Go batty with the zany adventures of ‘Keluang Man'

Free Malaysia Today

2 days ago

Keluang Man (Nas-T) is certainly all fired up to get revenge on his brother. (Astro Shaw pic)
PETALING JAYA : Look, up in the sky! Is it a bat? Is it a wau?! No, it's Keluang Man, making his way to the silver screen at long last!
Blockbuster superhero films have been the rage over the last decade, so it was only a matter of time that this beloved Malaysian superhero got his own cinematic adventure.
'Keluang Man' is a largely faithful live-action adaptation of the 1990s cartoon series produced by UAS Animation Studio. Its serious and silly elements sometimes clash but, overall, it's a fun superhero adventure.
The big-screen version is produced by Astro Shaw and marks the directorial debut of Anwari Ashraf, the writer of hits such as the 'Polis Evo' trilogy and 'Project: High Council'.
In the film, Borhan (Nas-T), a patient at the Tampoi Psychiatric Centre in Kluang, spends his days arguing with other inmates and undergoing sessions with the beautiful and intelligent Dr Malini (Shweta Sekhon).
Borhan hears voices in his head – more precisely, just one voice: that of iconic actor and radio announcer Halim Othman.
When a chance encounter triggers memories of Borhan's dramatic past, which involves a betrayal by his once-trusted brother Shamsir (Remy Ishak), Borhan becomes eager for revenge.
Fortunately, his psychiatric facility has the lowest level of security ever, allowing him to leave regularly for his crusade of justice as the masked vigilante Keluang Man; while the grizzled Inspector Sahab (Anwaar Beg Moghal) – who happens to be Dr Malini's brother – is hot on his trail.
Shweta Sekhon plays the intelligent Dr Malini, who forms a bond with Borhan. (Astro Shaw pic)
At first glance, this stylish superhero seems to be a local version of Batman. But this is a different story, as the film will remind you numerous times.
A wisecracking misfit with the ability to break the fourth wall? Keluang Man has just as much in common with Deadpool as he does the Dark Knight!
Acting-wise, the performers are decent, with Rosyam Nor as Borhan's old mentor Ahmad being particularly noteworthy. That said, Halim Othman's voice acting is the most outstanding of the lot!
Much like its eponymous character, however, 'Keluang Man' suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. The film wants to be a serious superhero story and a parody of the genre at the same time, and the rapid shifts in tone can be quite disorienting.
The movie is at its funniest when making humorous observations of Malaysian culture, or taking little jabs at other superhero movies. It does attempt to explore themes such as family, identity and revenge, but this feels mostly perfunctory, existing mainly to tie the action and comedy scenes together.
Apart from fighting crime, Keluang Man has time to pursue his little art projects. (Astro Shaw pic)
The fight scenes are executed well, especially during the climactic clash set in a pillow factory. Alas, while entertaining, this sequence drags on a bit and feels melodramatic, flying in the face of the film's generally humorous vibe.
'Keluang Man' does have a killer soundtrack, which features many throwback hits from the 2000s. Fans will also appreciate numerous references to the original animated series sprinkled through the story.
Minor gripes aside, this is a fun superhero comedy, a popcorn flick with lots of local flavour. Importantly, it seems to have been made with love and as a tribute to longtime fans, which is commendable in and of itself.
This is also the first entry in the Astro Shaw Cinematic Universe, which suggests the character will return soon. Hopefully Borhan will have more interesting adventures to come: who knows, he might even cross paths with a Marvel superhero some day!
'Keluang Man' starts screening in local cinemas from tomorrow.