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KALLANG ROAR THE MOVIE

 ABOUT THE MOVIE

Genre: Drama
Starring: Lim Kay Siu, Santhanaram Jayaram (Ram), Leon Quah Hsun Chuen, Randall Tan, Anwar Hadi Bin Ramli, Melvinder Kanth, Bhaskar Subramanian
Director: Cheng Ding An
Rating: PG
Year Made: 2008

 


 SPECIAL FEATURES

- Trailer
- Making Of
- Photo Gallery

 


 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Languages: English
Subtitles: English/Chinese/Malay
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Letterbox
Sound: -
Running Time: 1 hr 25 mins
Region Code: PAL 3
Distributor: InnoF
orm Media

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

Battling the onslaught of a life threatening stage of diabetics, an entire board of unsupportive officials ready to oust him, a record of 12 years of Malaysian football supremacy, Uncle Choo defiantly returns to Singapore football scene in 1977 for one last short at restoring Nationalistic pride.

Uncle Choo was one unorthodox gem of a coach, regimental, courageous, determined and very imposing. He was bold, quietly confident: always believing that he and his nurtured team can accomplish milestone though with limited resources in every department. His undying love for the game and his role as a coach whom, few will would ever understand.

Armed with legendary players like Quah Kim Song, Rajagopal, Samad, Mat Noh, Dollah Kassim, uncle sets out an impossible journey to remind his fellow countrymen of what it meant to be Singaporean.

This is a tale about sheer grit, unbreakable will and his deep passion, unyielding struggle with society and oneself, to finally achieve glory for one’s nation through football and coined one legacy unwittingly, known to all as ‘The Kallang Roar’ which is of nothing to himself at the end of it.

MOVIE REVIEW:  

What is this perception that your typical guy should have an in-bred liking for soccer? While this reviewer never grasped this baffling mystery, he isn’t exactly proud to say that he was never part of the 'in' crowd with other guys who talk about the latest soccer showdowns or whisk off to rough it out in the soccer field. So when he was sitting through this local production, he wasn’t so sure whether he can be objective about the whole movie, that is, before he realized that the movie isn’t so much about the excitement, thrills and spills that happens on the soccer field. The movie is about good old national pride, the Singapore spirit, if you want to put it in glorious terms.

A follow up to director Cheng Ding An’s short film, this feature length movie takes young punks like this reviewer back to The Lion City’s footballing heydays. It chronicles the events leading up the national team winning the Malaysia Cup in 1977. Nostalgic football fans who remember names like Quah Kim Song, Rajagopal, Mat Noh and Dollah Kassim will have a great time watching this feel good sports picture, seeing how their favourite actors are portrayed in this movie.

But then again, maybe not.

The biggest distraction of this 85 minute movie is how actors like Leon Quah (he plays his father Quah Kim Song), Baskar Subramanian (he plays the Rajagopal, whose famed banana kick deserves much mention), Randall Tan (he plays the charming Mat Noh) and Anwar Hadi (he plays Dollah Kassim, who is celebrated for his dribbling skills) seem awkward in their roles. These guys may have been fans of Singapore soccer, but when dressed in their soccer jerseys and those embarrassing wigs, they do not seem at ease playing these legendary characters, thus making it difficult for viewers to be engaged.

Thankfully, we have the reliable Lim Kay Siu who carries the show with his fiercely passionate portrayal of Uncle Choo, the firm and confident coach who is determined to bring back the glory the team once enjoyed. Lim’s veteran status as an actor is evident in every scene he appears in, making his character the most memorable one. His real life wife Neo Swee Lin appears in the movie as his on screen wife, and the chemistry between the two is spot on too.

Although there are no epically or memorably exciting soccer moments in this movie, there are some melancholically wistful scenes in the movie, especially during its opening sequence when you see several shots of the National Stadium in Kallang, which is now officially closed to make way for the new Singapore Sports Hub. Even for a non soccer fan like this reviewer, he feels that tinge of national pride depicted in the movie, which means there is hope for him to be part of the 'in' crowd just yet.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

This disc includes minimal special features, a dimly lit 12 minute Making Of which shows us how the crowd scenes were shot with a green screen at the National Stadium, a Trailer and a Photo Gallery.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The disc’s visual transfer complements the nostalgic look of the movie nicely, and is presented in its original English audio track. 

MOVIE RATING:



D
VD RATING:


Review by John Li

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This review is made possible with the kind support from InnoForm Media


 

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