ARMY DAZE
1/2
Mz Varnella Slipper
Director : Ong Keng Sen
Screenplay: Michael Chiang
Producer: Choo Meileen
Running Time: 80 mins
Cast:Kenny (Kevin Mark Verghese), Malcolm (Edward Yong), Johari (Sheikh Haikel), Krishna (Ahamed Azad)
Rating: *1/2 out of *****
The quintessential rites of passage for all Singaporean males is encompassed in an intense, sometimes physically draining three-month "initiation" into mandatory national service; otherwise known as the BMT (basic military training). Most men I know remember it with whimsical fondness amidst drunken epiphanies and various male bonding sessions. Most women I know tend to start retreating with impatience when men get weepy and indignant about their "army" experience.
The latest Singaporean film ("made for and by Singaporeans") attempts to bridge this gender gap with over-the-top acting, ribald humour, sexual punning, trivializing and lampooning the BMT and Hindustani musicals. Unfortunately, from my wealth of experi ence with weepy army recuits, ARMY DAZE's aspiration for universal appeal is going to leave male audiences above the age of 21 very short-changed, and movie-goers like myself cursing at the low-production values and slack editing and direction.
The basic premise of ARMY DAZE is not about the four protagonists in the same unit who go through tough times together during their BMT. It's not about each individual fighting private demons and overcoming cultural barriers amongst each other. For cry ing out loud, it's not even about coping with authority in the army. These potential issues for exploration are presented in a format that's reminiscent of Ra Ra show 's slapstick sketches for audiences with incredibly short attention spans and poor long- term memories.
Every time an opportunity in the script arises for in-depth exploration into the psyches of the recruits, Ong, the director squashes this impulse with some misguided decisions. In the case of Krishna, the Indian recuit who stands out from the rest for hi s steday devotion to his girlfriend, Ong ruthlessly encapsulates each meeting between the two lovers as a song-and-dance routine in the style of Hindi musicals. We get the point about the director's paen to hindi movies, but when the classic indian/Hindi-tree-dance-with-love-struck couple is a persistent motif in the film, you just know the director's not that keen on character development or the army experience.
These directorial decisions irked me because they were made at the expense of plot and character - a sacrifice made for cheap shots and laughs, and I wasn't even hoping for *deep* insights into the BMT experience. At this point, the plot was going nowher e fast, my interest in Kenny, the token effeminate recruit, was also waning. I was fast becoming the dreaded MTV audience. To aggravate the viewing experience, we were also constantly assaulted with theatre conventions like Malcolm's (the smart recruits with a levels) face-to-camera commentary which shattered the already fragile illusion of reality. The one time Ong bothers to delve into a recruit's mind resulted in an arresting but bizarre dream sequence of Deanna Yusof in fatigue hotpants brandishing a M-16 in what looks like a blown out quarry minus the water.
Actually, as a PG version of a recurring wet dream, Ong did manage to push cinematic boundaries while keeping the army/BMT experience in mind in the film. But if he intends to make a career out of directing films, he ought to start with what Tarantino di d - watch plenty of old videos. He should also perhaps rent a copy of PLATOON, and pick up tips on voice-over narration, not to mention any film by Scorsese to brush up on the editing.
After approximately 80 minutes of ARMY DAZE, I was no more the wiser about the myth of BMT, it still remains a distant experience privy only to the males of our society (who were also laughing the loudest during the screening) I did, however, develop a l asting afinity to Hokkien-speak and camouflage print hot-pants.
The Flying Inkpot Rating System:
* Wait for the TV2 broadcast.
** A little creaky, but still better than staying at home with Gotcha!
*** Pretty good, bring a friend.
**** Amazing, potent stuff.
***** Perfection. See it twice.
Mz Varnella Slipper is a guest psychiatrist at The Institute For The Very Very Nervous.
Other film reviews by this writer can be obtained from the InkVault by doing a key word search with this writer's name.Other film reviews by other writers can also be obtained from the InkVault through key word searches.
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