Carpooling anyone?

Written on 5/31/2004 11:04:00 pm by sikapitan

Movie review: “Lusa”

I was at the field last week getting all geared up to play footie when suddenly the boys started talking nonsense:
“ Wei,weekend ni ko buat apa?”
“Cuti kan aku plan nak tengok lusa”
“Ah orait.Sound la aku bila ko nak pergi”
“I’ll see when my brother is free…”
And they went on and on about watching this “Lusa” movie. I didn’t get it at first, until the clouds started forming up above our heads, and they started shouting “Lusa lusa lusa”..and then it dawned on me that they were referring to the much-advertised summer movie “The Day After Tomorrow”. I’m telling you, kids nowadays are getting more and more sarcastic by the day.

This movie had massive publicity going on since last month, with features on Channel V and ad campaigns showing doomsday in (u guessed it) North America! I didn’t really think much about this movie, but my mate said it was pretty good. So after the mildly-dissapointing Shrek2 (see previous entry), I wasn’t expecting much from this film. You know, massive publicity ala StarWars and HarryPotter usually means it ain’t pretty interesting and very very commercial. That’s what the industry analysts predicted. They said the movie would bomb in the cinemas. But it doesn’t seem to affect the crowd in Pyramid. Again I forgot that one important factor: School-holidays. The line was long but we managed to get tickets. No drama this time, I’m glad to say.

Directed by Roland Emmerich, the same dude who gave you IndependenceDay, this movie is about global-warming, and the devastating effect it’ll have on our Planet Earth.Apparently, global warming would lead to the ICE Age. Paradox?
Well, like IndependenceDay, it will show that in the face of adversity, the US would still lead the world! Nah, just kidding, but frankly speaking, with the exception of some set-up studio depicting downtown Tokyo, and an undistinguished looking building supposedly in the UK, the whole movie is too Americana oriented. I want to know what happen to our beloved KLCC, whether there would still be VCD-sellers promoting “Aksi Dalam Salji yang Terlampau” or would Subang folks finally get clean water coming out from their pipes. But that would take too long, and cost too much so it’ll forever remain a dream, unless our Prof. (konon) Filem decides to make our own version of “Lusa”. It can show that even in face of tidal waves, we malaysians would still stop by the roadside to gawk at accidents:)

The script for the movie is typical big-budget-action-thriller-summer-flick ala Armageddon and IndependenceDay with witty one-liners and little character. But it’s entertaining enough for me, and it kept me awake for the entire length of the movie. I’m always interested in this doomsday-scenario and this is more plausible than the stupid I-can-fly-the-space-shuttle-like-it’s-a-kancil solution to asteroid zooming down on earth (Armageddon). The hero here (DennisQuaid) at least has a full set of hair. I’ve always been impressed with his work, although it can be said he is not that popular here in Malaysia. And the kid who played his son (Jake Gyllenhal), is pretty good, emoting the right kind of facial expressions at the right time. Unlike most summer-action-flick, this one doesn’t really have A HERO!, who can stop weather or plant nuclear bomb to shift the sea patterns, thank god. The CGI for this movie is spectacular. A lot of effort has been made to make the whole movie look realistic. Kudos to the technical team. The girls behind me were basically screaching in horror as the tidalwaves pound NewYork. Heck, even MY balls shrunk at the sight of those scary clouds.

In conclusion, I have to say that you must NOT miss this one in the cinema. The special effects are truly amazing, the casts were very convincing and it has that touch of dry humour that you really need to lighten up an otherwise pretty depressing prediction of our future. Special mention to my new found screen goddess (heck,it’s my taste okaY?) Emmy Rossum who plays the oh-so-innocent-yet-so-strong Laura. I can’t believe that she’s only 18 years old! Man, she’s the IT girl for me at the moment (Sorry Jessica Alba, if it’s any consolation, she does look like you a bit).

But I wonder if the audience realizes the message that the movie’s trying to say. I guess not, because right after the movie, I hopped into my car, and forgetting all about globalwarming, selfishly drove home alone instead of carpooling with my buddy. Hey, he said it could only happen in a thousand years right?

Au revoir

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