by pEANutbutter
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| Figure 1: Promotional poster of Ombak Rindu |
I don't normally watch Malay movie, not because I was prejudice against it. I grow up watching all P. Ramlee movies, and just like Michael Jackson and Bruce Lee, they are the pioneers in their respective fields. I don't deny that there are some very good Malay movie out there like Anak Mami, etc. However, the problem with this movies is that, its audience specific. Example like Anak Mami, if one doesn't know the northern Malay dialect, one will be clueless. Clueless is bad.
When it comes to movie, I am open to anything new and fresh ideas. In fact, by watching this movies, I learnt something new about cultures and society. Like the Crying Ladies, a movie from the Phillipine. Who would have thought there is such an occupation where one is hired to cry in funeral. Taboo on National Geoprahic Channel are also my favourites where they showcase practices around the world that is consider taboo to the general public. As Ombak Rindu has garnered a lot of attention, my curiousity got the better of me. I didn't get the cd or make my way to the cinema as the crowd is crazy. I watch it online.
The story line is a bit complex. To watch this movie, one has to exclude the logic whether in reality it could happen. Consider it an adult fairy tale. So do not judge it in a manner its mission impossible. But then I have heard and witness strange things that defy logic happening in reliaty. In short, this movie may sound impossible, but it can happen. It does not involve aliens or vampires, and do not compare with how Tom Cruise cheated death in his movie. If this was a Hollywood movie, it would have been a dark fairy tale which I can liken it to Twillight as it has a disturbing message (ie: fall in love with somebody that may kill you). But has an open mind and watch this for pure entertainment.
Basis
Izzah, a simple village girl was sold off to a pimp to be a prostitute by her uncle on the pretext of paying for her aunt's surgery. As she tries to escape, she bumps into a prospective client, Hariz. However, she was still caught and was brought back to the entertainment outlet where she was force to drink alcoholic drink until she passes out. Later, Hariz asked for her when he finally arrived at the entertainment outlet. Although she is unconcious, he still proceed to have sex which is consider rape. As she awaken, realising that she has been rape, she begs him to take her along with him. A mistake has happen, and being a religious and pious woman, in the circumstances that she is in, she hopes to not make it worse by continuing being a prostitute and has to serve other men. Miracously, he bought her over from her pimp although he was hesistant and make her, his mistress on the condition that she has to give in to his lust whenever he wants it.
He keeps her in one of his houses in the outskirt of the city. In the earlier part of this arrangement, Hariz did try to force himself on Izzah but guilt overcome him when Izzah started praying for protection. Sensing his frustration and she is deeply in debt to him for recuing her from the pimp, she propose marriage, so to at least made their relationship legal in the eyes of God. Again, Hariz was hesitant as he feel Izzah doesn't deserve to be his wife. He only agrees after she mention not to claim any right as a wife. They were married in Thailand, which is not legal by law in Malaysia, but for Izzah, hopefully, at least in the eyes of God its legal.
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| Figure 2: A touching scene from Ombak Rindu |
Falling In Love
As the story progress, Hariz starts to fall in love with Izzah for her demure and gentle manner as he was impatience and hot temper. However, one day when the driver of Hariz's mother, Pak Dollah which was assigned to buy household supplies for Izzah chance upon her vomiting, he thought she was pregnant. Hariz became furious and was barging into the house to force Izzah to abort the baby. However, it was a misunderstanding as Izzah wasn't pregnant. As she has past experience of violence from her uncle, she got scared that affected her badly, emotionally. She tries to avoid confrontation with Hariz the morning after the incident after she fainted the previous night. Watching her afraid for her life, Hariz turns mellow and develop the urgency to protect her. From then on, their relationship turns to real love. However, the brief happiness didn't last long as Hariz childhood friend, Mila, which was in love with him, returns from oversea and expects their wedding to proceed as planned. Due to pressure from both families particularly Hariz's mother, Datuk Sufiah, Hariz reluctantly weds Mila. Izzah accepts the situation and did give her blessing to him so that he will not go against his mother wishes.
At this time, Izzah was hired by Hariz to be his secretary. As Izzah is deem the least likely person to be a mistress, Mila befriended her in the hope to find out the woman that Hariz confess to have love because as Hariz's secretary, Izzah would have known his every movement. As Mila search for the woman, one day both Mila and Izzah encountered Hariz hugging (the truth is consoling) his staff, Wafiah, which also appear to be a close friend of Mila, when Wafiah was upset after breaking up with her long time lover which is also a married man. Mila was very sure the woman she been looking for all this while is Wafiah and barge out in anger, but all Hariz could think of is Izzah's feeling. As Hariz was pursuing Izzah by car, he got into an accident.
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| Figure 3: The turning point |
Betrayal
While Hariz was recuprating from his injuries, Datuk Sufiah took the opportunity to get rid of Izzah by evicting her from Hariz's house and confiscate her car and phone. At the same time, Datuk Sufiah ordered anybody in contact with Hariz to barred him from using the phone or leave the house. At the moment Izzah has given back the car and phone, and was about to leave the house, Hariz manage to steal an opportunity to contact her but it's too late. Datuk Sufiah has successfully disconnect communication between Hariz and Izzah. With no where to go, Izzah returns to her hometown. She could rely on Pak Dollah and his wife (which eventually became very close to Izzah after finding out the truth about her relationship with Hariz), but they was away for Haj.
Circumstances brought Izzah's back to the city after her close friend from the village, Mail, got a job offer in the city. In order to assist him, she brought him to Pak Dollah's house. Here, Pak Dollah's wife, Mak Jah, figures out that Izzah is pregnant which was confirmed by Izzah's herself. At the same time, Datuk Sufiah has assign a private investigator to tab Izzah's every movement to tarnish her reputation further. As Izzah and Mail are very close since they are childhood friend, the private investigator manage to capture photos of them together, but nothing intimate. Since Izzah's past history of getting involve in prostitution and up to this point, Hariz doesn't know much about Izzah's background, he believe his mother that Izzah is cheating of him since his accident. Disappointed, Hariz swear to hang their marriage in the balance. As his marriage to Izzah's is not legal in Malaysia and by Islamic Law, a husband need to agree to a divorce, there is little option for Izzah to file for divorce even if she wants to in this circumtances.
As Hariz got away after letting Izzah know of his decision while he was visiting Pak Dollah, Izzah ran to chase after his car which cause her to fell and almost lost her pregnancy. In the hospital, Mak Jah advised Izzah to be very patience, and Izzah accepted the fact that Hariz is leaving her but find consolation that she still has his baby. Furious, Pak Dollah confronted Hariz in the presence of Datuk Sufiah. Finally, the truth was leaked about the true identity of Hariz. Apparently Datuk Sufiah went through three failed pregnancy. With no other way to console her, the late husband begs Pak Dollah for his youngest child. Despite protest from Mak Jah, Pak Dollah given Hariz away when he was a baby and continues working for Datuk Sufiah's family despite the bad treatment over the years, just so that he can be close to Hariz. At the same time, Mila overheard the whole conversation and finds out the truth about Izzah.
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| Figure 4: Finally together |
Forgiveness
Overwhelm with guilt, Hariz went to Izzah's hometown to look for her. There, he asked her for forgiveness and another chance to make things right, never expecting that Izzah has long forgiven him. Later, Mila too arrived at the spot and requested to speak to Izzah alone. Mila finally accepted the fact that it wasn't Izzah that is the third party in the relationship, but it was her all along. Although Izzah is willing to accept Mila in this polygamy marriage since it's legal in Islam, Mila couldn't accept the fact that Hariz will be with another woman and he might never love her back. Eventually, Mila decided to end the marriage and seek Hariz to divorce her, giving her a chance to seek her very own true love.
In the end, Izzah and Hariz was seen on a yacht moving on with their life awaiting the birth of their baby while finding out Mila has achieved her long time dream of becoming best actress.
Ombak Rindu (literally translated as Waves of Longing or Longing Waves). The title may seem odd but I think it has something to do with the lost of Izzah's parent at sea. So the waves of the ocean indicates her longing for her parents. I do find it quite a creative title that the author came up with. However, it doesn't sound nice when translated into English. (Note: This movie is an adaptation of a novel with the same title by Fauziah Ashari)
