THIS is the month for patriotic movies, and Air Force: The Movie swooped into theatres at just the right moment. Supported by the Malaysian Armed Forces, the epic military movie is packed with action and drama, and features realistic portrayals of various personnel from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
The film emphasises ethics and morality as a way to boost the patriotic spirits of viewers and also honour the men and women who serve on the frontlines of our nation’s defence.
The story begins the middle of the action as the fictional Pacific island nation of Namburi is tearing itself apart in a bloody civil war. A Malaysian humanitarian aid group, together with a PASKAU team led by Major Adan, callsign “Lejen” (Datuk Adi Putra, Mat Kilau himself), and a couple of journalists, are set to board the last military transport plane to fly back to Malaysia.
Suddenly, their plane is shot down using surface-to-air missiles (SAM) by local militants, and the survivors have to fight for their lives to make it to a rendezvous point. The RMAF prepares for a daring rescue mission called “Operational Hornbill.”
As soon as the operation is a go, Zafran, callsign “Mantis” (Aiman Hakim Ridza), a fighter pilot who was recently grounded, battles for the chance to save them.
Perhaps due to its misfortune of being released a couple of months after the inarguable blockbuster hit Top Gun: Maverick, this Air Force movie has been criticised for lacking proper air combat scenes.
Perhaps this is due to the movie taking more time to provide greater background for the RMAF as a whole, including its highly trained special operations force, PASKAU.
I felt the movie really does allow the RMAF to flex its muscle, with shots of the Sukhoi SU-30MKM performing ‘Cobra’ manoeuvres alongside the ficitonal Namburi Air Force’s MIG 29 ‘Fulcrum’, and the automated aerial refuelling (ARR) scene featuring the Airbus A400M.
The movie captures the exquisite appearance of the fighter aircraft from the hangar to runway to the sky, but the dogfight action was quite disappointing. The computer-generated special effects were highly noticeable, taking away some of the excitement.
Then again, it was probably too risky and costly to perform real combat scenes in the air. Still, it is rather incredible to have this kind of film in our country.
In yet another flex for the RMAF, the film also showcases the F/A-18D Hornet and a few Eurocopter EC725 Caracals. As the rescue attempt progresses, the professionalism of the armed forces is apparent.
One issue is the lack of interpersonal conflict between the characters. Air Force avoids typical Malaysian melodrama for the most part (which is good) but is almost too plain. Expectedly conflict- or tension-filled plotlines are either ignored or resolved too quickly, possibly on purpose. The emphasis on the plot leaves the characters underdeveloped.
The film is worth watching, but don’t have high hopes for its storyline or twists, as it is very straightforward. The script is rather predictable.
The military terms and phrases used also sounded a tad bit whacky. It is somewhat understandable, but does have room for improvement.
Ultimately, Air Force The Movie: Selagi Bernyawa proves its case during the closing credits, when real-life RMAF achievements are displayed with images and footage. This film is an ode to valour, demonstrating our fighting capabilities, and shows how our military leaves no man behind.
Air Force The Movie: Selagi Bernyawa is now in theatres.
DIRECTOR: Zulkarnain Azhar & Frank See
CAST: Aiman Hakim Redza, Dato’ Adi Putra, Nas-T, Luqman Hafidz, Johan As’ari, Pablo Amirul, Jack Tan, Sara Ali, Anas Ridzuan, Iman Corinne, Niezam Zaidi
E-VALUE: 7
ACTING: 6
PLOT: 7
