Mother Bhumi

Mother Bhumi follows a community of farmers living on the Malaysia-Thailand border and primarily focuses on the central character Hong Im (Bingbing Fan), who is a grief-stricken individual suffering from the recent loss of her husband under unknown circumstances. Hong Im uses black magic to address villagers’ everyday issues until she encounters a ghost that reveals secret revelations about her husband’s demise.

The piece takes a rather unconventional approach in its ideas regarding the social commentary that it employs surrounding the socio-political strain following the Reformasi movement in Malaysia in the 90s. Three plot lines pervade the narrative involving a witch, a possessed buffalo and the changing political landscape of Malaysia during this time period. While the narrative is conceptually intriguing given the premise, the film sadly never pulls you in, thanks to an intentionally slow-burning approach that rarely feels earned and tackles themes that the filmmakers seem to be at odds with. The piece is thematically hollow and unsure of what it is even about, thanks to its muddled ideas and lethargic pacing that unfortunately meanders to a tonal redirect. There is also a severe lack of conflict brewing; however, specific sequences are unsettling, and the bleak tone makes the entire experience feel exhausting to endure by the end credits. Unfortunately, many aspects of the film leave you questioning the filmmakers’ intent of what they wanted to convey to the audience regarding the plot lines prevalent throughout.

On the other hand, the film is beautifully photographed by Ming-Kai Leung, and this creates a disturbing amount of intensity during sequences of distress or visual storytelling. A mix of wides and fixed shots during the night sequences is genuinely breathtaking and a sight to behold in the stunning historical setting. Keat Aun Chong and Kah Hoe Yii’s original musical score is another major standout formally, as it accompanies more intimate scenes wonderfully and anchors prolonged sequences with an uneasy atmosphere. The central performance from Bingbing Fan is solid as she inhabits a profound level of grief coming to terms with her disparity as she questions and mourns the sudden death of her husband. The production value is staggering and makes the piece feel lived in with a timeless presentation of the Malaysian landscapes.

Grasping themes such as grief and historical trauma while blending fantasy in with these ideas is an ambitious approach to take, but unfortunately, it makes the thematic aspects feel bloated and uneven. The narrative is convoluted and never truly explores the three central plot lines thoroughly, outside of representing Hong Im’s grief, perhaps reincarnating through metaphorical symbolism. The tonal redirect that takes place throughout the third act feels jarring as the film suddenly changes from a historical drama to a horror piece with a depiction of haunting and disturbing imagery. The inconsistent tone, unfortunately, leads to a conclusion that feels ultimately baffling to comprehend as a viewer. It does, however, still maintain a profound level of empathy for Hong Im thanks to Bingbing Fan’s striking performance and an emotionally draining display of a grief-stricken individual finally coming to terms with her trauma.

Mother Bhumi is an unfortunate dilution of the broad array of ideas present, and sadly, fails to interrogate them thoroughly with its mix of sorcery and culturally historical aspects. Aided by a solid central performance from Bingbing Fan and sublime formal choices on display, the screenplay and atmospheric nature can never quite keep up with its technical merits, as the prolonged pacing and bloated runtime deeply affect the emotional resonance and lasting impact after the credits roll.

MOTHER BHUMI screened at the Tokyo International Film Festival on October 27th at 6.30pm.