Ah Boys to Men

The war scenes in Ah Boys to Men are more frightening than World War Z.

It was terrifying to imagine our familiar landscape bombed to bits, landmarks demolished, and civilians shot, cowering. Singaporeans, complacent in our daily safety, scrambled to make sense of sudden disaster and survive. Most of the war scenes in our shows have been based on the Japanese Occupation - our latest memory of military aggression, and comfortably remote. War scenes, updated and transplanted into modern Singapore, brought close to home how fragile our way of life is. It struck me abruptly that I do not even know where the nearest bomb shelter is!

That aside, the rest of the movie was peppered with many laugh-out-loud moments, and for female audience, illuminating revelations about the army. Hm...I must admit that I hadn't expected such a great amount of vulgarities. The movie had certainly exceeded my expectations, and there are scenes to appeal to every one, including moments of nostalgia for retired army men.

Indignantly, I asked V what can be done about those who shamelessly "geng" (fake illness) during training. Sadly, he said nothing much could be done. Hey guys, we are counting on you, you know. I suppose the opening scenes were intended to remind everyone that while National Service demands a lot on our men, we cannot dilute the training or reduce the rigor. Nothing can ever be taken for granted. I mean, even if we gripe about the architecture of the "Durian", we don't want to see it bombed, right?