15

Just watched the local film, "15" by Royston Tan with my mates, Jeff, Melvin and Khai yesterday. It was about a group of teenage wayward youths shot in a documentary style, based on their experiences and all.

Khai said it was very realistic while I have friends who said that "City of Gofd" was far superior. Now I din watch that so I have no grounds for comparison. However, what I'd say is that certain scenes in the movie were extremely graphic and stomach churning to me. I can't handle scenes of mutilation and all that.

At first, I thought the film was bogged down by all the excessive arty imagery and fantasy sequences. Then I took a double take as I realised that Royston Tan was working without much of a plot, just highlighting the situation and bringing us into the world of these troubled youths.

However, throughout the entire film, you get this sensation that you were not supposed to be there, watching and observing them. The audience becomes the voyeur, the observer. Fortunately, Tan's style does not judge these characters, showing them for who they are and lay out their fears of a dead-end future for all to see.

It's upsetting and disturbing to see anyone having to go through such confusion. But isn't puberty and teenhood the toughest for the most of us? Perhaps, for these kids, the wrong turn at such a young age would allow any room for them to turn back and walk the path of the straight and narrow?

I dunno. Anyway, it's pretty decent and watchable, though I won't say that it's extremely good.