Writer: Wahiduzzaman

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Watch this if you liked: "Cicak-Man"

Malaysia's favourite home-grown superhero is back! Is he back for good? Yes, he's bolder with more realistic actions but if you're expecting it to be as hilarious as the prequel, you might end up being frustrated. This time, Saiful Apek a.k.a Cicak-Man has bigger responsibilities and he gets more serious. But, hey, don't get me wrong. It's Saiful Apek after all, so of course the laughter is somewhat guaranteed.

This second instalment looks convincing for the first half an hour. Yet, the rest of the story is more like a pain in the behind. On that, perhaps we could put the blame on Meor Shariman, the writer who penned the script. The plot is loose and incoherent, making it a mediocre story.

On the other hand, director Yusry deserves some credit for his obvious efforts on this project. Despite the inadequate CGI in most scenes involving Cicak-Man (especially the fighting scenes), you could still commend it for being a passionate artistic and commercial attempt to make something more out of this successful home-grown superhero.

Of all the cast, only Saiful Apek and Sharifah Amani are particularly memorable. The lizard man looks steady in his typical comical element - simple and funny. Meanwhile, Sharifah Amani looks natural and rather witty in her role as the blind young girl named Imaan. Surprisingly, Aznil Hj Nawawi a.k.a Professor Klon is behaving much better in this sequel. He's less irritating and more mature in his acting. The Ginger Duo (played by AC Mizal and Adlin Aman Ramlie) however maintains their ever-annoying acting. Nothing has changed! Fasha Sandha reprises her Tania role and shows some improvement. Pathetically however, the Indonesian star Tamara Bleszinski fails to impress me in her role as Cicak-Man's new opponent, Rrama. It's shallow and silly altogether.

No matter what anybody says about "Cicak-Man", the action comedy is still the biggest contender for 2008's local blockbuster. If you're into "Cicak-Man", this one is definitely a show not to be missed!

Cinema Online, 24 October 2008