Silat Warriors: Deed of Death Original Title: Geran

Mat Arip (Fad Anuar) is young and compulsive, the youngest of his family; he has been spoiled by his father, and has never had to face up to his responsibilities. When he takes the deed to his father`s land to cover a bet, he brings back an old rivalry between his father and loan shark Haji Daud… Who sends his men to Mat Arip home to tell his father Pak Nayan (Namron), his sister Fatimah (Feiyna Tajudin) and his older brother Ali (Khoharullah Majid). If they do not get the money back that Arip owes within the week, then they forfeit their land for Mat Arip`s debt. Soaked in guilt for what he has done Mat Arip sets about trying to win some money, the only way he knows how, by illegal gambling and entering drag races that the loan shark and his men have fixed for him to lose. Frustrated by their young brother`s recklessness and that fact that he want come home, Ali seeks him out. Will he get to him on time?

Writer Director Areel Abu Bakar takes you on a journey between old and new, between simple country ways of life, to that of the busy city life, with all the trouble that can give if you are a compulsive gambler as Mat Arip is and you get in with the wrong crowd. The main core cast are excellent in their roles. The henchmen are menacing in their pursuit of the land and the lengths that they go to, sets up nicely for the finale. The standout performance for me is Namron as the father Pak, he is the perfect as a dad and his kids first master of Silat, he blends old ways and adapts to new, knowing that it's his fault or partly it's his fault that Mat Arip is the way he is. For me the film tries to bring balance for the old ways of religion and Silat training and how that can be maintained and kept in this modern world. My other favourite performance in the film is that of Feiya Tajudin as Fatimah, she gets to flex her fighting chops in a few scenes and is involved in the best scene of the film for me. This involves the villains chasing her through the market, some brilliant choreography with nice camera movement and editing for this scene. We never see Ai fight all the way through – this, for me was a great way to set up those three acts of the film. As when he ready to let lose in the final act, prepare for some bone crunching fighting that's a feast for the Martial Arts fans eye, Yes, the fight scenes are bloodless, yes at times a little too staged – as you can see some people waiting for a queue their turn to strike. But you can`t deny the amazing technique in front and behind the camera. For me all involved do an amazing job of taking Silat to the screen, and I for one am looking forward to the next adventure from Areel Abu and his team…

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