THIS IS NOT A REVIEW: The Raid 2

Starring: - Iko Uwais (Merantau) as Rama

             - Arifin Putra (Rumah Dara, Hati Merdeka) as Uco

             - Tio Pakusadewo (Habibie dan Ainun, Java Heat) as Bangun

             - Alex Abbad (Merantau (lagi), 99 Cahaya di Langit Eropa) as Bejo

             - Yayan "Mad Dog" Ruhian (Merantau (kebetulan tolol macam apa ini?)) as Prakoso

Lama: 150 menit

Budget: US$ 4,5 juta

Box Office: US$ 6,5 juta

Genre: Martial Arts Action Crime Thriller 

Setelah hampir 17 tahun berleha-leha (baca: hidup) di Indonesia, gue sampai kepada sebuah kesimpulan. Tentang dunia layar lebar Indonesia. Bahwa dua genre film yang paling marketable terhadap masyarakat penonton Indonesia adalah dua: Percintaan dan Hantu. Kadang dua-duanya digabung menjadi sebuah fusion yang lebih serem dari genre Horror itu sendiri. Yep. Hantu Bercinta. Gue baru aja bertarung dengan hasrat tubuh gue untuk langsung muntah ke layar laptop gue setelah menulis kata tersebut. Sampai akhirnya pada tahun kiamat 2012, gue menemukan genre baru yang membawa angin sejuk terhadap perfilman Indonesia: Action. Dalam bentuk The Raid: Redemption. Film action yang gak tanggung-tanggung dalam setiap adegan actionnya! Dar! Der! Dor! Jdug! Croot! Emang bener-bener sadis sih, tapi gue udah terbiasa sama adegan sadis saat masih bertualang dengan game-game gue. Lagian, jarang-jarang, toh, ada film Indonesia yang bisa menghasilkan salah satu meme paling terkenal di 1Cak? Yah, klo gak ngerti silakan ke www.1cak.co.id . Intinya, The Raid: Redemption merupakan salah satu film action terbaik yang pernah gue tonton selama gue idup. 

Dan gue tetep antusias, malahan rada kayak kesambit, waktu gue denger sekuel film greget ini diumumkan. Dengan judul The Raid 2:  Berandal. Mungkin The Raid 3 punya subtitle Gelandangan (ini lagi-lagi gue dapet dari 1cak), tapi gak tau ya. Gue bener-bener seneng dan langsung kepincut bahkan ketika baru liat trailer-nya doang. Pas waktu BARU dirilis di Indonesia, deket-deket ulang tahun gue, gue langsung nonton. Kata adek gue sih, sadis-sadis sampe orang bule yang nonton muntah di bioskop gitu. 

Apakah gue tetep muntah, seperti gue muntah ketika melihat perfilman Indonesia yang yah begitulah, atau apakah gue puas sama seperti gue puas sama The Raid: Redemption?

Now with a STORY!

Mereka bilang The Raid yang pertama memiliki sebuah kelemahan mayor, yaitu cerita yang mendingan-gak-usah-ada-sekalian. Gue bilang, cerita di The Raid memang menjadi latar belakang action yang ultra gila dari film tersebut, dibandingkan action yang waras menjadi latar belakang dari cerita yang semi-waras dari film-film action biasanya. Intinya, fokus dari The Raid bukanlah cerita, melainkan action. Tapi nampaknya sutradara Gareth Evans (kapan nih, kita bisa punya The Raid sutradara asal dalam  negeri?) mendengarkan orang-orang yang bercuap ini, sehingga di The Raid 2 kita punya cerita yang lebih dalam. 

Cerita bermulai beberapa jam setelah peristiwa pembacokan, penembakan, dan penggorokan di The Raid berakhir. Rama disarankan oleh Andi untuk menemui seorang petugas polisi bernama Bunawar, dan memberikan bukti bahwa Tama, antagonis The Raid, sedang menyuap pihak kepolisian. Bunawar setelah menerima bukti langsung mengajak Rama menjadi anggota tim rahasia kepolisian yang bertugas menyelidiki korupsi dalam kepolisian. Bunawar sendiri menjadi kepalanya. Rama awalnya menolak, tetapi setelah mengetahui Andi dibunuh (maap banget spoilernya, tapi ini spoiler udah ada di beberapa menit pertama film, jadi begitulah) karena membantunya, ia akirnya setuju, dengan alasan Bunawar memperingatkan Rama sang pelaku bakal mengincar Rama dan keluarganya. 

Dan masuklah Rama ke dunia kejahatan yang lebih greget dari Mad Dog. Sebagai petugas yang menyamar, Rama ditanam dalam organisasi Bangun, salah satu organisasi kejahatan tergege di Jakarta. Caranya? Mendekati Uco, anak Bangun. Dengan ini, ia bisa mendapatkan kepercayaan Bangun, dan diterima dalam organisasinya, sambil melakukan penyelidikan terhadap dugaan penyogokan Bangun terhadap kepolisian. 

Dalem, kan? The Raid memiliki cerita yang cenderung eksplosif dan blak-blakkan, sedangkan The Raid 2 condong ke arah sembunyi-sembunyi dan subversif. Tapi jangan kira gak ada  bunuh-bunuhannya, ya...

The Return of the Mad Dog
Bahasa Indonesianya: Kembalinya si Asu Edan. Ooh, maap, itu bukan bahasa Indonesia beneran, sih. Apa yang gue bahas disini? Kita semua yang udah nonton The Raid yang pertama pasti inget tokoh Mad Dog yang diperankan oleh Yayan Ruhian. Mad Dog, seperti namanya, adalah serba anjing gila. Berantem ya kaya anjing gila, ngomong ya kaya anjing gila (meskipun gak sepenuhnya gila), dan aktingnya ya lebih gila lagi. Hanya Mad Dog yang mampu menyaingi tokoh utama Rama dalam bertarung, bahkan kalo bukan karena lampu neon nyasar mungkin Rama udah dipotekin lehernya sama ni orang (nonton dulu!)
Kenapa orang kaget akan keberadaan Mad Dog di The Raid 2?
Dia udah mati.
Emang bener, lampu neon nyasar memang telah menyelamatkan Rama-- dan mengakhiri hidup Mad Dog yang gue gak peduli sebenernya lahir dari dewa tarung macam apa. Intinya, Mad Dog tewas, jadi gak mungkin dia ada di The Raid 2, kan?
Siapa yang bilang itu si Mad Dog yang diperanin Yayan Ruhian di The Raid 2?
Yayan Ruhian memerankan Prakoso, ahli bunuh yang bekerja di bawah komando Bangun. Yang gue suka dari Prakoso adalah  betapa berbedanya dia dengan Mad Dog yang ada di The Raid. Mad Dog, seperti yang lu tau, saking gregetnya dia sampe dia punya meme sendiri. Prakoso, mungkin kalo berantem memang seganas Mad Dog. Tapi, karakterisasinya, seriusan, bener-bener beda. Mad Dog mungkin kalo dia dibolehin sama sutradaranya abis bunuh orang pasti dicabik-cabik trus dihidangkan dengan saus lemon trus dimakan sama dia. Intinya, sadis bener.
Prakoso, di sisi lain, kalem. Aneh kenapa dia bisa sekalem itu, padahal diperankan oleh orang yang sama dalam serial film yang sama. Prakoso terlihat lebih cool dan terkesan tenang dalam setiap adegan yang melibatkan dirinya. Terutama adegan dia ngomong-ngomong sama istrinya (edan, cantik banget! Emang bener istrinya ya?) dan juga adegan dia ngomong sama Uco. Nada bicara dia jarang banget naik, tapi dalam akting Yayan Ruhian terdapat juga Prakoso sebagai pembunuh bayaran yang, err, baik. Ya, emang Prakoso tidak berperan dalam sisi antagonis cerita, tapi baik dalam arti disini adalah baik yang gak mungkin lu lihat dalam seorang pembunuh profesional. Lemah lembut, lah. Akting Yayan Ruhian dengan baik memberikan kesan bahwa si Prakoso itu sebenarnya juga punya sisi halus juga.
Salut gue sama si Mad Dog ini, pekerjaannya bukan aktor tapi dia bisa ngebuat karakterisasi seorang tukang bunuh-bunuhan punya sisi yang tidak terlalu suka bunuh-bunuhan. Mantabh.

Nothing but the Kills
Dan ini adalah fitur yang paling gue suka dari film ini! Betapa semua unsur yang terdapat dalam The Raid di-upgrade! Unsur yang orang suka, seperti koreografi joget adu gebuk yang lebih indah dan lebih rapi, darah yang mencrat-mencrot dan terlihat seperti darah betulan, dan tipe adegan action yang lebih penuh variasi! Mengenai darah betulan, gue pernah bahas masalah darah yang kayak Fanta abis dikocok (The Man with the Iron Fists), atau yang belum pernah gue bahas, darah kayak saus tomat (The Raid: Redemption). Sekarang efek darah, ya kayak darah gitu. Encer dan bener-bener merah, dan keluar seperlunya dan serealistis mungkin.
Unsur yang orang kurang suka, seperti cerita yang terlalu transparan, semacam bersih bening kayak gak ada cerita (yep, nyolong dari Cling). Soal cerita, gue bahas di atas.
Yang gue perhatiin dari blockbuster Indonesia ini adalah fokus yang bener-bener sama yang namanya cerita, dan apa yang terjadi dalam cerita tersebut. Mikir aja sih, kalo misalnya semua unsur diperhatiin, penonton bingung entar. Latar kebanyakan, tokoh kebanyakan, konflik kebanyakan, orang bakal bingung sebenernya ini nonton The Raid ato film konspirasi macam The Departed. Jadi, detail-detail yang tidak terlalu penting ditinggalkan dalam film ini. Latar kota tempat semua kejadian The Raid 2 tidak dikasitau. Meskipun semua orang tau jelas ini adalah Jakarta. Bagaimanapun pada menit ke 81 akan dipertanyakan dengan sungguh-sungguh sebenarnya settingnya di mana.
Intinya, sepertinya Pak Sut Gareth Evans menebalkan, menggarisbawahi, memiringkan, dan mengcapslock action di sini. Gak. Banyak. Bacot. Gue suka.

(+) - Action yang lebih kreatif dan lebih rapi (meskipun lebih banyak darah).
     - Yayan Ruhian yang minim pengalaman akting membawakan Prakoso dengan baik.
     - Cerita yang lebih nyambung dan lebih solid.
(-) - MENIT. DELAPAN. PULUH. SATU.
    - Lagi-lagi ending nggantung.

NILAI: 93/100

Conclusion: Peningkatan di kurang lebih semua unsur terdapat dalam sekuel The Raid ini. Jarang gue temuin sekuel yang lebih bagus dan asik dibandingin film pertamanya, dan bagusnya, ini adalah salah satu dari sekuel-sekuel itu. Ending yang ngegantung bikin dongkol, emang, tapi itu adalah pemicu gue untuk mantengin The Raid 3, kapanpun ia akan datang.

Until the next post, bungs! :D

Chapter 2 of Roque Mendez, Debt Collector

Those light stunt with the burglars had him at least pulling himself up from his couch, Mendez thought. After he disposed of the unconscious thieves, tidied up his apartment and cleaned any blood stains left behind, he went for his couch-- again. Mendez lied on his couch, and tried to close his eyes in an attempt to fall asleep. After achieving full tranquility and finally starting to drift from consciousness, his phone rang. Mendez was startled, and thinking his phone was inside his pants' pockets, tried to fetch it from there. Then he realized his phone was located on the small table his wartime photo was also located. He sat upright, trying to reach the phone, of which was still ringing. Due to him actually being terribly drowsy, he accidentally nudged his own phone, sending it to the floor. He heard the impact of his phone, and cursed silently. When he tried to reach his phone on the floor, which is still ringing in spite of the fall, Mendez lost his balance on the couch, and tumbled on the floor, crashing down with a solid thump. When he finally got hold of his phone, it was no longer ringing, the call was missed. Infuriated, he decided to sleep on the floor right there and then.

When he came around, it was already morning. The sun shone through the only window his apartment got. He was still on the floor, lying. In his black leather jacket and all. He even still had his brown boots on. He felt stupid. One second he became a home defender, jabbing those thieves out cold. The next second, he stumbled from his own couch, half-asleep, all for a cell phone. It was two significantly contrast behavior one man could've done in one night. He rose from his position, and fetched his phone. He looked at his phone call log, specifically the one he missed last night. It was a set of jumbled numbers with the area code at the front. Curious, he called the number. 

After a couple of seconds, someone picked up. Male. "Who's this?" are the words Mendez heard first. "The guy you called up at 12 AM. Jesus man, didn't you know one irmao is asleep?" "I thought your business did not know any boundaries on time of appointment." "Yeah that applied when I'm definitely not asleep! From whom did you get this number?" "It doesn't matter, Mr. Mendez. What mattered are your competence in this occasion. I've heard from the person who gave me your number that you are very skilled in... collecting debts." "Oh, that person must've been Big T. I've done a couple of jobs for 'im recently, mostly in collecting debts from--" "Am I correct?" There was a brief pause before Mendez replied, "Well, if that's how T is going to put it, you can say I'm capaz." "Well, I've got a proposition for you." "This better be good." "I do hope you are interested in my offer. Someone owed me big time." "And how much is this 'big time' we're talking about?" "Eight hundred thousand dollars. Goes by Cliff Daniels. Sucks at backroom poker. If you manage to pull this off, I'll give you thirty percent of the money he owed." "And how will I know this is not some poor pateta whom you just thought deserved to suddenly owe you eight hundred thousand bucks?" "I'm sending your number his bank records. In advance, I'm telling you that from his investments in various businesses around town, he had already acquired three million dollars. Of course, in case you don't understand math, three million dollars is more than enough to cover up the money I loaned to him." "Ah, entendo." "Don't ever contact this number again. And before you proceed, Mr. Mendez, Daniels had used some cash he had on him to hire some muscles, in case someone like you showed to collect something that isn't  rightfully his." The other guy hung up. Mendez put the phone in his pocket, then took out from his all-along-hidden gun holster a revolver -- Taurus Raging Bull, with some intrigue carvings on the barrel. His signature gun, where pulling it off from his shirt was intimidating enough for his opponent to throw away their guns. Roque thought, muscles? Just the way he liked it.

Along with the bank records (which did not lie about Daniels' wealth) sent to Mendez was two addresses. One was Daniels' home address, and the other was supposedly the place Daniels' usually hang out and play some poker. Minutes later, Mendez was at the debtor's apartment doorstep. No sound was made from inside of the apartment. It should have occured to Mendez- Daniels' supposedly hired muscles weren't around. At least, when those tough-guys-Mendez-hadn't-met were around, they were there to protect something of Daniels' possession - be it cash, lucky poker chip, or even himself. So he tried breaking down the door. A couple of hefty kicks had almost broken the door down. When Mendez went for the third, he heard footsteps that weren't there before, and a shriek. It was Daniels, surrounded by two men, full of muscles (hence the term muscles) both seemingly eager to punch Roque in turns. "Hey! You trying to break my apartment down? Roberts sent you, didn't he?" Roque dryly replied, a pint of laid back attitude was heard from his voice. "Bem merda, I didn't even know his name was Roberts. You owed him three hundred grand, didn't you?" "Well, if he was to take it from me, he was gonna get it by himself, instead of sending off some chump from you!" Roque felt this was at least the six hundred time he was called a chump and felt different from the first time he was called that. He felt energized instead of humiliated. After all, in this line of job of debt collecting, it's the first thing he'd expect. Still, his reaction was still the same. He whipped out his revolver and shot Daniels' at the leg. Of course he'd shot his tall goons if he'd make it quick, but he slipped the gun into his holster and marched to kick the bodyguards in the ass.
The way Mendez saw it: Tank Top and Muscle Shirt. Both were similarly burly in build and looked eager enough to smash Mendez' head into the wall. Tank Top walked upon Mendez slower than Muscle Shirt, but he seemed to be more calculative; seemingly examining and deliberately anticipating Mendez' movement.  All while Muscle Shirt approached Mendez faster, more reckless, and seemed to have his nostrils blowing out hair like a bull in a bullfight, ready to charge on his matador. Only now it wasn't some enthusiastic bullfighter with a red cape. Just a downsized adversary. But Roque thought, not like that. He's had so much of goons thinking him as a frail blond guy oblivious to trouble. Fact is, he's had so much now he had gotten used to it.
Muscle Shirt gave a hefty swing on Mendez only for his fist to hit nothing. Mendez had ducked and almost instantly gave Muscle Shirt a blow to his crotch before moving up on Tank Top. Tank Top sent Mendez an upfront kick only to find it being blocked by Mendez. That is, before Tank Top jabbed Mendez in the face. Mendez raised both his forearms fast enough to block Tank Top, and then punched him across the face. Tank Top was thrown to the wall, his face came crashing into the the concrete. For good measures Mendez grabbed him by the crown and then shoved Tank Top's face to the wall. Tank Top surprisingly still budged, which made Mendez kicked his thigh, sending him on his knees. He was about to grab Tank Top's crown again when a pair of hand locked itself on his arms. Mendez couldn't see, but he immediately knew this was Muscle Shirt. The lock was very good that Mendez' struggle was not enough to break himself free. Instead, he took some step back until he pinned the wall hard. He heard a loud thud, hoping it was Muscle Shirt impacting against the wall. The grip on his arms suddenly loosened. Knowing he'd somehow hurt his captor in some way, he immediately knelt and bowed his head. This resulted in Mendez flipping Muscle Shirt over his body, sending him to the ground on his back. Muscle Shirt was stunned by this turn of events, but one last thing-- Roque Mendez' fist landed on his face, and suddenly he went dark. Mendez saw Tank Top attempting to get on his feet, and he instinctively kicked him in the face. It dazed Tank Top, making him whimpering in agony on the ground. Mendez wanted to make sure him not getting up, so he stomped on Tank Top's chest, shutting off the whimper. Now he's going for Daniels.
Two reasons for Mendez  shooting Daniels on the leg: He didn't want to off him, due to him the only being to know the location of his thirty percent. Second, Daniels would've left a noticeable trace of blood, or at least limped due to a .44 round crashing into his leg. Either way, it wouldn't be hard to find him. The blood traced to a level below; then into a room. Mendez banged on the door. "DANIELS!" No answer. "DANIELS!" Silence. "Daniels! Eu sei que você está aí!" Then he considered Daniels not understanding a thing he just blurted out. "Daniels! What I just said is, 'I know you're in there'!" Not even a sound from inside. "Seriously Daniels, have you considered the blood from your leg leading me to you!? Ah, never mind, this is gonna end one way or another anyways." With those out from his tongue, he kicked the door down. He found Daniels, obviously startled, on the center of the room. Near  him were an Asian family; mother, father, even a little girl. Suddenly Daniels took out a balisong from his pocket and clutched the little girl. He held her in front of him, pointing his folding knife at her, using her as a human shield. "Back off!" he shrieked. Mendez took out his revolver and readied his gun, setting his sights on Daniels. The latter responded, "Put that down! Put that piece down or this little gal is going to buy it!" Mendez replied, "We both know I'm not gonna do that. There's no need to drag some poor little girl into our business! Either you let her go, or instead, YOU are going to buy it." The little girl cried, and her parents spoke to her in Mandarin, trying to reassure her 'it's gonna be okay', by the looks of it. Daniels saw this and then turned to the mom and dad. "Shut it! Don't you ever give her any ideas. pal. I'm not kidding by slicing this girl's neck in front of you!" But the parents kept on talking, now evidently at Daniels, obviously talking him into letting their only daughter go. "I said shut it! Don't talk to me like that, or--" Daniels put his knife close to the girl's neck "'-- she's really gonna get it!" Roque was still aiming at Daniels, thinking Daniels might have done nothing more than bluffing, but judging by the situation, he was obviously put to the edge. It's not like he's going to slit the girl's throat, but it's also not like talking him out of this is going to get the job done. Roque saw Daniels still shouting at the family, distracted. He quickly took aim and discharged his gun.
Gunfire shook the room like thunder. Daniels howled, his right hand letting go of the knife and his left letting go of the daughter. Roque shot him at the same leg, only now he shot Daniels at the thigh, instead of at the shin like before. Daniels went down on his knee. Mendez walked to him, trying to subdue him before Daniels took the balisong and backhanded him. Roque was faster. He managed to drop his gun and grabbed Daniels' arm, then used the arm as a leverage to Daniels' body and sending it against his knee. Daniels' was knocked back, now bleeding heavily at the nostrils. Roque held him by the shirt and then put his gun on Daniels' wound. "Now, Senhor Daniels. It's not like I'm not gonna put another hole in your body. So you tell me, are you going to give Roberts his eight hundred grand?" Daniels was weak, but still managed to answer. "How am I gonna give it to him? You've beaten me to a pulp. I'm weak enough to be unable to get out of my bed, much less deliver that Roberts bastard his cash. Have you thought about this?" "Yeah then you better tell me where do you keep the money before I make you pulpier." "Ehh.. screw you." Daniels spat blood at Mendez' face. "Well, if that's the way you're gonna put it.." Mendez pressed his gun on Daniels' leg wound. The latter wailed in agony. "Tell me again. Where is the money?" Roque said as he loosened his gun. "AARRGH! Alright! Alright! I'll tell you!" Roque leaned to have a good listen. ".. in your mother's underwear cupboard." Roque now stepped on Daniels' wounded foot. He wailed even louder, his scream tore through the room. "Have I ever told you about talking trash about my madre? I don't normally make anyone paralyzed for life, but you're not even making this easier for yourself." "Stop it! STOP IT! AARGH! MY GOD! STOP!" "Anytime after you tell me where the money is.." "HOLY-- AARGH! MY APARTMENT! THE SAFE INSIDE THE BEDROOM! CODE 9367! JUST STOP!" Roque lifted his own foot from Daniels' leg. "That wasn't so hard, wasn't it?" "The cops are not gonna let you walk after this!" "I didn't murder you and feed your remnants to dogs, did I?" Roque walked away from Daniels, now slipping from consciousness. Roque saw the Asian family, terrified on what they had witnessed in the last five minutes. "Look I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. I'll pay for the door damage--" he pulled his wallet and gave some of his dollar bills to the father "-- and make sure to call the ambulance for this poor bastard. Again, I'm really sorry the sumbitch entered the wrong apartment and almost killed your daughter. I do hope you not having a vendetta against this deadbeat. He's just being pushed to the edge is all. Have a nice day." And with that, Roque left the apartment, leaving the family in complete shock and Daniels in complete unconsciousness.  

  

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW: The Man with the Iron Fists

Starring: - Robin Fitzgerald Diggs (G.I. JOE: Retaliation, Brick Mansions) sebagai The Blacksmith

              - Russell Crowe (Gladiator, The Next Three Days) sebagai Jack The Ripper Knife

              - Rick Yune (Olympus has Fallen) sebagai X-Blade

              - Byron Mann (Street Fighter) sebagai Silver Lion

              - Dave Bautista (Smek Daun WWE) sebagai Brass Body 

Budget: 20 juta Dollar

Box Office: angka-diatas-ditambah-0.25 juta Dollar

Genre: Martial Arts

Setelah sekian banyaknya film adu gebuk ala China dan Hong Kong yang gue tonton dalam hidup gue, datanglah si satu ini. Dari judulnya aja, kita udah tahu tokoh utama (atau minimal, tokoh) dalam film ini. Seseorang dengan tangan, atau seenggaknya, tinju besi. Jujur, udah banyak istilah Iron Fists atau Tangan Besi dalam dunia film yang gue tonton, bahkan ada di game juga. Yah Tekken itu. Bahasa Jepang dari Tangan Besi adalah Tekken. Pengetahuan Baru! *JRENG*
Apa sih yang sesungguhnya membuat film in beda dari film CIIIAATTT! lainnya?
Gue sempet kira ini adalah jenis-jenis film itu yang bener-bener stylistic, dan menurut gue mungkin menggambarkan dunia Asia Tradisional dari sudut pandang orang bule. Anggeplah kayak 47 Ronin.
Gue juga ngira film ini orientasinya lebih ke arah light-hearted kayak film-berantem-apapun-yang-ada-Jackie-Chan-nya. Semua jenis film yang ada Jackie Chan-nya, atau mungkin kayak Kung Fu Hustle, seserius apapun tema atau cerita yang dibawakan, pasti ada aja lucu-lucuannya. Bahkan di adegan-adegan adu bogem paling tegang pun. Apalagi dengan tokoh utama yang bukan bule tradisional, kayak Michael Angarano di Forbidden Kingdom, atau Keanu Reeves di, yah, 47 Ronin. Tapi disini adalah seorang Afro, yaitu rapper RZA yang gue sebutin nama aslinya diatas. Maksud gue, come on, RZA!
Akhirnya, apakah beneran kayak gitu?

Rap Fu
RZA disini bukan hanya sebagai aktor. Dia juga pemeran dalam film ini. Dan bukan pemeran orang lewat. Dia adalah si protagonis Thaddeus Henry Smith, yang lebih sering dipanggil The Blacksmith. Dan dia bukan cuma protagonis. Dia kurang lebih yang bikin film ini. Yep, dia sutradara. Padahal ini sebenernya film pertamanya sebagai sutradara, dan sebenernya dia gak punya pengalaman di bidang ini dalam bentuk apapun. Lagian kerjaan dia juga bukan aktor, tapi rapper. Pencetus Wu-Tang Clan (yang sayangnya gue gak kenal). Gila, apa-apaan nih?!
Sebagai hasil dari latar belakangnya sebagai penyanyi-cepat, jelas dia menyalurkan, er, bakatnya dalam film ini. Yep, soundtrack dari film ini kebanyakan adalah lagu rap. Dalam setting China. Lagu dan score dari film ini kebanyakan berasal dari group-nya, The Wu-Tang Clan, RZA sendiri, dan Kanye West. Mikir aja sih, apakah dua unsur dari dua belahan dunia ini bakal nimbrung dengan baik?

Gue jelasin, ya.. 

Experimen RZA dalam memadukan unsur yang barat banget ke dalam unsur yang timur banget itu gak gagal. GAK. GAGAL. Harus gue akuin, memang adegan-adegan action dalam film diiringi oleh lagu rap kedengeran cocok. Maklum, dalam berbagai adegan action di film-film dimanapun, diiringi oleh score yang sesuai dengan suasana film. Kadang-kadang lagu berupa rap juga. Meskipun tidak semua lagu berantem dalam film ini terbuat dari unsur rap, namun mayoritas ya, rap itu. Dan score-score yang tidak terbuat dari rap dibuat oleh RZA itu sendiri, jadinya ada unsur baratnya juga, meskipun bukan rap. Bagus, pendapat gue. Lagu rap meskipun tidak membuat adegan action epic, tapi membuat adegan-adegan tersebut menjadi terkesan ringan dan asyik, betapa banyaknya orang yang terbunuh dalam adegan itu. Tidak terkesan terlalu serius, atau terlalu menegangkan, atau sadis. Jadinya sering ditaro di adegan-adegan yang hanya berperan sebagai sampingan dalam cerita. 

The Ripper and the Smith

Penokohan dalam film ini dibagi menjadi 2 (dua)(two). Orang yang ngegebuk dan orang yang digebukin. Semua sama aja. Minimal menurut gue. Kecuali dua orang. Yaitu The Blacksmith (RZA), dan Jack "Knife" C. Wales (Russell Crowe). Mereka ya secara kebetulan adalah dua dari tiga bule mayor di film ini. Yang ketiga? Brass Body (Dave Bautista), yang sayangnya masuk kategori penokohan pertama. 

The Blacksmith diperankan oleh Pak Sut dari film ini, RZA. Anehnya, meskipun dia adalah tokoh paling utama dalam film ini (bahkan teknisnya judul film ini adalah julukan dia), dia tidak terlalu terlibat dalam main plot dari film ini. Dia lebih berperan sebagai narrator dari cerita. RZA memerankan Blacksmith dengan lumayan, bahkan untuk ukuran Pak-Sut-sekaligus-aktor-yang-tidak-berpengalaman. Dengan pemeranan RZA, Smith terkesan kalem, tapi pakem. Dengan logat, suara, dan tampang yang selalu ngantuk, orang bisa ngira dia gak niat bangun dari tempat tidur. Tapi menurut gue, ini menyumbangkan sedikit saja untuk unsur badass dia, sebagai salah satu dari tiga protagonis dalam cerita. Singkat cerita, menurut gue, Iron Fists yang dia dapatkan di tiga perempat cerita didukung dengan baik oleh akting RZA. 

Dan ada Jack Knife. Dia adalah mantan perwira Angkatan Darat Inggris, sekarang menjadi utusan dari Kaisar di China untuk memecahkan masalah yang ada di film ini. Dia diperankan oleh Russell Crowe, si Robin Hood, dan dulunya si Gladiator. Jack Knife memiliki peran yang netral pada awal sampai pertengahan film. Crowe memerankan Knife dengan solid, maksudnya karakter yang kita tahu dari Knife semata-mata hanya berasal dari cara akting Crowe saja. 

Gimana sih, Knife ini?

Menurut gue, dia orangnya adalah gambaran dari bule-bule turis China. Cepat ramah dengan keadaan lokal, dikagumi dengan orang lokal, dan maklum dengan preman lokal. Yah minimal, dia nggak masalah karena dia memecahkan masalah dengan caranya sendiri, yaitu Pistol-Pelempar Shuriken-Pencincang-Pisau yang selalu dia bawa kemana-mana. Dia juga memiliki tingkat simpati yang lumayan terhadap tokoh Iron Fists saat mereka bertemu dan mulai berteman. Sayangnya, di tengah-tengah film yang penuh dengan adu hantam ini, Jack tidak terlihat seperti layak tarung, tapi lebih layak dikarung. Ayolah, dia, err, gendut, dibandingin dengan manusia-manusia lain di film ini. Adegan tarung dia tidak terlalu menggambarkan kemampuannya bertarung, tapi lebih ke kemampuan Russell Crowe dalam berakting. Lebih banyak ngomongnya. 

Blacksmith sendiri tidak mendapatkan banyak peran berantem dalam cerita sampai ke adegan klimaks dalam film. Yang gue sayangin adalah Iron Fists yang dia punya tidak punya gaya. Okelah, dia punya sepasang tinju besi, tapi dari semua persenjataan ngayal di film ini, Iron Fist-nya Blacksmith terlihat yang palling standar. Selama adegan-adegan dia pake begituan, itu keliatannya kayak terbuat dari batu. Kasih kilap dikit, lah! Untungnya masih bisa buat bogem orang. Dan mengingat latar belakang RZA baru dua kali akting (yang gue tahu), adegan berantem Blacksmith tidak memiliki banyak koreografi. Yah, minimal kita bisa ngeliat dua tangannya jotos orang. 

American Way of China

Apa pandangan bule terhadap China secara mainstream?

Film ini mewakili pandangan-pandangan itu. Jelas yang paling terlihat dalam film adalah adegan adu tonjoknya. Satu hal: pertentangan secara terang-terangan terhadap hukum fisika. Orang digebuk mental kemana-mana, atau yang ngegebuk itu yang terbang kemana-mana. Mikir aja sih, sejak kapan orang bisa rebahan bertumpu sama jari kaki doang? Yang udah nonton kemungkinan besar nggak ngerti blas ngerti sama maksud gue. 

Hal kedua: persenjataan dari kurang lebih semua pihak yang terlibat dalam setiap adegan adu gebuk dalam film. Ngayal abis, meskipun keliatan familier. Misalnya klan antagonis, Lion Clan. Mereka punya tongkat yang ujungnya bentuknya kayak ceker harimau. Gue sempet ngira itu alat penggaruk punggung, tapi sayangnya itu adalah senjata. Cara bunuh orang pake begituan? Ya garuk aja 'pala orang pake itu, susah amat. Dan senjata petarung lainnya, seperti X-Blade. Pemain DOTA yang nonton film ini pasti tahu satu hal: X-Blade adalah pemakai Blade Mail. Untuk yang gak, belum, atau tidak minat main, X-Blade dilihat dari baju zirah yang dia pakai. Terbuat dari pisau. Bukan berisi banyak pisau (meskipun senjata X-Blade adalah pisau, dilempar atau ditebas), tapi, ya terbuat dari pisau itu. Anggeplah dia bisa bunuh orang hanya dengan nyenggol orang doang. 

Dan pihak-pihak lain, misalnya Madame Blossom (Lucy Liu). Dia punya kipas yang ujungnya dihiasi pisau. Brass Body (Dave Bautista), punya tubuh yang bisa berubah jadi kuningan. The Gemini Killers (Andrew Lin dan Grace Huang), punya pedang pendek yang berbentuk Yin dan Yang. Bisa disatuin. Kayak puzzle piece, gitu. Ah, susah kalo belum liat. Makanya liat! Maap, kebawa suasana. 

Dan dikarenakan RZA sebagai Afro yang sangat bonafid, maka banyak adegan vulgar dan eksplisit dalam film ini. Adegan yang yah.. ngana-ngono begitu. Kadang gue nonton, dan gue mikir.. untung gue gak nonton ini di bioskop. Sama ortu gue. Kewarasan gue bisa dipertanyakan entar. 

(+) - Adegan adu jotos yang memuaskan 

     - Eksperimen film martial arts ala China dengan soundtrack Rap tidak mengecewakan. 

     - Style yang gila-gilaan dan unik, meskipun tidak benar-benar baru. \

(-) - Adegan-adegan Iron Fists tidak memuaskan. 

    - Banyaknya adegan vulgar membuat gue mempertanyakan film apa ini sesungguhnya

    - Efek darah (ya ini gak penting) yang keliatan kayak fanta abis dikocok

Conclusion: RZA yang jelas gak punya pengalaman sebagai Pak Sut tidak membuat film yang jelek. Tapi, jika disejajarkan dengan film-film setaranya, masih banyak yang harus diperbaiki. Style yang bagus dijaga, cheesiness yang jelek dibuang. Saran gue tu. 

NILAI: 76/100

Until the next post, bungs! :D

                 

Chapter 1 of Roque Mendez, Debt Collector

Apartment 105 was silent and void of any life until a figure opened the door and stepped in. A man, with blond hair, a pair of aviator sunglasses, black leather jacket with rolled-up sleeves, a pair of black trousers, and a pair of brown boots. He entered the apartment, and went to the couch on the center of the apartment. He sat and reached for the remote controller of his television. Beside his couch is a small table, on the table was a  framed photo of him in a fully equipped and ready for combat army uniform. He didn't look so tired, or fatigued, or somewhat broken as he is now. He looked spirited, excited, and thrilled as a smile was plastered on his face. Next to the framed photograph was a dog tag, on the dog tag it read:

 Mendez

Roque

687-12-0932

AB

Catholic

Mendez got bored from watching television, and eventually took a nap right on the sofa. When he woke up, it was already dark, and he heard some strange voices in his apartment. Apparently, the night had fallen, and now, he is not alone in his own apartment. As those strange voices drew even closer, he fended off his will to get up from his comfy sofa, and pretended to be in deep slumber. Then, he heard a silent conversation. "Are you sure that we are walking to the right apartment?" asked a voice. Another different voice replied, "I'm really sure about this one, man. We've heard that this dude got some sick war medals made of gold and some shit like that." Then there's the third voice. "Yeah, I've been staking out this place for some weeks, and I've heard him having some nice amount of cash. From our little heist, I'd say we can get away with three hundred thousand dollars." Roque Mendez who had been listening to the whole conversation was struck. These small-time burglars must've been referring to his cash stash of his various business dealings. From the direction of the conversation, the thieves must have came from the window. All three of them, assuming they got a fourth strong-silent type that just does but not speaks. He then heard some quiet footsteps, just behind of his sleeping couch. Then he heard some silent rummaging and scrounging all over his apartment. He assumed they must've been trying to find his case of old-time war medals and his cash stash. So he crept slowly from his sleeping position to his lamp switch, located the wall next to the very window those thieves had just entered. Roque stood up, flipped the switch on, and said to those criminals, now obviously visible-- and shocked, "Buenas noches, adios. Though I must say, you guys are not very good at being some ladrones."

Three seconds later one of the robbers was downed on the floor while the other two, now brandishing weapons of their own, attacked Mendez. He had previously exploited the swing of one of the thieves' crowbar into knocking down his companion, who was lying on the floor as Mendez engaged the others. Another swing of crowbar attempt at Mendez was foiled as Mendez not only dodged the hit, but jabbed the thief in the jaw. Mendez then heard a cock of a handgun loading-- he immediately knew this was the third robber. So he gave the crowbar thief a hefty hook at his torso, before using him as a human shield facing the gun thief. He gave himself cover behind the poor human shield, then heard a gunfire. The next second, he heard a painful wail-- from the thief turned makeshift shield. The house defender briefly saw a glimpse of what looked like a stream of blood on the thief's left hand. That happened before Mendez swiftly picked up the thief's crowbar and flung it to the gunman. It landed on his forehead, and a loud thunk made sure he was down for the count. By now, the first thief to be knocked down had gotten up, and of course, enraged. He balled his fist, raised it and charged at Roque Mendez. Mendez ducked the thief's first jab, swayed from the second, blocked the fourth, and caught the thief's hand on the fifth. He spun the thief's hand to his back, dislocating it and sending forth a scream from the thief. Then he shoved the thief to a nearby table chest-first, while still locking the thief's hand. Mendez grabbed his head and sent it down to the table's edge. Realizing the thief wasn't out yet, he kicked the thief's calf, making him kneel, then gave the crown a powerful knee that it sent the thief's face against the the edge of the table. The thief was finally out cold, and  by the looks of it, he's maybe out for "Two weeks," stated Mendez. "By the next day you'll be eating with a paja attached to your hand."