KL Gangster (2011) Reviews

• I don't get the hype...

  hammy0122012-06-18

  First of all, I'll say that this is just another bad movie. When you watch a film that is more concerned with executing some bad rip-offs of those old, old action films with sound effects, than giving a complicated plot and at least some decent characters to sympathize with, well, you get another bad film. Not to say that I like lambasting the Malaysian film industry, but seriously, this movie really sucks. However, I'd like to praise the director for one thing. Although he did not portray the criminal underworld of Kuala Lumpur as realistically as expected, he did do some research into how the characters might talk and act. Sadly to say, KL Gangster is a film with potential, however, give it good ol' stereotypical heroes and bad guys with no moral complexity whatsoever, a really light and rushed plot in which almost nothing matters except for the combat and a few hastily done dramatic scenes... well, the point is, don't watch it.

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• Overrated

  zaryff2012-03-17

  This movie has received many praises from friends and family members alike, but honestly i disliked it to the point my spine shivered. This movie tells the story of the life of gang members in Kuala Lumpur, but honestly, i imagined the Malay mob to be more interesting than plain punching and shooting. The life issues and drama of this movie are however not as terrible as its boring depiction of Malay and Chinese mafia, issues of family love, brotherhood and honour are brought up better than the average Malay movie. Still, a movie that receives as much attention and fame as this movie in Malaysia should have a better story and direction. I want to see the kind of mob in The Godfather, the kind where you can see clearly that they control an area and its men, the kind where tactics and brains beat out pure blood-lust and brawn. I simply wish that Malay gangster movies would stop going for the Crows Zero style and start with The Godfather kind of style, where charisma and style plays its role. The style of the characters Shark and Jai are pure examples of a cocky pussy with a gun and clenched fists. How about kill them off and replace them with Kaiser Sose from The Usual Suspects, Vito Corleone from The Godfather and Vince Vega from Pulp Fiction. Those characters should be the depiction of gangsters, not just good with a gun, but smart too. Right now all malay movie gangsters are dumb and would undoubtedly be the minions in any given western gangster movie. Not Cool.

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• Story of gangster

  parameswaranrajendran2018-03-14

  Watch KL Gangster 2 first then followed by KL Gangster 1 to know the storyline flow. Filem ini mempunyai "stunt choreography" yang best. Another next level direction, story, screenplay & editing by Syamsul Yusof. KL Gangster 1 is the prequel for Abang Long Fadil 1 movie.

• Not Good Enough. The Tragedy of Malay Films

  ikhwan-725262018-01-04

  I think if there was one 21st century Malaysian film that encapsulates the unfortunate tragedy of the Malaysian Film Industry, it has to be KL Gangster. By a better director, by a better production team, with better writers, with better cinematographer, it could've been something good, great even. But watching KL Gangster is like watching a Malay film that came out in the late 90s. The script and dialogue is just bad. Gua and Lu, are Indonesian slang, modern Malaysians don't use Gua or Lu but it is obvious that that these terms sound awkward in a Malay dialogue. Why can't we just use engkau, kau, aku, awak. They are perfectly fine to use. The cinematography is straight out of the 90s, with bad slow motion scenes, and angles like you're watching the film from a bus ride. The acting is bearable but really substandard. Each actor either overacts the scene, or underact. The action is like watching simething from a Tamil or Hindi film; they aren't convincing. Admittedly though it is not as bad, but it pales in comparison to other action films served by our neighbors such as Ong Bak (Thailand), and my personal favorite Serbuan Maut (The Raid; Redemption from Infonesia). Compare this to Serbuan Maut which was released in the same yeat as KL Gangster, Serbuan Maut is several standard above. The fight scenes were beautifully choreographed, the dialogue is modern, current and conveys the sense of intensity and urgency that befits the atmosphere, it was filmed in a real derelict location and it uses normal looking extras. The cinematography uses tight and obtuse angles to create the same urgency and intensity throughout it's length and depict criminal lofe and behavior that mimics the real world well. In short, Serbuan Maut successfully creates and immersive experience for the viewer, like you are actually there. In KL Gangster, it's already difficult to force yourself to believe that these people are anything like gangsters, even harder to immerse yourself in a movie that you don't really believe is an actual circumstance that occur in the real world, and most impossible to accept that this is the best standard that Malaysian Film Industry can come up with.

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