Biko is a Malaysian language drama film that revolves around a middle-aged father struggling to make ends meet while taking care of his young son. The film is directed by Teng Bee and stars Azrel Ismail, Syed Irfan, and Baby Shima in the titular roles. Morever, it has a total runtime of 97 minutes.
The official description of the film reads as
The complicated past between a famous singer and a struggling lorry driver starts to come out after young Biko auditions for a role in a music video.
-Biko Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
The plot begins with Izwan, a middle-aged man played by Azrel Ismail, who is financially broke and on the verge of extreme poverty. He is also a single father to his young son Biko, portrayed by Syed Irfan. Moreover, in the opening scene itself, we find Izwan getting forcefully evicted from his home along with his belongings by his mean and frustrated Aunt.
The film then shifts to the series of hard-hitting circumstances for the duo of father and son that leaves the latter desolate about their present life. Despite all this, Izwan remains somewhat hopeful about his decision and aims to buy a well-furnished house for his son in the near future.
The major twist in the story arrives when the talented kid nails a music video audition, and lands a role to feature with a famous singer and performer. However, Biko soon starts to realize that he has a special connection with the singer and that his father has kept him away from the biggest secret of his life. What happens next, is something as predictable as the entire plot itself.
One of the most common issues in films like these is that it fails to connect emotionally and lacks character development. The characters are simply not given the time and attention they need to become relatable individuals, therefore it’s hard to care about their journey or feel invested in their struggles. As evident from Izwan’s entire character arc in the flick, nothing really happens according to the plan.
Another issue with the film was its artificial treatment. When events regarding the backstory of the protagonist start to unfold, the entire process turned out to be convenient or predictable. For instance, at one point, I could see the conventionally bound climax arriving from miles away.
Moreover, a major factor that contributed to a lack of emotional connection is poor pacing. The film moves too quickly, and the characters were hardly given any time to mature and realize themselves. Something that ultimately ran the story aground with no chance of survival.
Even though the actors were on point with their marks, the script itself gave them no chance to redeem the flick. Furthermore, the duo of Azrel Ismail and Syed Irfan might be the only thing that helps you stay until the end, to witness the dull and foreseen last act.
Biko Final Thoughts
The film makes certain efforts to intrigue you with the classic father and son subject but eventually falls flat in the process. It heavily relies on story stereotypes and does not produce anything out of the blue. All in all, the film not only disappoints you but also leaves you frustrated just like the aunt.
You can stream Biko on Netflix. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comment section below.
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