The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines

The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines
Directed by	Yusry Abdul Halim
Produced by	Norman Abdul Halim Edry Abdul Halim Johan Lucas Amaludin Syukri
Written by	Yusry Abdul Halim Amir Hafizi
Starring	Stephen Rahman Hughes Jing Lusi Gavin Stenhouse Khir Rahman Craig Robert Fong
Music by	Edry Abdul Halim
Cinematography	Mohd. Nor
Distributed by	Malaysia: KRU Studios International: Epic Pictures
Release date(s)	March 10, 2011 (2011-03-10)
Running time	110 minutes
Country	Malaysia
Language	Malay English Chinese
Budget	RM8 million

The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines (aka Clash Of Empires: The Battle For Asia in the United Kingdom) is a 2011 Malaysian epic action film loosely based on the 16th century document Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa. Released in Malaysia under the Malaysian language title Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, the film is directed, co-written, and co-produced by Yusry Abdul Halim. Narrating the early history of the state of Kedah, it stars Stephen Rahman Hughes as Merong Mahawangsa, who escorted Prince Marcus Carprenius of the Roman Empire to Langkasuka to marry Princess Meng Li Hua from the Han Dynasty of China, thus uniting the two powers of east and west. The aim for the making of this film is to introduce the history and culture of ethnic Malays internationally. This film is produced and distributed by KRU Studios.

The budget for this film is estimated at around RM8 million, the second most expensive film ever made in Malaysia behind Puteri Gunung Ledang (which cost around RM16.6 million). This film uses CGI technology to save costs and to reconstruct Maritime Southeast Asia in 2nd century A.D..

This film was shown for the first time during a royal presentation on February 25. It is playing in cinemas nationwide beginning on March 10, 2011. This is the first Malaysian language feature to be released on the Blu-ray format. It will be released in the United Kingdom on Blu-ray on 23 May 2011.

Plot

The story begins with a mysterious man writing about the history of this kingdom so that the people would not forget the history of the early heroes. In the year 120 AD, the powerful Roman Empire, under the reign of Hadrian, had expanded its rule to the Central Asian countries. During their time of expanding, the great Roman Empire agreed to create an alliance with the Han Dynasty by marrying their two prince and princess, thus uniting the two powers of East and West. The Roman prince Marcus Carprenius (Gavin Stenhouse) did not agree with the decision. Instead, he would like to be free and not controlled. The Han's Dynasty princess, Meng Li Hua (Jing Lusi) also wanted to be free instead being trapped by royal treatment.

The Roman fleet sailed off from the coast of Arabia to the mysterious peninsula dividing the two great kingdoms. The Roman fleet were struck by a strong storm, which caused the Romans to lose much of their fleet. They instead went to the coast of Goa. They are greeted by a local Goan dealer (Mano Maniam) and were later introduced to Merong Mahawangsa (Stephen Rahman-Hughes), said to be the descendant of Alexander the great himself. Merong is preparing a duel against Sunder (Ravi Sunderlingam), a Goan Nobleman after Merong had a secret relationship with the nobleman's sister, Yasodharā (Deborah Henry). Merong defeats Sunder and Marcus is impressed by Merong's fighting skill. After an agreement between Merong and Marcus, Merong agreed to escort Marcus to the peninsula while Lycius (Eric Karl Henrik Norman), the Roman fleet admiral returns to Rome and promises to return to Goa with a brand new fleet (carrying the payment for the passage of the prince to the Golden Chersonesos in gold. Merong is also promised a ship large enough to explore the known world.

Merong escorted Marcus to the peninsula and is greeted by the Chinese Admiral Liu Yun (Craig Robert Fong). Merong tells Marcus and Liu Yun that this peninsula was where he grew up and it is owned by several tribes. The night before the marriage, Meng Li Hua and her handmaiden, Ying Ying (Nell Ng) agreed to run away and begin a new life in the peninsula. But Marcus followed Meng, resulting in their first meeting. The royal couple then grew closer to each other as they discovered how they both had a common wish of being free from palace life. In the morning, The Chinese and the Romans are attacked by the pirate nation, Garuda. The Garuda leader, Taji (Wan Hanafi Su) uses black magic and sorcery before attacking to weaken their enemies. Meng and Ying Ying is kidnapped by Kamawas (Khir Rahman). Marcus tried to stop Kamawas but is stabbed and falls into the sea. Heavily outnumbered, The Chinese and the Romans were heavily outnumbered and defeated. Merong, enraged by Marcus' apparent death, kills most of the Garuda fighters but is heavily injured and passed out.

Merong woke up as he is getting treated by a tribe leader named Kesum (Rahim Razali). Kesum and Embok (Ummi Nazeera), one of the village's nurses treat Merong until he is well enough to fight again. Merong learns that Kesum and Taji were students to a once great magician and a brave warrior. Taji wanted the great magician's amulet of immortality. Taji killed the great magician during his sleep and led a small band of fighters to terrorize the villages and Taji also killed Merong's mother, Lang (Umie Aida). Embok was once raped by Kamawas during a raid and Merong swore revenge to Kamawas. Kesum told Merong of a prophecy that a great warrior will come and unite all the tribe into one kingdom and defeat the enemy. Kesum believes that Merong is the one. After hearing the prophecy, Merong became Kesum's student and began uniting the tribes.

In the island of Garuda, Meng and Ying Ying are held captives for ransoms by Taji and Kamawas. Meng and Ying Ying manages to steal Kamawas a piece of the amulet of immortality. After Merong manages to unite all the tribes, they became one kingdom known as Langkasuka and began a new civilization. Merong is then suddenly met by Liu Yen, Marcus (who was saved by Liu Yun and gets treated) and a small group of Chinese soldiers. Liu Yen told Merong that they have to save the princess before she gets killed. Merong is then given a ship full of mirrors by Liu Yun. As Merong prepares his fighters to invade the island of Garuda, Embok confessed her love to Merong.

Merong launches an attack toward Garuda in the morning. The Garuda prepared their ships and outnumbered Merong's fighters at least five to one. Merong revealed that he used the ship full of mirrors to create a similar weapon to Archimedes Heat Ray and used it to set all the Geruda ships and boats on fire (along with some of the men). Taji then used sorcery to make storms and cover the sun with black clouds, rendering the weapon useless. After a heroic speech, Merong and his fighters launch an attack and land on the beaches. After a brief fight, Merong's fighters manage to take control the beach but another wave of Garuda fighters led by Taji came in to destroy the fighters. Merong's fighters fight to their death while Marcus confronts Kamawas, but Kamawas defeated Marcus easily. Before Kamawas could finish Marcus off, Liu Yen came in to stop Kamawas but is killed in the process. Most of Merong's fighters were killed. However, shortly after, A large fleet of the Romans and the Chinese, led by Admiral Lycius arrived on the scene and attacks Garuda, changing the tide of the battle. Merong arrives to save Marcus and confronts Kamawas. After a brief duel, Kamawas is finally defeated. Merong tries to kill Taji but is stabbed. Merong made a sacrifice by taking the amulet off and pushing the sword forward, thus killing them both. Right after Merong dies, The Romans and the Chinese attack and finish off the last of the Garuda, ending the battle.

Many years after the great battle, it is revealed that the mysterious narrator is Sultan Mudzafar Shah (Hafizuddin Fadzil), the first Sultan of Kedah writing about the history of Merong Mahawangsa in the Kedah Annals. Sultan Mudzafar Shah tells that Langkasuka was known as a great and proud Kingdom. The film ends with Merong pronounce a hero and the first king of Langkasuka.^[1]

Cast

• Stephen Rahman-Hughes: Merong Mahawangsa, hero from Kedah, Malay. He is the main character of the film.
• Gavin Stenhouse: Marcus Carprenius, Prince of the Roman Empire.
• Jing Lusi: Meng Li Hua, Princess of the Han Dynasty.
• Craig Robert Fong: Liu Yun, Admiral of China.
• Eric Karl Henrik Norman: Lycius, Admiral of Rome.
• Keith Chong: Emperor of China.
• Deborah Henry: Yasodharā, The wife of Prince Siddhārtha Gautama.
• Wan Hanafi Su: Taji, The leader of the pirate nation of Geruda.
• Dato' Haji Rahim Razali: Kesum, a Malay medicine man who knew Merong since he was young.
• Khir Rahman: Kamawas, Taji's student, and a pirate who kidnapped Princess Meng Li Hua.
• Ummi Nazeera: Embok, A nurce and also Merong's lover.
• Nell Ng: Ying Ying, Princess Meng Li Hua close and personal friend
• Jehan Miskin: Embi, The Malay warrior.
• Umie Aida: Lang, Merong Mahawangsa's mother.
• Hafizuddin Fadzil: Sultan Mudzafar Shah (Also called Phra Ong Mahawangsa)
• Mano Maniam: The Local Goan dealer.
• Ravi Sunderlingam: Sunder, The Goan Warrior.

Release

The first official trailer was released in October 2010. Just a couple of months after the production was complete. KRU Studios later revealed that the film will be screening in the cinemas in 11 March 2011, just one day after the release of Battle: Los Angeles that was released in 10 March 2011.

Following KRU Studios attempt to screen the film worldwide, The film was shown for the first time during a royal presentation on February 25. After a positive feedback by critics, the film agreed to make it worldwide. The film will be shown in 69 other countries, Besides Singapore and Brunei. The date and the list of the countries are yet to be announced.

The film will be aired in Astro First on the 21st April 2011, The same day that the DVD were released.

The United Kingdom was the first country to be released besides Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. The film adopted the title Clash of Empires: Battle for Asia instead the original English title, The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines.^[2]

Beside the United Kingdom, The film is expected to release the film in another country during between April and May.

Home Media

Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa was released in DVD format on the 21st April 2011 in Malaysia. In the United Kingdom, the film will be released on Blu-ray and DVD under the title Clash of Empires: Battle for Asia on 23 May 2011.^[3] The release in the UK makes the film the first Malaysian film to be released on Blu-ray format.

Box office

Following the March 10 release, the film collected MYR 6.3 million ^[4] (only in Malaysia) by the end of March, making the film the most successful local epic film.

Promotion

A 30 minute program called Di Sebalik Tabir "Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa" (in English, Behind the scenes "The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines") was broadcast on a Malaysian local network as a promotion. The program showed carious elements behind the scenes and also exclusive interviews with the cast and the crew.^[5]

Reference

1. ^ KRU, Studios. "hikayat merong mahawangsa". http://www.krustudios.com/Merong_Mahawangsa. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
2. ^ Play.Com - Clash Of Titans: The Battle For Asia. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
3. ^ Play.Com - Clash Of Titans: The Battle For Asia. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
4. ^ KRU Studios surpasses initial target from 'Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa' movie . Retrieved April 11, 2011.
5. ^ Youtube Watch - Di Sebalik Tabir "Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa". Retrieved April 25, 2011.

External links

• The Malay Chronicles: Bloodlines at the Internet Movie Database