A Legendary Love (2004)

One of my all time favorites.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

I can be considered involved in the production of this movie. If you listen closely to the music of the movie, you will find the strings sound are real, not some cheap MIDI sound like most movies from Malaysia are using. I'm one of the violinists in there. Anyway, I am right now studying in New York, I recorded the original score right before I came here. I long to watch this movie since I walked out from the studio. So I asked my mom to send me the VCD of this movie. After finally watching this movie, I was quite happy about the seriousness of the production in a Malaysian film. However, I have never liked to watch Malaysian movies (dominated by Malay language films), because of its slow and meaningless pace. It is sad to say that this hasn't changed a bit in PGL, which I think is the greatest pity. (Even though this movie is directed by a Chinese!!) The movie could be shortened to 2 hours --- if not one and a half --- if the hyper-slow parts were being changed into a somewhat reasonable pace. But overall, I would like to say that I'm happy to see Malaysians try to make this movie a jump start (if it is) for the oh-so-rotten Malay movie scene. Like the another review, I feel the same that some elements like action (I don't like to use the word violence) could be enhanced, it could be better. Those elements are hanging in the middle of nowhere in this film. In fact, I think this issue might be caused by the strict censorship system (if there is a "system") in Malaysia. If we Malaysians want to push the film industry further to the world, PLEASE, the censorship board should reconsider the poor censorship system average that flows from time to time and, PLEASE, give filmmakers a bigger space in creativity. More budget and more money doesn't promise better movies!! Artistic quality is the most most crucial element in making a great movie!!

I just saw Puteri Gunung Ledang. I think it's fantastic. It carried on the Malay cinematic tradition... by the very slow subtle shots, I think. And whhaaatever the critics were saying, I do think that the less Freudian expressions of affection were nice. Ah, I'm proud of these filmmakers. +++ Additional Comments: If you found Peter Jackson's the Lord of the Rings completely ridiculous for it's lack of subtlety, this 5 million dollar movie might help you get over the I'm-really-sick-of-mtv feeling. Otherwise PGL might put you to sleep.This movie is based on classical prose, like Beowulf. So don't expect a 20th century fantasy script either. I also thought that it was nice, how they got all the Buddhist/Hindu, Islamic and animistic etc. cultural details and mythological elements into the movie. The fight scenes were very simple, but quite nice. I hate to be a Malaysian yes-man on this, but they were NICE and simple. And realistic. The martial art form used in the movie, is Silat, which is indigenous to the Malay Peninsula and its surrounding islands (present day Indonesia and Malaysia). The sword is called a kris.

I was one of those people queuing up excitedly during Merdeka, hoping to enjoy the most expensive malaysian movie. Nonetheless, all the publicity in the newspapers, the huge banners along the roads, and a glimpse of the opening rehearsal in KLCC didn't amount to a good turnout. This movie, to some extent, failed to satisfy my needs as a viewer.I have to admit that the settings for this movie is excellent and the costumes, though less extravagant in Majapahit terms, is very much compensated in the Malaccan palace. The yellow colour of the court is just marvelous. It stays true to the royalty of Malay courts at that time and the rich colour sort of signifies Malacca as the powerful Malay state. Gusti Puteri should have more accessories on her to signify her status as a princess. And perhaps Hang Tuah should have a more masculine colour on him like what the Bendahara is wearing. Nevertheless, the movie is too long and viewers are put off by the lethargic movement of Gusti Putri. What I meant is that there is a difference between being graceful and slow. Being graceful doesn't mean you have to do everything in slow motion. Also, if some scenes are deleted it won't affect the storyline of the movie I think. Like the scene where Hang Tuah talked about Tuk Mudim or when Sabri Yunus joked about giving 'penampar Arab'. In the latter, the joke lost its purpose when told more than twice.Gusti Putri did manage to show the theme of this movie; 'Cinta Agung', and she showed this in her willingness to sacrifice everything for Hang Tuah-by 'leaving her people behind' as Gusti Adipati suggested in their telepathic scene. Nevertheless, when Gusti Puteri is left alone with Hang Tuah, their scene is filled with (more) words when actions are more appropriate for two people madly in love. This movie can be a good portrayal of a great love story if only the characters aren't lacking vigour in portraying themselves as great lovers.And the beginning of the movie, when Gusti Puteri is in the maze, which to me signifies confusion, is contradictory. How can Gusti Puteri be confused when she is very certain that she wants Hang Tuah and is willing to go to him? I also fell asleep in the middle of the movie when Hang Tuah was battling with Gusti Adipati. This should be one of the highlights in this movie but by this scene, I was already bored to death with the irrelevant scenes.In a nutshell, this movie is too long, too wordy and some scenes are irrelevant to the title 'Puteri Gunung Ledang'.

I was overawed when I saw this movie. It was beyond expectation. A malay movie finally as good as any blockbuster Hollywood movie! Pundits will say that the storyline is not true to history but this movie remind me of the greatest movie of all time "The Titanic" - itself a love story set against a historical incident. As in the movie Titanic, the storyline is fictional though based on legendary malay figures. Though the movie could have been improved somewhat overall it is the greatest malay movie of all time. The opening intro of Hang Tuah was commendable, however I feel the character could have been developed more to show his silat prowess and mystique in the malay community. Tiara Jacqueline is perfect as the princess. She is drop dead gorgeous. Though there are censorship limitations nevertheless I felt more could have been explored in her love story with Hang Tuah.Syabas Puteri Gunung Ledang, I salute you.