If
you are looking for local flavored lame jokes, this movie is not for you; if
you are looking for insightful stimulation, this movie is not for you too. Ah
Boys to Men (Part 1) touches on the journey of a group of youngsters who
are enlisted to the National Service (mandatory military service) in Singapore.
While the director Jack Neo is well known for his excellent comic timing
and humorous treatment of local social phenomena, this movie does not fully
explore these aspects. Nevertheless, one can still see that Neo continues to
create within his forte by dealing with local stories and characters, though
with a superficial treatment. Thus, if you are looking for mockeries of social
issues that are similar to those portrayed in Neo's previous Money Not
Enough or I Not Stupid (Part 1 and Part 2), this movie does
not delve deeply into the social context too.
If
I go to the McDonald's, I want a hearty fast food meal; if I go to an Italian
restaurant, I am looking for refined delicacy; if I go to a hawker centre
for local delights such as laksa or bak kut teh, I am expecting a rich local
flavor that the food can offer. However, if I am served a bite of the Big Mac
and a sip of the bak kut teh, followed by a spoonful of tiramisu to complete my
meal, my palate is not fully satisfied. Ah Boys to Men is neither a
comedy, nor a social commentary, nor an emotionally moving drama, just because it
has not fully realized its potential in any of the above capacities. I would
appreciate it more if it is "lame", and is "lame" to the fullest; or if it is
socially critical; or if it is humorous, funny and filled with mockeries and
local jokes. Sadly, it just comes across as a superficial portrayal of NS life,
though I could see the director’s attempt at infusing a philosophical thought
to conclude Ah Boys to Men Part 1- "There is war in everybody, and your
enemy is yourself".
Rating: 4/10
Agree, but maybe he's trying to appeal to a greater audience by introducing a bit of each...
ReplyDeleteNot many people can appreciate a movie if it is too philosophical.
Personally, I was impressed with the animation at the beginning of the show. Also, thought the movie was sponsored by SAF, as a lot of new gadgets was highlighted there.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to say that it has to be philosophical. If it wants to be funny, it has to be "lame to the fullest", and can even drop any attempt at making philosophical statements. :) If it is exploring social themes as a form of humor, we must be able to laugh at these local situations closely related to our life. In comparison, Army Daze (1996) was much more humorous and engaging. If we compare "Ah Boys to Men" to the recent local movie "Taxi Taxi" (2012) directed by Kelvin Sng, and starred Gurmit Singh, Mark Lee and Youtube child celebrity Dr. Jia Jia, the sense of comical timing and humor is much more excellent in "Taxi Taxi". Filled with local flavor, Singlish and incidents portrayed in "Taxi Taxi" are totally funny and close to our lives. Overall, I feel that "Ah Boys to Men" has a weak and boring plot, compared to a richer plot of "Taxi Taxi". Appealing to a greater market does not mean that the director would not have to put in effort to create surprises, suspense and excitement in a movie.