Writer: Casey Lee

Writer Ratings:
Overall:
Cast:
Plot:
Effects:
Cinematography:

Watch this if you liked: "Zombi Kampung Pisang", "Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah", "Husin, Mon dan Jin Pakai Toncit", "Zombi Kilang Biskut"

The Good, the Bad and the Werewolf:

As the influx of Bangladeshi workers have flooded in this country to the extent that it has raised political/electoral and security concerns from the average well-meaning Malaysian, tensions have nonetheless been raising as disdain is thrown at them. But to Usop Wilcha, the man of action (or as he calls himself an international spy for the social division), the fictional character is out doing good deeds for these looked down upon foreigners, as he delivers food to them while spinning a wild story about where they came from. Afterall, Usop says, a story that is too realistic is too boring.

So he goes back to 20 years ago when a hardworking Murti (Saiful Apek) is bitten by a wolf at his native village on the borders of Myanmar and Bangladesh. After being taken over by the rage of becoming a werewolf that tears down his once happy family and he begins preying on his fellow villagers, he is finally put down by a lynch mob. The curse, however, is passed to his twin sons, Kumba and Kumbi, who flee to Malaysia and having already experienced the wrath of an unforgiving community towards their kind, they plan to spread the curse for world domination.

"Werewolf Dari Bangladesh" considers itself a horror-comedy, but the comedy comes mainly from Usop Wilcha's trademark hand-waving and Zizan Razak's Bangladeshi labourer's attempts to give the salam. Any hopes of seeing Zizan pulling out his improvised acts is beaten down by repetitive hushes of his fellow Bangladeshi so that the werewolf secret would not be revealed. So hearing him speak Bangladeshi can only be the consolation.

For the most part, what was set out to be a fantastic tale that could have exaggerated humour and too few satires, slides down the horror path with distasteful disembowelment, decapitations and one too many darkly lit scenes. That last part is quite a shame really, as it masks the climax in too many shadows on an admirable showcase of the make-up team. Instead, audiences had to deduce what was happening on the screen from the howls and growls, but even those can be unhelpful by the spotty sound editing.

Compounded by the intermittent flashbacks that should have pieced together a puzzle a long time ago, "Werewolf Dari Bangladesh" has missed an opportunity to be something that can be as laughable as it is a wild tale. It is only too bad that even this unrealistic story can only be this boring.

Look Out For:

The upcoming sequel/spin-off .

Trivia:

Shot in 25 days. This is Zizan Razak's first collaboration with Mamat Khalid and it is Emma Maembong's feature debut.

Best Watched With:

Mamat Khalid and Usop Wilcha fans.

Cinema Online, 09 March 2015