A war film where a group of military operatives are left stranded in hostile territory and have to survive while waiting for rescue – wait, isn’t that “Black Hawk Down”?
An action flick displaying the military might of the national armed forces (essentially a military recruitment video with a plot) – hmm, are you sure you aren’t watching “Top Gun”?
Jokes aside, it is nice to see Malaysian filmmakers having a go at the war genre, which too frequently are cornball attempts at invoking some nationalist chest-thumping. More often than not, these local patriotic films are riddled with issues ranging from cardboard characters to a terrible script.
Thankfully, Zulkarnain Azhar and Frank See’s “Air Force The Movie: Selagi Bernyawa” manages to escape these problems, for the most part.
And while there is some obvious jingoistic cheese dripping from the film, it doesn’t detract from its overall enjoyability.
“Air Force The Movie” was released late last month just in time for Merdeka, and is likely to continue to ride the wave until the Malaysia Day weekend.
The film tells of a stranded team of Malaysian operatives and the rescue effort launched to save them. It is set in the fictional Southeast Asian country of Namburi, imagined to be somewhere east of the Philippines.
Namburi is caught in a brutal civil war and, as it turns out, it falls on Malaysia to act as the peacekeepers during a negotiated ceasefire. But as soon the truce ends, a bunch of militants decide it is a great idea to shoot down a departing Malaysian military plane.
Fortunately, a handful of passengers survive the crash, including members of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) special operations unit, Paskau (not to be confused with the Navy’s Paskal).
With the militants hot on their tail, Malaysia’s brave warriors have to hang on for dear life while the armed forces organise a rescue attempt to get them out of there.
Yes, “Air Force The Movie” does seem like a combination of “Black Hawk Down” and “Top Gun”, albeit with a local twist. Originality isn’t pertinent here – more importantly, is it worth your time?
The good news is, if you’re a fan of popcorn action flicks, “Air Force” fits the bill, with its relatively simple plot that helps maintain the audience’s attention, and its straightforward unfolding of events.
Noteworthy is how effort was taken to show how the Malaysian armed forces are just that: Malaysian. It’s not just brave men fighting for their country, but women, too, of different ethnic backgrounds – all working together towards a common goal.
It is certainly a nice touch, and one must wonder if the directors went the extra mile to accurately portray the diversity of the RMAF.
Cinematography- and action-wise, “Air Force” is nothing revolutionary, but it does its job and does it well. One fight scene in particular – which takes place in a claustrophobic environment bathed in the ominous red glow of emergency lights – deserves praise.
The film also doesn’t shy away from depicting the brutalities of war. Plot armour is only reserved for a select few characters, with others killed quite suddenly, mirroring the senselessness of it all.
And while the central players aren’t exactly written with the deepest of motivations, they are distinct and likeable enough for the audience to root for their survival.
The leader of the stranded group, Adnan, is played by Adi Putra, star of the blockbuster “Mat Kilau”. He is, however, not as much the primary protagonist as Adib (Nas Muammar Zar Nasruddin), who is the heart and soul of the film with his constant efforts to keep his comrades alive.
And then there’s footballer-turned-actor Aiman Hakim Ridza, who plays Major Zafran, a military pilot tasked with rescuing the operatives.
It’s easy to forget that such films are dedicated to the brave men and women who serve in the national armed forces. “Air Force” reminds Malaysians that peace is hard-earned, and that it is the duty of those men and women in uniform to preserve it.
‘Air Force The Movie’ is playing in cinemas nationwide.