Entertainment first, always

I AM writing in response to Dzof Azmi’s column, What is the Malaysia we hope to become? (Contradictheory, March 18; online at tinyurl. com/star2-movie.)

I think the point he completely missed is that Black Panther isa hugely ENTERTAINING movie. If it was about human rights or African independence or something heavy like that, it would not get the same attention. That it’s centred around blacks isn’t why it’s being celebrated; it’s because it’s an AWESOME movie first, an all-black cast second.

Why don’t Malaysians watch locally-made films? Simple: Moviemakers here don’t “get” what entertains the young generation. I’m generalising, but most local films forget that movies are supposed to be entertainment, not a moral statement. Look at Korean films, which are popular worldwide. Why? Because they’ve got suspense, gore and that shock element. Filmmakers there don’t make movies to elicit pride or to get a moral lesson across. They make movies to entertain.

As a Malaysian, it absolutely felt awesome to see Datuk Michelle Yeoh featured in Star Trek, Sunshine and other sci-fi flicks. Now that drums up the “proud to be Malaysian” sentiment. We need more of that. Or maybe if Hollywood makes a movie about MH370, I’d queue for that. Or about a Malaysian team bumping into aliens in space, I’d queue for that!

Sadly, the minds of directors and scriptwriters in Malaysia are too narrow to explore these topics. It’s always about some national sport or some wishy-washy love story. No disrespect to Malaysian sportsmen, but these topics just don’t resonate with young moviegoers spoilt by the big effects in Hollywood films. And bear this in mind: I’m almost 40. A kid half my age probably wants even more epic-ness in their films!

Ed Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur