Now I know what's the meaning of the (slang)word "boh"..no, it's not about boh tea. To know the meaning, you gotta go catch our very own 100% made-in-msia
The last Malay movie which I also enjoyed very much was Ola Bola. But PE 3 is literally a different ball-game altogether. Hats off to our wonderfully talented Msian team who wrote, produced, directed, acted and brought to life this larger than life story of our men in blue. I anticipate and await more of such high-calibre made-in-Msia action films in our national tongue.
PE 3 gives us a glimpse of the world of good cops, funny cops, bad guys and bad cops. Well, what do you expect... it is a show about cops! Most of the time, for most of us ordinary mortals anyway, the only face encounters we have with the police force is not very pleasant. It's usually when the guy in uniform is writing out a summons for us dashing a red light, or we get caught driving with an expired road tax or license. Sometimes it can be the guy/lady seated behind the desk in a police station, when we have to lodge a report of some unpleasant incident, usually a road accident or worse a fight, robbery, break-in or other serious crime. We have little or absolutely zero knowledge of the inner workings or active operations of our police personnel. Our impressions come from...(what else!) movies of cops-n-robbers, the good guys versus the bad guys, as glamourised ala James Bond style.
Well, PE 3 is indeed comparable to Bond, minus the fancy gadgets, which makes it all the more realistic and therefore more relatable for me. The action is really top class. I cringed at each blow, each kick, each throw, magnified by appropriate sensurround music no less . I bit my nails as heroes and villains took pot-shots at each other in ambushes. I gasped at the spectacular car chases and crashes. I held my breath, wondering if bombs will explode or whether the expert really knows which wire to cut. Heck, there's even a cross border smuggling heist for an international flavor. Top it all with handsome Msian hunks in uniform - what's there not to like! Such a welcome change from the "normal" blond hair, blue-eyed heroes, imported from Hollywood.
But the real stealer that tugged at my heart was the very human angle of tough guys facing conflict in choosing the "right" thing to do in the face of enormous pressures. Who is to say saving 300 (unknown) lives is more honorable than saving a loved one whose life is held in the hands of a mad man? Is betraying a partner, or a best friend for the sake of country excusable? Does an oath of duty over-ride love? These are by no means easy questions, and choices made, one way or the other, come with far-reaching consequences. Plenty of what-if's to consider, and regrets of what could have been.
So one can sympathize even with the villain, who was really a good guy caught in a very bad situation. It could happen to anyone, really. How to blame a man for choosing to save a pregnant wife instead of protecting his country? It reminds me of a question which was posed in a discussion about faith: If a terrorist points a gun at my family member and orders me to renounce Christ or else he shoots my loved one, what would my answer be? Honestly, it's well and easy if he points the gun at my head - I would have no hesitation to answer Go ahead, shoot. I don't fear death for myself, since I know where next I go when I leave this world, thanks to my Savior and Lord Jesus. But if the gun is pointed at any one of my children....would I still be able to answer so easily? As a fellow Christian admitted, he would give up his faith if it was his wife being threatened with death. His response would be "sorry Lord, You know my heart."
Who is to say we will not fail God? Or country, friend or family for that matter. We think we "get over it" but the truth is some things we have done or not done in our past, decisions and choices we make in life do come back to haunt us and keep us bound in fear, bitterness and hate. The heroes in PE 3 are tough as nails - they are cops, they have to be. But they are also very human. So the whole sad scenario replays in the protagonist Khai's life as his ex-partner, gone crazy and out for revenge, sets things up to force him to choose between love and duty. Not only he, but those around him, must deal with the horrific consequences of past choices made.
How many of our men in blue have paid heavy prices to protect this nation, so we ordinary folks can sleep in peace (most days)? Some pay the highest price of being killed in the line of duty, as heroes whose stories pass away from society's memories after awhile. Beyond that, many have to put family relationships on hold to honor the oath of duty. Like Khai who keeps the lady-love of his life (and the entire family) waiting, waiting, waiting for him to pop the question of marriage. It's not from lack of love, but out of fear of the past; that he will not be able to protect her, when the call of duty messes up his personal life; as he knows it's bound to happen sooner or later. PE3 paints a very poignant picture of the struggles of these ordinary people caught up in the roller-coaster drama of life, which they got on when they signed up to be protector of the nation's peace and security. There's really no glamour in it, unless you count well-honed bodies and smart uniforms glamorous. Whether one is in the front-line firing off guns at villains or in the back-room, tediously fiddling with hand-phones and computers to crack codes to track down a murderer on the loose. Or the one who literally sweats to cut the correct wire in a last-minute effort to deactivate ticking bombs.
Yet how long can we can go on fearing... sickness, lack or loss of this, that or the other, and the finality of death in our lives on earth? In the end it's still love that wins over fear. After all, there's only 1 Creator, Giver and Protector of all life. So if He deems it's time for me to leave this life on earth, there's nothing that anyone can do to extend it. For those who are already secure in the knowledge that death is but life forevermore when we believe in Jesus who died and rose again, there is no fear anymore. But if it's not yet time, there's also no power - be it disease or terrorists - that can steal my life out of God's mighty hands. Yes, there will be heartaches, betrayal, disappointment along the way. Because the truth is God never promised anyone who believes Him a rose-garden. Heck, even roses come with thorns.
But ultimately, good must win over evil, love must triumph over fear, in the movies and in the real world. It may take a (long) while and involve huge sacrifices, but the bad guy always loses ultimately because... well, that's the way it should be and must be; as God created all things to be good. And the greatest sacrifice was already paid for by Jesus for all mankind - Love hung on a cross.
I John 4:18-19 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear....We love because He first loved us.
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