Assignment 2- Movie Review on Malaysia’s Independent Movie- Sepet by Yasmin Ahmad

The movie, Sepet (2004) directed by Yasmin Ahmad was a big success in the Malaysia film industry. For once, I was really proud of Malaysian’s film production. Basically, Sepet is about the interracial relationship between a Chinese boy named Ah Loong or he called himself as Jason and a Malay girl named Orked.

In short, the movie is about a Chinese boy falling in love with a Malay girl and goes through a series of events that ends 'tragically'. I am really impressed and love how Yasmin Ahmad expresses her idea and thoughts in this particular movie. As we all know, racial issue is a critical and sensitive issue in Malaysia as we are living in a multi racial country. Therefore, when it comes to racial issue, typical Malaysian chooses to keep their mouths shut and mind their own businesses. This is just so typical Malaysian. Of how we stereo-typing that Malaysian-Malays are all conservative and religious to the extent that Malaysian-Chinese who are being stereo-typed as the open-minded ones are not suitable to be together with the Malays, as well as due to different culture and background values or the religions.

From my point of view, there is hidden meaning behind this movie. In which, if my judgment is correct, then Yasmin Ahmad is really giving an honest view through her movie. Obviously, there is no straight forward message on religion converting and all that in the movie. However, in the end of the movie, it somehow shows that Jason is involved in an accident that keeps us suspense on whether he is dead or alive. This actually indicates the hidden meaning behind the movie which I mentioned, it is either Jason has to convert to Orked’s religion or one of them has to die. This is of course, the large view and stereo typing of Malaysian culture.

In conclusion, this movie has given me a big impact and somehow, changes my stereo-typing-attitude as well like a typical Malaysian. I think that one ought to have a broader mind set and love in between two humans shall never be judged based on the differences of religions nor backgrounds.