WARRIOR WANNABE IN IBAN-CENTRIC TALE

FIRST things first. This is not about Sarawak’s legendary Iban warrior chief Rentap. The historical figure was famous for uttering the moving battle cry, “Agi idup agi ngelaban” (I will fight as long as I live). Instead, it is about Rentap’s follower (“peransang” from the Iban language is translated as follower in English).

The hero here is the plucky teenager Jenang, played by Vincent Mallang Alfred. He is the son of longhouse headman Tuai Panggit (Bruce Walker), who lived in Sri Aman, Sarawak, about 150 years ago.

Jenang admires Rentap because the latter represents the ideal man in traditional Iban culture — strong, fearless, chivalrous, principled and compassionate.

Alas, Jenang is just a messenger tasked with delivering Rentap’s message to the various headmen. The message commands the headmen to gather all their able-bodied young men to join Rentap’s resistance army that is fighting to liberate Sarawak from the British (personified in the form of White Rajah Sir James Brooke and his nephew Tuan Muda Charles BrookeJohnson).

Jenang wishes to be recruited but his father is not keen, thinking that his son “needs more time”. Furthermore, he reasons that his son has done his part as the messenger. Aside from pursuing glory, the young man’s other dream is to wed his lovely neighbour, Entiang (Diana Johor), who, fortunately, believes in him.

Entiang, who encourages Jenang to think positively, has other admirers too. One of them is the haughty Jambul (Charles Mayour) who looks down on Jenang.

is a coming-of-age story of the protagonist trying to prove himself and to fit in. Lurking in the background is the battle between Sarawak’s natives and their colonisers. As director Lina Johor’s first foray into cinema, it is a story worth

Lina Johor

Vincent Mallang

Alfred, Diana Johor, Ethel Lampai Ringgit, Charles Mayour, Emmanuel Reuben, Richard Martias, Bruce Walker, Iwan Dasri, Ernie Doris, Donny Fam 90 minutes

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telling. Her intention to bridge Malaysia’s geographical divide is always welcome.

Lina, who shot the film in 13 days around Kuching early this year, spent four years researching Iban culture. It shows in terms of the costumes worn by the 30-odd actors.

While the main actress, Lina’s elder twin Diana, is Johorean by birth, she looks every bit the Iban beauty with her sharp features. She deserves a big hand for mastering the Iban language in two weeks!

Better still, Diana, who is best known for playing sophisticatedcity girls in

and gets to show off some Iban dance moves, and is hardly awkward.

Engineering graduate Vincent looks like a bona fide Iban boy and carries the role of Jenang well. Unfortunately, although he and Diana are photogenic, she clearly looks more mature (he is 24 while Diana is 36). They noticeably lack onscreen chemistry.

This, however, is more than made up by their command of the Iban language (since Vincent is Kayan), their costumes and social interactions.

While Vincent shines in the well-choreographed fights, he appears too small for an Iban warrior.

This is evident when he confronts Charles’ Jambul, who looks every bit the “big bully”.

Perhaps Vincent, a physical fitness instructor, could have beefed up to look believable.

Moviegoers may question the lack of established Sarawakian actors but Lina and producer Diana have chosen unknowns to make the story realistic.

Nevertheless, perhaps having one major name like Tony Eusoff to play Rentap (a cameo) would have added “bite” to the project.

The British soldiers seem to be the biggest mistake of the story — not only are they two-dimensional, they wear costumes that hardly reflect 19th century troops.

is watchable, despite its minor flaws and lack of big names. It may look like a made-for-television movie but it paces itself well and gets its message across without dilly-dallying.

As for the person playing the legendary Rentap, Donny Fam looks majestic, though hardly menacing. He is more Merlin than Arthur!