THIS IS NOT A REVIEW: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Starring:  - Chris Evans (Snowpiercer, Fantastic Four, Captain America) as Captain America/Steve Rogers

searah jarum jam: Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch,

Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, 

Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, dan _____ (nonton wes..)

- Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes, Iron Man, The Judge) as Iron Man/Tony Stark

-          Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Snow White and the Huntsman, Rush) as Thor

-          Scarlett Johansson (Her, Under the Skin, Lucy) as Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff

-          Jeremy Renner (The Bourne Legacy, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) as Hawkeye/Clint Barton

-          Mark Ruffalo (Begin Again, Now You See Me) as Hulk/Dr. Bruce Banner

-          Aaron Taylor Johnson (Kick-Ass, Godzilla) as Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff

-          Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla) as Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff

-          James Spader as Ultraman Ultron

-          Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Django Unchained) as Nick Fury

Budget: $ 279,9 juta

Box Office (per 17 Mei 2015): $ 1 milyar

Lama: 2 jam 21 menit

Genre: Superhero action

Rotten Tomatoes: 74%

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREEVEEEER.. gue mereview film. Tenang para candu penggemar game, gue bakal ngereview game, mungkin setelah wara-wiri review yang satu ini. Setelah 3 tahun masa penantian akan film Avenger yang berikutnya, akhirnya Avengers yang selanjutnya keluar! Jelas, selama tiga tahun itu kita disuguhkan film-film tentang para Avenger pasca perang heboh yang terjadi di New York di Avengers yang pertama (Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier). Tapi ayolah, kita pasti ngidemin Captain America, Huluk Hulk, Setrikaan Iron Man, MoThor, dan kawan-kawan mejeng di layar lebar bareng-bareng lagi, kan! Belom lagi ada tokoh-tokoh tambahan lainnya yang bikin film-bikin-ngiler ini tambah bikin ngiler.

Bagaimanapun..

Film yang sukses menghasilkan sequel. Tapi apakah sequel selalu sukses? Bisa mengikuti kemantapan film yang mendahuluinya? Atau malah menjadi penurunan, karena para sineas hanya mengeksploitasi keinginan penonton akan sequel, sehingga modal muka gak modal badan?

Apakah Age of Ultron terjangkit penyakit berbahaya itu?

 Avengers Assemble!

Semua orang, oke bukan semua orang, tapi semua penggemar film superhero mengincar satu hal dalam film bejibun macam beginian. Chemistry. Maksudnya asik tidaknya interaksi antar superhero dalam film. Apakah enak, ringan, dan lucu untuk ditonton, atau canggung dan terkesan nggak niat  ketemu.

Dan film apalagi yang lebih cocok selain film dimana bisa ada Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, dan Hawkeye secara bersamaan?

Menurut gue sendiri sih, chemistry itu selalu ada. Tapi apakah chemistry itu jelas, atau buram sehingga penonton jadi lebih pingin liat dialog daripada action, atau transparan sehingga penonton lebih pingin action daripada dialog.\

Masalah di sini bukan terletak pada chemistry, karena, untungnya, para actor berhasil membawa interaksi yang asik dari Avengers ke Avengers: Age of Ultron. Setiap percakapan asik untuk didengar diantara action-action yang berterbangan dalam film ini. Para Avengers yang galau menghadapi si perangkat lunak jahat Ultron mengeluarkan isi hati mereka (ngelantur ya?) dengan ekspresif dalam film ini. Terutama pembawaan Mark Ruffalo terhadap si Hulk Bruce Banner. Berbeda dengan kesan ‘troubled’ yang dibawakan Eric Bana di Hulk, atau kesan ‘desperate’ yang dibawakan Edward Norton di The Incredible Hulk. Disini Bruce Banner digambarkan sebagai ilmuwan ultra cerdas, yang untungnya sesuai dengan komiknya, punya otak encer dan terlihat sebagai salah satu anggota Avengers yang tercerdas bersama Tony Stark.

Trus, apakah itu saja peran Bruce Banner dalam film kedua ini?

Anehnya, dia punya hubungan, selain hubungan netral-netral-baik dengan anggota Avengers lainnya dan macam-dua-anak-paralel-SMA dengan Tony Stark. Cuman berdua yang ngerti lagi ngomongin apa. But wait! Ada satu lagi, dan jujur, gue kaget waktu liat beginian.

Hulk dan Black Widow.

Yep. Bukan typo diatas saudara-saudara, Hulk memang (untungnya belum menyatakan cinta) memiliki hubungan yang lebih dekat dengan Black Widow daripada Avengers lainnya. Mungkin emang kentara sih, di Avengers pertama (ingat:  Black Widow merekrut Banner di India dan meloloskan diri dari amukan Hulk di Helicarrier). Bagaimanapun, tidak ada yang akan mengira akan dibawa lebih lanjut di Avengers yang selanjutnya! Termasuk gue.

Lucu ya, padahal sejak Winter Soldier, kita mengira Black Widow lebih kepada Captain America. Ato di Avengers yang pertama, lebih ke Hawkeye. Akhir-akhirnya, malah nyasar sama si Buto Ijio.

Ini fresh, harus gue akuin, tapi sayangnya, adalah chemistry yang paling canggung dalam film.

Where do I even begin?

Di Winter Soldier, kelihatannya Black Widow punya chemistry dengan Captain America (spoiler!). Belum lagi di The Avengers, Black Widow kentara banget punya hubungan yang special di masa lampau dengan Hawkeye. Tapi Huluk?

Mungkin tujuannya baik. Semacam menunjukkan bahwa Hulk sebagai lambang otot Avengers bertemu dengan Black Widow yang lambang lincah Avengers. Jelas dua-duanya gak ada miripnya sama sekali. Hulk yang andelannya adalah makin-dongkol-makin-keker dan anggota Avengers yang paling mengintimidasi secara fisik ketemu sama Black Widow yang paling kecil, superpower juga sebenernya gak punya, tapi dia sangat lincah. Versi simple kalo gk ngerti sama nyerocos di atas: Yin ketemu Yang. Malam bertemu Siang. Hitam bertemu Putih. 180 derajat bedanya.

Mungkin tujuannya buat mengagetkan penonton dan membuktikan bahwa Hulk sebenernya bisa punya hubungan dekat dengan seseorang (selain Betty Ross yang terlihat di Hulk dan The Incredible Hullk), yang mana tidak terganggu dengan alter ego raksasanya.

Gue gak bilang chemistry keduanya canggung secanggung-canggungnya semua chemistry Bella Swann dan Edward Cullen (maap fan Twilight, tapi saya yakin di novel mereka saling PDKT gak kayak gitu). Hanya saja, dibandingkan dengan chemisty antar Avenger lainnya yang fun(ny), smooth, dan natural, kelihatannya si Black Widow dan Hulk ini adalah screen combo yang tidak relevan. 

The Lion Rogue AI , The Witch, and the Wardrobe Fast Dude

There are no strings in me. -Ultron

Oke, jadi selain orang-orang yang terlalu familier dengan kita semua di The Avengers, ada tiga tokoh yang digembor-gemborkan oleh trailer-trailer Age of Ultron ini.

First adalah Ultron. Astaga, idiot satu ini aja namanya bisa ada di judul film. Jelas, dia punya peran yang terlalu kentara vitalnya dalam film: antagonis utama. Ultron, menurut film, sebenarnya adalah AI yang ditemukan dalam Infinity Stone yang terkubur dalam tongkat ajaib yang digunakan Loki di The Avengers. Ultron terjadi karena ngidenya Tony Stark, sebenernya. Stark merasa AI (sorry gue belum jelasin, yaitu Artificial Intelligence, semacam otak computer) dalam Infinity Stone dapat membantu Avengers dalam melaksanakan misi mereka menjaga keamanan dunia. 

AI ini kalo dimasukkin dalam Iron Legion (ya pasukkan robot punya Tony Stark)

But wait!

Ternyata ada yang lebih ngide lebih Tony Stark. Ya Ultron itu sendiri. Tony (dengan bantuan Bruce Banner) berhasil mengintregasikan (Bahasa terlalu tinggi disini, memasukkan aja lebih simple) Ultron ke dalam Iron Legion Tony Stark. Ternyata, Ultron sebenernya memang mau menjaga keamanan dunia. 

Dengan cara memusnahkan manusia dan menggantikan umat manusia dengan robot.

Dan Ulltron sebagai sebuah AI bisa bergerak dalam jaringan internet dunia, sehingga menghancurkan satu robot Ultron JELAS tidak akan mematikan Ultron, karena Ultron (patut diingat) bukanlah robot, tapi sebuah sistem. Semacam OS yang punya pikiran sendiri. Semacam sebuah jiwa digital. Sehingga Ultron selalu mampu mencari tubuh robotic baru untuk dimasuki dan dikuasai dengan cara merasuki sistemnya. Yang mana untungnya gak ada satupun Avengers yang berupa robot.

Dan lu kira, dengan kekerenan Ultron sebagai robot kandidat kuat dalam Who Wants to be the Millionaire Destroyer of the World, dia adalah robot dengan kepribadian dingin, bengis, dan kejam. Layaknya Darth Vader (ya ini bukan robot, tapi intinya sama lah), atau T-1000.

Ultron sebenernya adalah Tony Stark. Astaga, bukan berarti Tony Stark adalah penjahat yang selama ini mestinya Avengers bunuh, tapi Ultron adalah cermin gelap dari Tony Stark itu sendiri. Secara kebiasaan, Ultron sering melemparkan kata-kata mutiara yang penuh dengan sarkasme, tapi di sisi lain, mengintimidasi lawannya. Semacam merendahkan. Ultron tidak sepenuhnya kejam dalam artian yang cliché se-cliché-cliché-nya, karena dia kejahatan yang dia lakukan di layar lebar minimal tidak membuat dia sangat kaku. Lebih fleksibel, karena disertai dengan dialognya yang luwes. 

You seriously did not see that coming? -Quicksilver

Next is Pietro Maximoff, also known as Quicksilver. Versi simple dari si rambut putih ini: Flash versi Marvel, untuk menyaingi si Flash itu sendiri. Versi complicated dari si rese’ ini: kembaran dari Wanda Maximoff, si Scarlet Witch (kita kesono entar, sabar aja). Ya jelas dengan kecepatan macam begitua siapa yang gak nyangka kalo dia itu juga punya fast mouth, atau disebut dengan keresean-hingga-bikin-kita-pingin-bogem-muka-dia-tapi-gak-bisa-karena-kita-nyentuh-dia-aja-udah-setengah-mati. Pendapat gue, Quicksilver jarang menunjukkan kutub moralnya dalam film. Lebih sering berperan sebagai bodyguard Wanda, kembarannya.

Bagaimanapun, dibalik dialog Quicksilver yang tidak terhitung banyak dalam film, dia, seperti yang gue utarain di atas, rese’. Iya, dia dalam prinsip lebih banyak ngikutin si Wanda ini, tapi kalo udah di medan peperangan dalam layar lebar, Avengers mau nangkep dia udah kayak gue mau nangkep lalet. Astaga, kalo dilanjutin bisa gila sendiri. Terutama dengan quote yang mungkin secara tutur kata agak cliché tapi kalo dipikir-pikir lagi, ada unsur catchy-nya juga: “You seriously did not see that coming?” Ya gak lah *******, ****, lu kira gue Neo, yang peluru aja bisa dia liat?

He's fast, and she's weird. -Maria Hill

Dan bagaimana dengan si cewek yang jadi jubir merangkap Uya Kuya-nya si Kembar Maximoff, Wanda? 

Buat yang belum ngerti apa yang gue maksud dengan Uya Kuya, Scarlet Witch selain bisa menembakkan semacam-energi-berwarna-merah, dia bisa melakukan mengutak-atik pikiran lawannya. Gak mengendalikan secara langsung, tapi berguna juga, toh? Beda sih sama Uya Kuya, tapi sama-sama (?) mengandung unsur hypnosis.

Buat yang belum ngerti siapa Uya Kuya itu sebenernya, cek di SCTV. Kalo masih ada.

Yep, Scarlet Witch berperan sebagai sisi yang empuk dari kembar Maximoff, karena pertama, dia adalah kaum hawa, dan yang kedua, dia gak punya kekuatan fisik yang sesungguhnya. Ya ibaratnya nenek sihir kalo kita ilangin kekuatan sihirnya bisa apa?

Mungkin karena keempukannya ini, si Pietro itu sering melindungi dia dari berbagai ancaman. Gara-gara bond yang sangat kuat antara Pietro dan Wanda, keduanya kompak banget. Udah kayak tag team partner, atau pengendara sepeda tandem. Kalo perlu, buat tim superhero sendiri, terdiri atas dua orang. Scarlet Witch, menurut gue, lebih sering maju kalo udah melibatkan ngomong-ngomong, mewakili Pietro juga.

Lain dengan Quicksilver yang pede banget dengan hyperspeed yang dia milikin, Wanda, meskipun tidak ragu dengan kekuatannya, lebih tertutup. Kalo udah gak sama Quicksilver, dia kadang-kadang bisa terbebani, atau bahkan nervous, mungkin karena dia adalah target paling empuk dari kembar Maximoff. Kadang butuh jumpstart, seringnya dari Pietro sendiri.

Intinya, berdua ini udah saling melengkapi. Quicksilver lebih kearah fisik, sedangkan Wanda lebih kea rah strategi.

Bagaimanapun, kaget juga sama logat Eropa Timur yang mereka gunakan dalam film. Ayolah, Aaron Taylor Johnson dan Elizabeth Olsen jelas bukan orang Polandia, toh?

Things! Excitement! (as quoted from CinemaSins presents Captain America: The First Avenger)

Check out channel diatas! Sesuai dengan namanya, CinemaSins menganalisis sebuah film, adegan demi adegan, take demi take, dan menguraikan kesalahan dari sudut manapun,, baik logika maupun moral. Orang-orang ini sangat tajam, pedes, dan sadis dalam penilaian mereka sampean kritikan mereka bisa kedengeran lucu. Ayolah, film macam The Avengers dapet 100-an dosa dan film macam The Last Airbender (sebuah kekecewaan bagi penggemar A’ang) dapet 3 juta-an dosa.

Dann, ngapain gue endorse channel Youtube di sini?

Yah bagaimanapun, action jelas adalah salah satu unsur paling ngejreng di film superhero, terutama si Age of Ultron ini. Ya penonton gak bakal tau seberapa gege kekuatan superhero-nya kalo gak ditunjukin, kan? Dan ajang apa lagi buat nunjukin kekuatan superhero kalo bukan melalui adegan ACTION?

Kita bisa lihat dari trailer-trailer yang bertebaran di internet, adegan seru bakal membanjiri film ini. Quinjet Avenger berterbangan, Captain America lawan Ultron di atas truk pickup, para anggota Avengers gebuk-gebukan greget sama anak-anak robotnya Ultron, dan jelas yang paling kentara adalah Hulkbuster-nya Iron Man adu bogem sama Hulk. Lagian, Hulkbuster dibuat mahal-mahal kalo gak dipake mubazir, kan?

Faktanya, kita baru lima menit in-movie, itu udah adegan action. Para Avenger menyerbu kastil milik HYDRA di Sokovia, Eropa Timur, untuk melindas kekuatan HYDRA yang terpusat di sana dan mengambil Tongkat Loki yang ceritanya dicolong sama HYDRA sejak Captain America: Winter Soldier. Itu action, sebagai perwakilan dari banyaknya action rame-rame di film ini, menyatakan satu hal: nampaknya layar gak cukup buat nampung lagak-lagak para Avengers.

Percaya waktu gue bilang, gak semua anggota Avengers dapet waktu tampil yang cukup. Dikarenakan saking banyak dan saking ramenya mereka, mereka ngemis lama mejeng dalam film udah setara mereka ngemis sembako pas lagi krismon. Semacam berebutan gitu. Dan pada akhirnya kawanku, yang gak kebagian adegan adalah Avenger yang kurang terkenal macam Hawkeye dan Black Widow. Makanya peran mereka dalam film diperdalam. Black Widow dibikinin chemistry sama si Huluk, sedangkan Hawkeye rada didongkrak perannya dalam tim. Gak cuman jadi tukang lempar panah doang, tapi jadi anggota Avengers yang bisa diandalkan, dibalik ketiadaan kekuatan superhero yang dia miliki.

 Bagaimana dengan mereka-mereka yang selalu kebagian waktu mejeng dalam film? Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, dan Captain America? Lagi-lagi, Iron Man dipantengin lagi skill edannya, makin gege karena dalam Iron Man sendiri, Tony Stark menemukan lawan yang cocok dalam Ultron, sehingga edan menjadi UEDAN! Dia jadi macam fighter jet yang bisa ngomong dan bisa nonjok. Captain America ditunjukin lagi kekuatannya yang notabene diatas manusia rata-rata, tapi jelas dia bukan yang paling kuat dalam tim. Gara-gara begininan, adegan on-screennya lebih sering dipakai buat karismanya yang bisa memimpin Avengers dalam aksi di lapangan. Lain ceritanya dengan perisainya, jadi kita lebih sering liat atraksi pro Frisbee yang kita semua udah familier.

Hulk, si the madder the better, menurut saya, gak banyak perubahan drastis. Kita semua tahu kalo Hulk itu astaga kuatnya kalo kelewat dongkol. Berdasarkan pengetahuan dasar ini, film ini mengusahakan menaruh adegan Hulk marah di adegan action yang memiliki scope setting yang luas, seperti perkotaan, atau ya kastil HYDRA itu. Makin luas, makin mantep juga efek samping dari kekuatan Hulk ini. SFX nampaknya tidak mengecewakan, gue jadi melongo betapa what-the-hell-nya kehancuran yang disebabkan oleh Hulk. Thor tampaknya gak butuh banyak penjelasan. Gak banyak yang bisa dijelasin selain kekuatannya sebagai seorang dewa petir, palu DotA 2-nya, dan kekuatannya buat manggil listrik. Palu-nya lebih digarisbawahi di film ini, dan juga kekuatannya buat manggil petir. Guna banget, dua-duanya. Meskipun palu-nya lebih menarik untuk dilihat, karena digunakan bukan dalam adegan action doang.

[POTENTIAL SPOILER DETECTED! KEEP OFF IF U DON’T WANT ANY SPOILERS!]

Paling terakhir, sebelum masuk ke plus-minus, adalah finale dari film ini. Kita semua udah dibakar adrenalinnya selama film, dan ketika udah seepik-epiknya setting yang disuguhkan untuk finale dari film ini, apa yang kita dapat?

Semacam nge-chas batere hape yang bocor.

Yep, selama lajur film, kita udah disiapkan secara mental untuk epic finale yang dahsyat, yang bakal menunjukkan clash of the titans antara Avengers vs Ultron beserta robot-robotnya. Kayak nge-chas batere, yang waktu udah penuh, kita bakal abisin batere-nya sampe kita puas. Tapi bagaimana kalo udah sepenuh-penuhnya batere yang kita kucurkan ke hape, ternyata batere hape bocor?

Ya jelas cepet habisnya, sehingga kita gak puas, toh?

Begitulah finale dari Age of Ultron. Serasa cepet banget. Adegan yang kita udah tungguin, yaitu adegan epic fight antara Avengers dan robot-robot Ultron, malahan gak ada lima menit, mungkin. Abis itu robot-robot rasanya udah abis, para Avengers pencar buat ngamanin para penduduk kota tempat mereka tarung abis-abisan, trus ya udah, segitu tok.

Yang kita tunggu, adu kekuatan Avenger siapa aja kek (atau kalo perlu, semua Avenger sekalian) lawan Ultron, malahan lebih singkat lagi. Ya kalo kelamaan juga gak bagus, tapi apa salah (meskipun susah juga) dari memberikan final showdown yang singkat tapi padat? Ini rasanya Ultron setelah robot-robotnya dihancurkan, dia kayak udah gak niat tarung lagi. Ibarat kalo main Tekken, trus udah kalah satu round, ya itu stick dilempar dan lu langsung cabut dari tempat duduk pewe lu. Atau kalo main FIFA 15, trus udah 2-0 (lu yang 0), lu langsung gak niat main, malahan jadi 10-0 karena lu secara sengaja malahan gol bunuh diri sebanyak 8 kali. Soalnya, sekalian aja, toh?

Ahh, sayang sekali. Minimal menurut saya.     

[SPOILER ENDS HERE, SCROLL DOWN BELOW THIS TEXT IF AVOIDING SPOILERS]

NILAI: 85/100

(+)-Things! Excitement!

-            Good chemistry antar anggota Avengers kembali.

-            Adanya kompensasi buat anggota Avengers yang gak kebagian jatah adegan.

(-)-Black Widow and Hulk. Seriously?

    -  Epic finale is not epic. 

Conclusion: Yep, mungkin semacam kena penyakit sekuel-yang-tidak-memuaskan buat Age of Ultron, tapi gak separah sekuel-sekuel yang jelek seperti banyaknnya contoh lainnya. Banyak perkembangan dan kemajuan di sana-sini, tapi sedihnya, unsur-unsur yang penonton suka dari The Avengers malah, macam, *poof!* Hilang. Anyways, a great movie overall, but overshadowed by the first Avengers. 

P.S. Infinity War be nice please..

Until the next post, bungs!

Chapter 3 of Roque Mendez, Debt Collector

Roque Mendez exited out of the building after successfully taking a mound of Cliff Daniels' money from his supposed safe. It was filled with money after all, and he took just the right amount ( by estimation) to cover Daniels' debt. He took out his phone and then called Roberts' number. It didn't take too long before it was answered. "Who is this? How did you--" "It's me, your number one debt collector." "Didn't I told you to--" "Well in case you haven't noticed, we haven't got a place to do a transaction." "Of what?" "The goddamn money, man. I've got it. Cold, hard-earned cash. I could've just prevented myself from calling you, ran away with the eight hundred grand, and make myself a happy man. But hey, I've gotsa respect my business. Negócio é um negócio. So I'm asking you again: where shall we meet?" "I'll call you back." The other end of the phone was hung up. Roque sighed. 

Mendez hefted the duffel bag filled with the money and headed to the nearest coffee shop. The way Mendez recalled it, it's no further than two blocks. There, he sat and ordered a cup of coffee. While lounging and taking a couple of sips at a time, he noticed something. Many, if not everybody, at the coffee shop took more than a second look at him. He immediately figured they were actually eyeing his bag. Of course a duffel bag that big would've attracted anybody, mugger or not. He immediately finished off his coffee and took off. A couple of steps from the coffee shop, his phone rang. It was Roberts. "Meet me at Tuck Street. Look for the white muscle car. I'll be inside an alleyway." Mendez knew the place. It wasn't far. 

Minutes later he was on an alleyway, the kind shady drug deals took place or some bored middle-class workers stop for some seemingly good time he's gonna spend with an attractive girl from the side of the road. That kind of alleyway. Mendez saw the said white muscle car, and then he saw Roberts. He looked like a big shot-- an upper class businessman, at least by his looks, wearing a white set of suit, trousers, loafers, and even his fedora was white. The only thing that contrasted with white-ish colour were his pair of sunglasses and a black sweater underneath his blazer. "Well, Mr. Mendez? I assumed the job was well done." "Yeah, it's not like every road don't got their fair share of bumps, but yeah, it's well done enough." "I also assumed you got the money, yes?" Mendez zipped open the bag to expose a tempting sight of lots and lots of green papers inside his duffel bag, before handing it to Roberts. Mendez asked, "You do remember about my cut, right?" "Oh yes. About the cut--" Roberts took out a gun and aimed at Mendez. At a split-split-second, Mendez was startled, thinking how could this guy suddenly attempted to gun me down? Instead, at a split-second, Mendez dropped the bag and charged at Roberts.
Roberts  was stunned by the lightning movement Mendez presented, and discharged a shot. The shot instead hit nothing, as Mendez had swiped the gun away from himself with his right hand and jabbed Roberts' face with his left. Roberts flinched but not out cold. Roberts did a backhand, trying to bash Mendez with his gun, yet missing again. This was due to Mendez ducking under his backhand. Mendez stood straight and in a quick motion booted Roberts on the chest.
Roberts was knocked back, but his gun was still on his grasp, something Mendez was disdained about. Roberts raised his hand, training his gun at Mendez again, finger on the trigger. Mendez did not wait long to disarm Roberts; he kicked upward, hitting the aiming hand, flinging the gun high above their heads. Roberts was shocked, yet again. In between his startled look, Mendez did a roundhouse kick with his right foot, knocking him flat to the ground. Finally, Mendez thought.
About the gun, Mendez caught it firmly on his palm the second it approached the ground.
Mendez caught sight of Roberts' muscles trembling, flinching, looking submitted. He could have just shown the ultimate irony of getting-shot-by-your-own-gun to Roberts. He could have just taught this crook a lesson of a lifetime, something he would've maybe acquired had he survived the gunshot. Had he not, maybe at afterlife he'll think how experience is your best teacher.
But no.
Mendez disassembled the gun. Discarding the gun magazine, jerking away the slide, and throwing the gun away. Then he crackled his knuckles. "Sorry about the gun, I'll make it up for you. For now, why don't you show me what you got?"
Roberts got on his feet, swiping away the blood splattered around his mouth. He was taking a fighting stance when Mendez interrupted, "Oh, and why don't you take that nice suit off? I'd hate to mess your fine tailoring." That taunt just made Mendez' victorious grin a lot wider.
Surprisingly Roberts  did as Mendez said, albeit with an obviously disgusted look. He threw it on the ground, tainting it with dirt. But Mendez won't give a mind to that.
And with a battle cry, Roberts, in his fedora and his rolled-up sleeve shirt, charged at Mendez.
Surprisingly, Roberts' punches and jabs were quick, at least compared to countless low-rent thugs Mendez had put down. But Mendez was ultimately faster. For the majority, Mendez rarely countered, he instead just blocked, parried, ducked, and sidestepped from Roberts' supposed hits. Mendez quite enjoyed the dissatisfaction of his opponent as he failed to hurt Mendez. But Mendez himself was getting bored, as this particular opponent was, so to say, quite relentless. Roberts hadn't shown a pint of fatigue. Mendez almost thought about countering and ending this tiresome battle once and for all, but then he saw it.
Roberts, after a missed swing, took a step back, and inhaled a deep breath. It was brief, but it was the brief moment Mendez needed: his opponent losing strength. After that deep breath, Roberts charged at Mendez, this time he attempted to boulder Mendez a wide hefty jab to the crown. It was heavy and overcharged, lest its slow motion.
Mendez exploited it.
He caught Roberts' hand, and knee'd him on the rib. It was all before he shoved Roberts' to the side doors of his white muscle car. Roberts' made contact with the car body in an ensuring, at least to Mendez, thud. Mendez took two wide swings across Roberts' face, both unblocked. The second one knocked his white fedora off. When he was taking the third, Mendez' rhythm of beatdown was halted.
Roberts blocked his hit.
Mendez didn't have time to react, as Roberts punched his abdomen. He took the pain and cleared his reflexes. It didn't hurt that much, but it sent a jolt he hadn't felt in quite a time: the pain of getting punched. His reflexes were back on when Roberts swung his fist again. He saw this coming, and ducked. He felt a boulder of knuckles passing over him harmlessly. He gave Roberts another jab on the cheek. Roberts retaliated, this time Mendez perfectly anticipated.
Roberts attempted to kick Mendez' hip. But instead, he caught the thigh, and used the momentum of the kick to swing Roberts clockwise, away from the car and to the ground. Roberts landed on his back. Mendez briefly saw Roberts poking his head from his lying position, in the middle of Mendez doing something.
Shooting his foot to Roberts' face.
Blood splattered to the wall behind Roberts. He, sadly, was not out yet, but he obviously just experienced pain. He held his bloodied face, covering it with both his palms, in either shame or, just plain pain.
On the other side, Mendez just pulled out his engraved revolver, and casually aimed it at Roberts. "Who are you working for?" As cliche as it sounded even in Mendez' head, he just couldn't find a more badass quip. Roberts, still dazed, spat out blood. He then faced his would-be murderer. "F--"
Mendez pulled the trigger. "At-ta-ta, senhor Roberts. Língua. Watch that mouth of yours."
Nicely enough, Roberts didn't respond.
Mendez stepped away from his assailant and walked to the fedora Roberts dropped earlier. He wiped the dust off it, and fitted it on his head. Not my style, he thought. Instead of hauling it away as a loot, Mendez gently put said hat on Roberts' chest, as a sign of honor. Given Mendez' attitude, it was just one last taunt from Mendez to his adversary.
Not to forget, the loot. That is, the debt ripped from Daniels' pitiful hands, and Roberts' deceitful arms.

Roque arrived at his apartment, after depositing a three quarters of his take to the bank. He'd put the rest into the stash in his apartment, the one those unlucky muggers tried to pry open. Unfortunately they didn't even came close to even getting a bead on it. Then he went to his kitchen to get himself some snack, only to find his fridge morbidly empty. He realized he'd ran out of grub stock since three days ago, the time he went to collect a debt from a kitchen-knife wielding Japanese deadbeat. So, he went down to the streets and went to the nearest mini-market from his apartment, just across the street.

Roque was now at the cool drinks fridge at the side edge of the mini-mart. He'd greeted the Indian shopkeeper before as he does everyday. Both had went along well, with the hospitality of the shopkeeper kept Mendez' prejudices of Indian people at bay. "So, have you stocked the tequilas?" "Ooh, I apologize Mr. Mendez, I'm really sorry but we haven't stocked at tequilas for the day? Shall I--" "No, it's fine. Don't bother yourself, man. I've had a really bad hangover from drinking 4 shots of tequilas straight, so I don't mind having a break from tequilas." "Ah, Mr. Mendez. I don't feel so good for not being able to oblige to a customer's request. Are you sure you're okay with this?" "Man, Eu não me importo." "Excuse me, what  was that?" "Eh, I just said 'I don't mind it'." When Roque just clamped his hand on a pack of beers, suddenly a shotgun fire was heard. "THIS IS A ROBBERY! EVERYBODY GET DOWN AND DON'T EVER GET ANY IDEAS!" Roque said silently to himself, "Ach, seriously, twice in two days?" Roque heard the shocked shopkeeper, his words shaking. "Wh-wh-what are you doing?" There were two robbers, as there was a second voice, different as the one shouting to everybody to get down. "What do you think are we doing now? Health inspecting? Now you get all the cash out of that register machine, or I'll get all of your brains out from your head. With this thing." Roque saw the guy with the second voice pulling out a gun. Not a bigger threat than HIS gun, actually. He also noticed the other guy got a shotgun, sawed-off one, then it looked like this one was heading his way. He playacted and pretended to browse items from the freezer. "Hey you! Blondie! Didn't I tell you to get down!?" Roque slyly replied, his back was on the man. "Oh, what was that? Thought I heard two sanduíches bisteca de porco walking into this fine business." "What did you say?" Now he sensed the shotgun pressed on his crown. "Ah. Nothing." Then he abruptly spun his arm around and deflected the shotgun's aim from his head. The robber was caught off-guard. Roque gripped the shotgun and gave the robber a solid, hard headbutt. Now the robber was dazed. While the robber stumbled, Roque seized the opportunity to lay down some serious beatdown, such as grabbing the robber by the hoodie and shoving him into the freezer he opened. After that, he swung the door closed, hitting the robber the robber with a very thud. Roque was somewhat dissatisfied with the fact that the robber's body prevented the door from being successfully closed. But, the slam from the door had stunned the robber and knocked him flat.
Roque picked up the shotgun and then aimed at the other robber, who was standing near the counter. The latter noticed something went wrong with the crowd control and started to ready his gun at Mendez. Mendez pumped the shotgun, shouting, "Yo, senhor shopkeeper! Get down!" and started firing at the robber. The distraught shopkeeper was startled, but immediately did as he was told. Roque fired a shot, of which a little amount of the pellets grazed the robber. He screamed in pain, but he still stood tall. Instead of firing back, he immediately got into cover at the end of one of the aisles. Roque fired again to suppress the robber and preventing him to return fire. When he pulled the trigger for the third time, the gun only clicked. It was jammed. The robber taking cover heard the click, and stepped out of cover, aiming high at Mendez. "What my man told you about getting any ideas? You got some balls and a serious deathwish man.. amateur." "Man, you are the amateur. Well, at least your friend is. You don't go on a simple stick-up job with a goddamned jammed shotgun! And no, I don't got a serious deathwish. I've had at least ten deathwishes since I signed up for my job." "What job, blondie?" The reply was the shotgun hurled towards the robber. The robber, as Mendez didn't expected, was fast enough to dodge the flying shotgun. Mendez instead charged to the robber and pulled the gun-holding-arm, snatched the pistol, and whipped it to the robber's face. He also didn't forget to knee the robber on the chest and punched him across the face. The robber staggered sideways. Roque then kicked the robber on the chest with his heels, sending him flying backwards, to the aisle behind him. The aisle took a sudden shock, and the aisle went down due to the robber's weight, much of the structure broken, with the robber on top of it. The robber was still trying to get his eyes straight when Roque grabbed him by the shirt and threw him to another aisle headfirst. He bashed the robber's head against the aisle once then released the shirt, only to gave the robber an uppercut with a canned food from the aisle.
The robber, surprisingly still up, crawled on the floor, trying to create some distance between him and a scrawny leather jacket clad man giving the two the opportunity to experience eating from a straw. But, it's not like Mendez was satisfied with his work. He grabbed the robber by the shirt, got him standing, lifted the robber using his momentum and shoulder, and put him not-so-gently on the cashier. After he landed, the last thing the robber saw was Roque's fist launched against his face. Finally, to wrap the daily-grocery-shopping gone wrong, Roque slid the robber from the counter to the floor.
And after all the cahoots, Roque'd just recalled he hasn't even grabbed the pack of beer he was actually trying to purchase. So he fetched the pack and then put them to the counter. The shopkeeper, his face was a combination of relief and astonishment, said, "No need to pay, Mr. Mendez! It's free! This is the only way I can thank you!" Mendez was flattered. "Não. I've seen here that you've had a very bad day at work, and paying for these are the least I can do to make it a little better. Besides, I've gotta pay you for a good service through and through. And uh, I'll pay for the damage. How much?" "Ah! Er.. oh.." the shopkeeper did a transaction and checked out the items Roque bought. "That would be ten dollars, sir." "And the damage?" "You don't need to pay for that, Mr. Mendez! You paying for the beers are far more than enough!" "Ah, eu sou tocado. But like I said, you'll need a pick-me-up after a bad day at work and a payment for your good service." And with that saying, Roque put one hundred fifteen dollars on the counter and left the mini-mart.  The skies outside was getting dark, as it was approaching evening, but Roque didn't actually mind, as he got what he came for. He practically left the mini-mart in shambles.     

Chapter 4 of Roque Mendez, Debt Collector

Mendez had had a good time snoozing with a good supply of beers. Not to mention going back to the mini-mart, still in shambles, and grabbing some tortilla chips and a pack of canned sodas. He then laid on the very same couch he slept on before the Cliff Daniels job. He thought about the stunts he'd pulled off in the last two days and three nights, how lucky he was to still be breathing, much less laying on his apartment, in this line of job. But he thought that, he didn't actually fit in the society after his duty in the Gulf Wars. He once tried to be a janitor in a taco place, but he was fired when he viciously beat a fellow co-worker who was being a racist to Hispanic people, like him. And then countless other occupations, such as a taxi driver, a mechanic assistant, an underground fighter, and a civil worker. He got sacked from all, save for the underground fighter thing, he retired after discovering his price money was rigged by the manager because he'd just defeated his favorite, ten-fights-not-beaten-yet fighter (whom Mendez thought was a little less in a disarray than those mini-mart stick-up artists). 

Then he recollected the last two days, and then was fast asleep. 

Sunshine broke through the windows, and the sounds of the cars roaring, honking, and skidding on the streets was heard well enough from Roque's apartment. Mendez woke up, stretched, and then stepped from his impromptu bed. He realized he hadn't changed for the last three days; so he dug his wardrobe and changed his white t-shirt to a olive green t-shirt, and his black trousers was changed to a pair of woodland camouflaged cargo pants. But he kept the black rolled leather jacket and his brown boots. He still hadn't removed his double gun holster, he thought, it would look good on his appearance. At least intimidating, with that .44 Taurus Raging Bull. But he thought a touch of truculence would fit. He removed the mattress off his couch, to reveal a chest just as long as the couch beneath. It was locked with a combination of four numbers: 8736. He opened it, and then unveiled a weapon of choice: a machete with a wooden handle, long and thick  silver blade, with intricate engravings on each side of the blade. The size of it was enough to make a meat cleaver look like a fork. Of course, with a sheath, of which would be carried on his back. In a flash, it would've looked like a quiver, but it's actually a machete sheath. 

All things considered, that would've made street muggers think way more than twice to rob him. He was thinking about his when a call went into his phone. Big T, a city contact who hooked him up with jobs. And mostly, the closest to a friend he had since he moved into the city. "Yo yo yo Rocky, it's T man. What is up?" "Oi, Big T my man, you doin' good?" "Hell  yeah my boy! Doing good as everyday. So, that mysterious dude, you met him?" "You mean Roberts?" "Oh yeah! Wait, the dude's name is Roberts?" "You told him about me, right?" "Uh-huh. He do any good to you?" "As a matter of fact, he immediately gave me a good ol' job. Same shit, different day. Then get this thing man, he tried to rip me off." "Aw shit man! For real?" "Yeah, sério. Tried to kill me, even." "Holy shitcow man! Literally, man?" "Sadly, yes. But it's  not like he succeeded, anyway." "Haha, who am I kidding here? The best one in the business! Look man, I'm really sorry this happened to you. Honestly man, I don't know this would've happened, man. Carter just told me--" "Back it up a sec. Who's Carter?" "Oh right, forgot to tell you. Carter is my new employer. Ran some mob of hoodlums, protection, stick-up jobs, that kind of shit. New name on the streets. Pays nice." "Yeah, well some low-rent hood who pays nice ain't the thing I had in my mind for your future.." "Bro, at least I got someone who pays me now! Rather than looking up names that need light whacking for some light cash. Not that I said the game we've been playing didn't pay nice, but.. I need to step up the ladder, bro. Make some real and steady flow of cash. " "Not gonna argue with you. This game I'm playing is fine by me." "Whenever you wanna step up the food chain, you can always let me know! Anyways, I got a job for you. Di-rectly from Carter boss himself." "What's the deal with Carter anyways? What you just said about him?" "Dude, real sorry for the botched deal. But Carter told me someone wanted some debt collection job. He told this.. who this guy called?" "Roberts. As in, Robert De Niro, with an s." "Right. Roberts. He told Roberts, the someone, to ask me and see if I can hook him up to you and get the business done." "Well you better tell this Carter boy his Roberts pal kicked the bucket. Otherwise, he would've thought it's either me, or you, or both of us." "Yeah, I'll see to that. Should I mention who kicked his bucket?" "That's a good question.. can't you make something up? 'Some two-bit rent-a-hood shot him in an alley.' Or some shit like that. Você me pegari?" "What?" "You get me?" "Oh. Right. I'll come up with something, man. Don't you worry about nothin'. In the meantime, I'll text you Carter's number, and contact him when you're ready for a job." 

After taking out the trash, the laundry, and the impressions of him being a scrawny, frail-looking blond Hispanic, Mendez went out for some fresh air. Then he arrived at the mini-mart. Looks like police line were everywhere, in spite of the fact that no actual murder was committed. There he saw the shopkeeper, standing in front of who seemed to be a detective of some sorts. He wore nothing resembling those police officers on duty doing crime scene investigation inside. Those inside wore dark blue investigator jackets with 'CSU' in capital letters with smaller 'Crime Scene Unit' written below, and matching dark blue caps. Those outside wore standard beat cop uniforms complete with batons, police dispatch on shoulder, and hosltered guns. While this guy wore striped polo shirt, blue casual slacks, brown loafers, and a digital watch. Roque identified him as a detective due to his police badge strapped on his hips. He was being interviewed by the officer, as it seemed. He mustered the guts to greet the shopkeeper, with the risk of him getting interviewed as well, and then getting booked for gravely injuring those poor thieving souls. Honestly, he thought, the freezer-door-bashed guy wasn't going to recover anytime sooner than two weeks. 

But he did, anyway. 

"Bom dia, my shop man. How is it going?"

The Indian turned around to see the vigilante who just either saved his life or probably dissolved two others. 

 "Hey, Mr. Mendez. It's been somewhat fine since last night's incident. The police are here to run an investigation on the robbers whose fine stick-up job you just terribly botched. Oh, by the way, have you met Mr. Detective yet?" "Actually no, not yet." Mendez and the detective, or at least the officer in charge, shook hands for an introduction. "Detective Callum McConley." "Roque Mendez, prazer em conhece-lo." "I'm sorry, what was that again?" "Nice to meet you. That's how they say it where I came from." "Oh. What's with the machete, anyway?" "Ah, just a reminder." "Of?" "It's more of a 'to', actually. A reminder to people who got a glint of idea to try to rip me off." "Well, Mr. Mendez, that was less to a reminder than to an impression. That you're not to be messed with. Remind me that, will you?" "You don't need any reminder. You seem nice enough. Anyways, senhor shopkeeper here told you who acted in self-defense and took down the muggers?" 

"Yeah. You."

"Oh, so he's already told you alright. Why did nobody gave me a call for an interview last night? It's not like I'm gonna be like 'go eat donuts and to hell with your mini-mart robbery case' if you guys actually called." By saying that, he knew the risk of this man actually attempting to background check him back at the precinct after the interview. But then again, he recalled haven't been booked for the last nine months for any crime. Any known crime, anyway, considering he just killed one and heavily injuring eight in just two days. "Well that would be because the call for robbery in the mini-mart just came in this dawn. But anyways, I would appreciate any insight you can lay down for us in this case. After all, you and this shop guy are the only witnesses we got." "Very well then. When shall we start?" They started right there and then, and Mendez told him exactly what he did in the last chapter. 

A call came in after Mendez waved goodbye to McConley and good old shopkeeper. "Mendez, isn't it?" "Yeah, and who might you be?" "Carter." "Ah, you're Big T's boy." "I say you control the words comin' outta your mouth, pretty boy, coz' first, Big T is MY boy, and second, I'm in charge here. You answer to me, and you talk nice to me when I'm talking to you. Got it, pretty boy?" Mendez' blood went lukewarm, but his voice stayed calm. "Look, you want a job done or a lump of cash gone? Just get on with it and you'll get your money soon enough." "Watch it, pretty boy." Roque tried to pretend his words are made of anything less than a sound. "How much does this human being owe you?" "Seven hundred seventy five thousand." "And who was it?" "Trey Becks." 

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW: Crows Zero

Starring: - Shun Oguri as Takiya Genji
             - Takayuki Hamada as Tamao Serizawa
             - Sousuke Takaoka as Izaki Shun
             - Kenta Kiritani as Tatsukawa Tokio
             - Kyōsuke Yabe as Katagiri Ken

             - Motoki Fukami as Rindaman

             - Watanabe Dai as Bandō Hideto

Rilis: 27 Juli 2007

Box office: $ 22 juta
Genre: Action 
Lama: 2 jam 9 menit 

Kali ini gue menyajikan sesuatu yang sedikit berbeda. Biasanya gue me-review (trus THIS IS NOT A REVIEW apalah artinya?!) film terkenal yang jelas udah pernah nongol di bioskop. Yah, anggeplah macam The Raid 2, atau Big Hero 6, atau Breaking Daun The Maze Runner. Tapi, seperti yang udah gue bilang tadi, gue akan menyajikan sesuatu yang berbeda. Gue gak tau apa ini film pernah nongol di bioskop Dua-Satu ato enggak, tapi satu hal: film ini greget banget. Nope, judulnya tidak menyiratkan film horror asal Jepang (percaya sama gue, Jepang dan Thailand adalah pakar film horror). Greget dalam arti: tema yang dibawakan. Kita sebagai orang Indonesia mestinya udah familiar banget sama tema ini, tapi yang gue suka adalah film ini bisa merubah perspektif kita terhadap tema itu. 
Apaan sih? Kasitau woy!! 
Tawuran. 
Yah tahu aja kan, golongan pelajar Indonesia terbagi atas dua hal: alim dan bengal. Bengal sendiri terbagi atas dua kategori lagi: nakal dan anarkis. Di sini akan gue bahas anarkis, yaitu semacam nge-geng dan kurang lebih jadi mafia sekolah. Anarkis sendiri bisa (bila mau) dibagi menjadi dua hal: intra/antarsekolah. Golongan anarkis jelas udah menjadi sumber berbagai keresahan di masyarakat, apalagi kalo masalah mereka dibawa ke luar komplek sekolah mereka. Jalanan tempat banyak mobil motor gerobak lewat jadi ring tarung mereka. Bisa aja toh, gara-gara sepatu setengah juta mereka kecirit tokai langsung tawuran? 
Kurang lebih tahun lalu, atas rekomendasi temen gue, gue berhasil menemukan film greget ini. Tapi, ada satu hal yang jelas berbeda. Kita semua tahu betapa peserta tawuran reguler di masyarakat udah kayak granat. Kita gak pernah tahu kapan mereka bisa meledak, dan masalah macam apa yang bisa bikin mereka meledak. Seperti yang gue bilang tadi, kecirit tokai bisa jadi salah satu alasannya. Intinya, mereka bisa hajar-hajaran kapan, dimana, dan dengan siapa aja. 
Apa bedanya dengan disini??

Welcome to Suzuran 
Setting utama di film ini adalah SMA Pria Suzuran, yang jelas gak ada di Indonesia (tapi diam-diam diimpikan ada). Menurut film ini, Suzuran ini udah semacam kandangnya remaja tawuran. Bahkan selama satu film, gak ada adegan murid-muridnya belajar. Yang ada, nongkrong sana sini, corat-coret piloks sana-sini, ngerokok pula. Guru? Satu-satunya alasan guru tidak jadi korban tawuran anak-anak adalah karena predikat mereka sebagai guru. Dari tahun ke tahun, selalu ada perebutan kekuasaan mutlak atas seluruh anak murid di Suzuran. Bahkan, ada aja remaja yang cukup ngide buat daftar ke Suzuran buat ngebuktiin kemampuannya gebuk orang lain. Yah intinya, kalo mau jadi manusia yang bermartabat dan berguna bagi masyarakat dibandingkan jadi tukang bogem, ya jangan ke sini.
Sampai pada film ini, penguasa (atau yang paling deket ke pangkat 'penguasa') Suzuran adalah Tamao Serizawa, antagonis utama film ini. Serizawa sudah menguasai sebagian besar dari Suzuran, dan juga punya paling banyak pengikut. Versi simpelnya, dia adalah yang paling mendekati sebagai raja anak-anak greget Suzuran. Padahal, postur dia gak segede anak-anak lainnya. Rada pendek gimana, gitu.
Semuanya berubah saat ada murid pindahan yang seangkatan sama Serizawa. Takiya Genji, anak Yakuza (wajar aja sih kalo Yakuza ngirim anaknya ke sekolah yang mendidik muridnya menjadi Yakuza). Genji pindah dengan mandat dari bokapnya (Yakuza, jelas) untuk menguasai Suzuran, suatu pencapaian yang tidak berhasil dicapai si bokap itu. Tapi TERNYATA *jengjengjeng* sebuah rintangan besar berdiri di hadapannya! Siapakah dia? 

Saksikan setelah pesan-pesan berikut ini.

Tamao Serizawa, tolol. 

Dan dimulailah petualangan Genji, dibantu oleh Ken Katagiri, untuk menjatuhkan Serizawa dan menguasai Suzuran. Gimana, sih, Genji ini, dia sampe berani buat ngadu dirinya, anak baru (tapi gak ingusan) melawan Serizawa yang sudah punya kekuatan bonafid di Suzuran?

ki-ka: Rindaman, Tokio, Serizawa, Bando, Izaki, Ken, Genji

The Immorals

Genji adalah anak pemimpin Yakuza.

Itu kurang?

Genji sebagai protagonis tergambarkan sangat ambisius dan dalam beberapa adegan, arogan. Jelas, lu ngirim anak Yakuza ke sekolah isinya anak tawuran semua, gimana gak cocok? Meskipun dia berperan sebagai protagonis, peran yang dia jalani di film ini setara sama anti-hero. Ayolah, semua protagonis di semua film di semua jagat pasti baik-baik, atau minimal punya nilai moral, kan?

Genji ini pengecualian. 

Ya, dia berusaha menggulingkan Serizawa. Ya, dia berusaha melawan tirani yang mengepalai semua golongan Suzuran. Tapi tujuan sebenarnya Genji bukan mengalahkan Serizawa. Melainkan jadi penguasa Suzuran. Dia sebenarnya gak peduli, sejauh mana dia bakal bertindak untuk menguasai Suzuran. Intinya, sebagai anak Yakuza, dia punya tingkat ego yang sangat tinggi. Bertindak berdasarkan insting, dan berani menghajar siapa saja yang dia anggap menghalanginya, bahkan teman sendiri. 

Trus, Genji ini ada baik-baiknya gak, sih? 

Genji, dibaliknya kesombongan tulennya, punya sisi agak baik. Misalnya egonya yang sangat tinggi membuat dia sangat setia kawan dengan teman-temannya. Dia (menurut gue) menganggap teman-temannya sama dengan dirinya. Kalo ada yang dihajar, dia menganggap dirinya yang dihajar, dan dia bisa nuntut dendam. Yah, interpretasi lain adalah dia gak pingin geng-nya kekurangan tenaga kerja. Kalo ada yang dihajar secara licik, berarti kekuatan geng-nya melemah, dan dia menganggap itu adalah kecurangan. Intinya (lagi), Genji adalah orang yang peduli dengan orang-orang yang dekat dengannya. 

Bagaimana dengan Serizawa, antagonis yang semestinya jahat?

Serizawa punya anak dari segala karakter seorang antagonis: sombong. Ya mikir aja sih, sebelum Genji dateng, Serizawa udah di atas angin. Suzuran entar lagi udah punya dia. Trus ada si anak ingusan (pernyataan yang salah, buuung) ini dateng. Bisa apa dia? Mikir gitu kali, si Serizawa ini. 

Tapi beda dengan Genji yang sangat ber-ego dan sangat temperamen, Serizawa sangat kalem. Serizawa kalem dalam arti ketika Genji udah mulai menarik perhatian dan menggalang kekuatan, dia gak panik. Dia pede dan yakin bahwa Genji ini, mau sebanyak berapapun orang yang berdiri di belakang dia, bakal kalah. Dia, menurut gue, adalah seorang good sport, tidak merendahkan Genji ketika si anak Yakuza ini berusaha melawan Serizawa.

Makin mirip dengan Genji adalah sifat Serizawa yang tidak segan. Dia gak segan menghajar orang yang dia anggap tidak sejalan dengan pikirannya, meskipun itu adalah temannya sendiri. Dia tidak segan menghajar orang yang menantangnya. Dia tidak segan membela temannya yang lebih lemah. Dia tidak segan membogem orang yang sembrono dan curang, meskipun-- ah sudahlah, intinya dia tidak segan. 

Pada akhirnya, dua manusia utama tidak bermoral di film ini adalah dua sisi dalam satu koin. Makin deket lu ngeliat mereka berdua, mereka sebenarnya sangat mirip. Paling pertama adalah mirip dalam hal kemampuan mereka menjotos orang lain. 

UUUUUURRRRREEEEEEAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!

Sayang sekali, gue gak sedang ngebahas pupuk urea disini. 

Yang gue bahas adalah murid Suzuran teladan pasti tereak-tereak sebelum tarung. Ya kan biar semangat. Lagian, kalo senjata tarung lu adalah jotosan lu sendiri, masa lu letoy? Ntar lu tarung letoy juga. Ntar lu baru lima menit muka lu udah kekubur ke tanah. 

Oh ya, tadi gue sebut pake jotosan?

Yep, beda dengan generasi ngawur yang kita sering liat di TV, di Crows Zero iki, mereka tawuran tanpa pake senjata dalam bentuk apapun. Yah, kecuali satu adegan tawuran, tapi itu gak termasuk tawuran, karena lawannya adalah geng motor. Ya namanya adu jotos antargeng. Tapi seriusan! Mereka disini bertarung hanya gebukan, jotosan, bogem-an, tendangan, dan tentu saja, teriakan yang bisa bikin lawan terkencing-kencing. Ya di sisi baik dari jenis tawuran yang anak-anak di TV praktikkan, mereka pinter, bisa berimprovisasi, barang sehari-hari (macam kaki kursi dan gear sepeda) bisa dijadiin senjata. 

Jadi, terpenting di film ini adalah sebagaimana kuat jotosan lu terhadap muka lawan lu. 

Dan apakah jotosan itu bisa sekuat sampai kerasa di luar layar? Jelas karena banyaknya adegan adu bogem di film ini, maka semua bogem-an yang melayang harus terasa, toh? Otherwise kita kira ini anak-anak Jepang lagi main tampar-tamparan. Ahh, kaya banci aja.

Bagusnya, film ini berhasil membuat tinju-tinju yang melayang kerasa. 

Kayak, kalo ada kepalan tangan mendarat di muka, kita sampe ngerasa betapa sakitnya pukulan itu. Setiap kali kena, kayak, JDUAAAKK!! Mukul pake perasaan, gitu lho. Apalagi kalo udah adu jotos berjamaah. Gak tau kenapa, gue waktu nonton jadi semangat sampe rasanya mau ikut tawuran juga. Dan gak lupa, sambil teriak-teriak. 

Di sisi koreografi, gak mungkin tertata ala The Raid 2. Ayolah, mau sekolah kurikulum tawuran juga muridnya kan bukan anak Karate semua! Yang ada adalah para murid tonjok sana tonjok sini, sampe orang yang ditonjokkin jatoh, tepar. Terutama para tokoh utama. Pokoknya tokoh figuran yang digebuk tokoh utama pasti kalah. Pasti. Kalo gak kalah, berarti figuran itu bukan figuran. 

Again and again, menurut gue, meskipun terkesan berantakan dalam hal koreografi, it's a beautiful mess. 

(+) - Tema yang dibawakan (pertarungan antarpelajar) dibawakan dengan ultra-greget.  

     - Musik yang membawakan suasana dengan baik. 

     - Karakter para tokoh terlihat diantara aura action yang tebal.

(-) - Protagonis yang terlalu antagonis.

    - Adegan dramatis yang tidak mengharukan (saking machonya film ini).

    - Kalo tidak hati-hati, film ini membawa pengaruh buruk ke generasi muda (nonton dulu, lahh).  

NILAI: 87/100

Conclusion: Faktanya, Crows Zero berdasar manga Crows yang dibuat oleh Hiroshi Takahashi. Crows Zero adalah prekuel dari manga greget ini, dan menurut gue, membuat gue menjadi semi-tertarik terhadap cerita Crows sesungguhnya. Action yang ngebakar semangat penonton, cerita yang fresh, dan tokoh yang unik adalah alasan film ini bersinar. Dua kekurangan diatas? Sebenernya tidak memengaruhi mulusnya jalan film ini. 

Until the next post, bungs! :D

 
 

Rebooted! Renamed! Remade!

Setelah sekian lamanya gue ini ber-hiatus ria dari blogging gue, akhirnya gue memutuskan untuk mengubah alter ego gue di internet. Mungkin karena gue merasa gue udah menetap dengan kerjaan sampingan blog gue, jadi butuh pijakan yang lebih mantab.

Pertama-tama, siapa, apa, atau makhluk macam apa Blinkyman ini. Lu pada masuk ke blog gue, dan ngeliat: Blinkyman's Blog. Blinkyman?? Nama macam apa itu? Lahir dari mana dia? Apa tujuan sebenarnya dia di dunia ini? Siapa aku? Kenapa kucing bekaki enam empat?? Loh? LOH?

Blinky (bling-ki, blinq-khi, bling-q) adalah.. MUSUH DARI PAC-MAN. Tepatnya, sebagai setan pengejar Pac-Man yang berwarna merah. Man adalah.. MANUSIA/ORANG/PRIA PUNYA SELERA/LELAKI. Yah kenapa dari sekian banyaknya tokoh gaming yang lebih layak gue pilih, gue malah pilih setan-setanan warna merah yang jadi warna biru klo Pac-Man salah makan obat? 

Ini dimulai dari sejarah gaming gue sebelum beralih ke PC Gaming: Xbox 360. Bagi man-teman yang belum familiar dengan sistem X360, ada yang namanya user di X360. User, ya semacam user di komputer. Ada admin, ada user dengan nama-nama aneh seperti PENUNGGU KAMAR 35, dan sejenisnya itulah. Prinsip dari User pada X360 kurang lebih mirip. Dan nama dari user ini dibawa ke dalam game, jadi kalo di game Call of Duty lu nge-kill atau di-kill, ya nama User itu yang muncul, anggeplah: ORANG_WARAS KILLED C4Y4N6K4MUCELALOEH atau C4Y4N6K4MUCELALOEH KILLED PLAYER1. Ya, itu emang alay kronis, mohon tidak ditiru di rumah. 

Akhirnya, gue setelah banyaknya kealayan, membuat User dengan nama: Blinkyman. Gue, faktanya dapet ini dari profile picture yang disediakan dalam membuat User. Gak banyak, gue harus jujur. Gak terlalu kece lagi, ini gue jujur juga. Akhirnya, dari banyaknya opsi yang disediakan, ada gambarnya si anu itu. BLINKY. Dhemit merah bermata biru yang kerjaannya ngejer-ngejer Pac-Man di game Pac-Man ras manapun. Gue pilihlah si dia, dan karena gue buat Username berdasarkan Profile Picture gue, yah beginilah jadinya. Blinkyman. Ya gue tahu gue gak kreatif. 

Loncat ke jaman 2010-an. Gue sekarang udah punya Steam, versi simpelnya: toko game online. Di Steam akhirnya pake nama-nama lagi pula, dan setelah berbagai kealayan lainnya, gue keinget Username X360 gue: Blinkyman. Gue pake lagi dah itu sebagai nick gue di game-game yang menggunakan add-on Steam (ini ngawur karena gue gak ngerti istilahnya). 

Sekarang loncat lagi ke tahun 2015. Blinkyman adalah nama yang jelas gak semua orang pake. Ya bukan apa-apa, tapi emang gak ada orang yang segoblok itu buat pake nama segoblok itu juga. Selain gue. Gue mikir buat ganti nama. Tapi, gue juga gak mau melepaskan sesosok hantu yang tumbuh bersama dengan jiwa gamer gue. Akhirnya, setelah sedikitnya pertimbangan, gue mengubah nama menjadi...

BLINQMAN. 

Ada apa dengan Q? Penjelasan terletak di Scrabble. Selain daripada Z, Q adalah huruf dengan skor tertinggi, mengingat betapa susahnya pake huruf itu. Z dan Q skor per hurufnya sama: 10. Ditambah lagi, per permainan Scrabble, dalam satu set huruf-huruf yang digunakan, cuman ada satu Z dan satu Q. Yah, itu menjelaskan betapa uniknya Q ini sebenarnya. Dan gue bertanya dengan diri gue sendiri, kenapa gak Z? Anggeplah, dengan huruf Z, nama gue bisa jadi Blinkymanz. Atau Blinkzyman. Atau ZblinkymanZ. Eh. Itu ide yang bagus juga. Atau Blinkymanzzz. Kan sama-sama uniknya. Gue beranggapan kebanyakan orang udah pake huruf Z, sekeren-keren atau sealay-alaynya dia. Penggunaan huruf Z kan, bisa dalam bentuk 'Duhhh ngantukzzzz bangettzzzz'. Q? Palingan cuma satu orang terkenal, yaitu Q dari serial James Bond. Tugasnya? Memberikan peralatan greget kepada Bond macam Aston Martin bersenjata mesin dan pena yang bisa meledak. 

Lagipula, bunyi 'kee' pada 'ky' bisa diganti dengan bunyi 'kee' pada Q, kan? 

Secara sangat waras dan terhitung, domain dari blog ini juga berubah. Menjadi blinqman.blogspot.com. Jujur, sebenernya domainnya sempet gue ubah jadi bloodphantom.blogspot.com. Wuusshhh, mantep toh? Sayangnya mendapatkan kritisi negatif dari berbagai pihak, termasuk nyokap gue sendiri. Bilangnya, 'terlalu serem', 'terlalu alay', dan 'terlalu drastis'. Drastis dalam arti kenapa gue yang fun, funky, dan ringan tiba-tiba punya nama BLOOD PHANTOM. Setan Darah, broooo. Itu udah kayak cerita-cerita serem yang ada di novel-novel serem yang ada di bagian-bagian terserem di Gramedia. Apaan tuh? Akhir cerita, blinqman.blospot.com.

Aneh, makin alay aja gue, ya?

Dan faktanya (lagi), judul post ini gak berarti. Yang relevan cuman RENAMED!-nya doang, karena nama ganti, domain ganti, judul ganti.. tapi isinya tetep. Mungkin ada tambahan-tambahan, tapi marilah kita bersama berharap gue bisa lebih baik dari gue-gue yang terpampang di blog ini di selanjutnya. 

BlinQman, ya? Okeeee?

Until the next post, bungs! :D