M’sian Movie Critic Rates ‘Anwar: The Untold Story’ 1 Star For Being Too Rushed

A biopic of PMX, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has made its way to cinemas across the nation.

The Indonesian-produced movie which has a line-up that featured both local and Indonesian artists, has divided movie goers left and right, with some commending it for its depiction, while others slammed it due to a multitude of reasons.

One netizen, gave it a one out of five stars, following his tweet as he stated that it felt ‘rushed’ and that the plot did not flow well. Here is his rant.

“As expected, it was disappointing. Overall, it felt rushed. Too many things to tell that it did not gel. It didn’t flow smoothly. According to another critic it felt like watching Watchmojo’s Top 1o of Anwar Ibrahim’s important moments,” he shared.

“Anwar’s character was very one dimensional. Lifeless. Uninteresting. I don’t want to see a saint. I want to see a human being. He was put on a pedestal.”

“In the movie, Tun Dr Mahathir’s character was not developed enough. I did not see him as an intimidating or powerful villain here,” he added.

“There were awkward dialogues in the movie. The Indonesian actors were trying too hard to put on a Malaysian accent plus trying to sound like a Northerner. The actors depicting Wan Azizah, Anwar and many of the supporting casts were obviously having difficulties conversing the local dialect.”

“What grinds my gears the most were the abrupt cut scenes, and that the music was also cut in the same fashion. Some shots felt awkward and amateurish. I couldn’t connect with it emotionally. Furthermore, the ending was too abrupt.”

However, it was not all negative.

“One positive takeaway was the tone and mood of the film were just like the ones we can see in other Indonesian films. Secondly, Farid Kamil captured Anwar’s gestures and mannerisms quite ok. Acha didn’t potray Wan Azizah’s character that well though.”

“To conclude, this film did not do justice to Anwar’s journey and what he fought for. The film felt like a compilation. A PowerPoint presentation and it was painful to watch. I really wanted to love this film.”

Have you watched Anwar: The Untold Story? Share us your thoughts in the comments section below.

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