Movie Review: Tiger Woohoo (spoiler alert)

I think I must be one of the last few people to watch it but I'm so glad I did. Despite the screen showing it was full, my friend and I queued for more than half an hour to try our luck and we bought tickets for the 3rd row from the screen. This is the first time I sat so close to the screen and amazingly, it's bearable.

Tiger Woo Hoo

I've heard that it is a local production and rather funny. With that good comment, I've decided to watch it while I could. I think this is the last week it is showing in TGV cinemas. Do give it a try for the Tiger year!

Synopsis taken from cinema.com.my
'Woohoo' (tiger dance) is a tradition practiced in a small village (Beserah, Kuantan) during a prayer ceremony every 60 years. As the only elder who knows "Woohoo" can no longer perform, his filial granddaughter put up a misleading advertisement which in turn attracts five youngsters from different backgrounds - bad-tempered bank security man Ah Beng, indecisive Char Kuey Teow hawker Ah Huat, effeminate designer Rain, university student Bobby and smart alec Alan - to be trained as 'woohoo' players. After some tough training, they finally look like a formidable team. However, few days before the anticipated festival day, the only 'tiger head"'is accidentally destroyed by the mischievous kids in the village.

My review
I find myself recognising the first few scenes of TTDI Plaza and Pavillion. And then the scenes in Kuantan was taken very picturesque that it looks very tempting for a visit. The main character, brought out laugher from the audience with his squeaky voice and name "Ah Beng" despite being bigger built. There's also his photographer friend, Rain with his infatuation of putting mask to keep his skin supple - I presumed. That's just to name a few characters. I guess the colourful characters create a funny mixture of group to start the tiger dance group.

Ah Beng sending packed char kuey teow for his elderly parents.

Take note that even though it's label as Mandarin but as Malaysians, other chinese dialects are thrown in with Bahasa Malaysia too - hence it's very Malaysianised. You have our local policeman catching people who are illegally gambling and also the local firemen helping to catch a python.

The storyline though straightforward has little lessons to be learn. It showed how people who others look down upon; learn to stand up through learning the art of tiger dance. It showed how the mother yelling at her four daughters was done out of love and as the father sweetly put it, "Your mother used to be soft-spoken but after having to ask you to do your homework, prepare for dinner, go take your bath; she has to yell." lol

There's also the story of nosy neighbours whereby sometimes you get so irritated that you just need to lie to "save face". Alas, the lie didn't really end up that well for "Ah Beng".

The little romances of "Ah Beng" with "Ah Lian" and also how "Ah Huat" patches up his relationship with his girlfriend bring a little love into the picture. There's also the lesson of how a "modern"-salesman son who teaches his father (the village head) to use western names so people can remember him easily. And not forgetting the cameo con-man appearing in the movie by the guy who sells pirated DVD in Astro's advertisement for Astro-On-Demand.

Overall, I think it's entertaining as a light-hearted comedy with a touch of our local flavour. I wonder with the mixture of languages, will it appeal internationally? Still, I think this can be our Malaysian ala Jack Neo's comedy. Bravo! I did enjoy watching the movie! :)

These tiger dolls were given during the premier of the movie (As shown in saimatkong's blog) In the movie, "Ah Beng" gave this doll to someone he loves, "Ah Lian". Awww...  However, I noticed these images scattered everywhere this year.