Title : Kaki Bakar
Year : 2001
Director : U-Wei Haji Saari
Screenplay : U-Wei Haji Saari
Cast : Khalid Salleh, Nasrizal Ngasri, Kuswadinata, Anwar Idris, Azizah Mahzan, Ochee, Liza Rafar, Norazmi Suhaimi, Jamaluddin Kadir and Kamarool Yusof

Reviewer : Azurah Azahar
Rating : ***

Kaki Bakar - review by Azurah Azahar

If you're looking for something different in a Malay movie, then this is the movie for you. Kaki Bakar (The Arsonists), a film by U-Wei Haji Saari, had won several awards such as the Best International Film Award in 1995, Special Award and so on. This award-winning film was originally made for TV but was rejected and later transferred into film in order to participate in the Cannes Film Festival.

The film involves the struggles of an immigrant family and a coming-of-age tale about a boy named Raden Mas Kesuma (Ngasrizal Ngasri). Kesuma is simultaneously proud, fearful and ashamed of his father, Kakang (Khalid Salleh). He wants to break free from his father while being almost unconsciously shaped by him. Kesuma must forge his own identity against the intimidating presence of his father.

Kakang, on the other hand, is an ex-soldier who is proud of his Javanese heritage and well aware of the social inequalities that allow his exploitation. He is trying to bring up his children in Malaysia and instill in them his own values and beliefs.

Unfortunately, Kakang chooses arson as his way to defiance. His awareness that he has no social status or leverage meshes with his outrage at being humiliated by an employer, and he takes revenge by starting a fire. The consequences are as disastrous for his own family as for his oppressor's. The film climaxes in a poignant conflagration, literal and metaphorical.

Khalid Salleh really did a good job. He played his role very well and he is definitely a talented actor. He spoke very well Javanese accent in this movie and also did a very good Kelantanese accent in "Jogho".

Although it was quite difficult to understand at first (due to the accent), I think Kaki Bakar is definitely one of the good local movies. The plot is quite simple and yet interesting. My favourite part would be the one when he cleaned the carpet using a parang. It's dramatic and also unusual. Overall, this movie is interesting and worth watching.

Source : http://www.cinemaonline.com.my (21/10/2001)