Blood Brothers: Bara Naga

Directed by Abhilash Chandra, this Malaysian film follows Ariff, an elite bodyguard. Framed for a crime he did not commit, he tries to clear himself while his closest friend Ghaz moves to the other side. The reckoning between them is the film's spine. The film shows the rise in scale of Malaysian action cinema in recent years; the fight choreography and chase sequences sit above regional norms. Sharnaaz Ahmad and Syafiq Kyle play the two friends. The narrative is built on friendship turning into betrayal, a familiar template. What distinguishes it has to be looked for in the execution of the action; the script proceeds predictably and the characters' histories are not sufficiently established. Who it's for: those who like Southeast Asian action cinema. Who it's not for: viewers looking for an original story; the film follows the known steps of its genre.