gone, replaced by the spread of technology and impending globalization. This core message of a disappearing way of life and the clash of incompatible cultures is sincere, but like so many other films, it does get to be a bit preachy after awhile.
The biggest setback though, is that the story is a bit unevenly paced and confusing to follow. Not terribly so, but it is enough to mention. Admittedly, this might be because a lot of the cultural nuances and references were lost on me, but I can't imagine the average Academy voter will have an easier time with it.
Still, its an admirable effort that manages to exceed and subvert expectations; and if you're a fan of twisted and tied familial tragedies, or seeing a part of the world rarely depicted in film, then this one is definitely worth a look.
It's a complex tale focused on the lives of three men, brothers but only in name. As these are three vastly different characters: Adil (Zahiril Adzim), a young up and coming kickboxer; Ilham (Faizal Hussein), a deadly hitman who works for a Thai gang, and Bakar (Pekin Ibrahim) a schoolteacher turned businessman from Kuala Lumpur. Individual circumstances bring each of these men back to their hometown. A small fishing village near the Thai border, named Bunohan (which appropriately means 'murder'), where events of the present and unresolved shadows from the past, combine for a deadly reunion.
Sounds like it could be the premise for another generic fight flick, and it does have its fair share of the expected bloody violence, but it also has an immensely layered and detailed story that contains a surprising amount of depth. As well, each of the leads here deliver quite strong and consistent performances.
This is a very beautifully shot film. Said and cinematographer Jarin Pengpanitch make the most of the natural surroundings of the village. A location sandwiched between a white sandy beach on one side, and a dense tropical swamp on the other, which provides for a truly majestic backdrop for the poetic compositions.
There's also an aura of mystique to it, with its fond depiction of the setting and of the ancient ways still practiced by a handful of the locals. A fascinating slice of magical realism, with its display of all the superstitions and bits of traditional folklore that will soon be gone, replaced by the spread of technology and impending globalization. This core message of a disappearing way of life and the clash of incompatible cultures is sincere, but like so many other films, it does get to be a bit preachy after awhile.
The biggest setback though, is that the story is a bit unevenly paced and confusing to follow. Not terribly so, but it is enough to mention. Admittedly, this might be because a lot of the cultural nuances and references were lost on me, but I can't imagine the average Academy voter will have an easier time with it.
Still, its an admirable effort that manages to exceed and subvert expectations; and if you're a fan of twisted and tied familial tragedies, or seeing a part of the world rarely depicted in film, then this one is definitely worth a look.
— Bonjour Tristesse
1 comment:
I'm gonna keep this one at a maybe-watch. I really don't think I'll get too much out of it, but it doesn't look too bad either.
Post a Comment