THE title of this movie refers to the protagonist's name of course, but while GTR does stand for Gran Turismo Racing, something which he loves, it also stands for 'Gadis Turbo Romantik' (Romantic Turbo Girl), a description of the heroine.
'Reeza' marks popular director Datuk Dr Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri's first "three-in-one" movie specially for fans of romance, comedy and action.
Boasting a star-studded cast headlined by actor, singer, television host and entrepreneur Alif Satar and model-actress Sophia Albarakbah, 'Reeza' is a collaboration between Grand Brilliance Studios and Primeworks Studios that truly pumps up the adrenaline of audiences.
Not only are the main characters "eye candy" and the four filming locations very scenic, but best of all, 'Reeza' pays glowing tribute to two "unsung heroes" of Malaysian society — the Scouts and silat exponents.
Ahmad Idham was a boy scout during his schooldays and also watched silat exponents in action back then. That is why he chose to honour the two extra-curricular activities which helped "shape" him later in life.
'Reeza' tells the story of an unexpected encounter that changes the life of a young car repossessor named Reeza, played brilliantly by Alif.
The 30-year-old bachelor works in a car repossession company owned by his eccentric family friend Farish (Cat Farish), who is literally hair-raising.
One day, his life drastically changes when he discovers a beautiful young woman named Myra (Sophia Albarakbah) in the boot of one of his repossessed cars.
Reeza learns that Myra is on the run from a roguish silat master and village landowner Din (Ropie) who has forced her kindly father Manan (Datuk Seri Eizlan Yusof), an honest-to-goodness silat master, to marry off Myra to his equally roguish son Ikhwan (Noki) by duping Manan into signing a one-sided contract to the detriment of his family.
Before Myra can explain her situation, Din's gangsters come in hot pursuit of her, and Reeza who is a dedicated scout chooses to help Myra flee to safety in his home village in Kuala Langat, Selangor.
There he seeks the help of his foster mother (Mas Anizan) and foster sister (Nelissa Nizam), as well as fellow villagers to help Manan and Myra thwart Din, Ikhwan and their gang who are determined to make the wedding happen at all costs.
The good director describes the message behind this film as follows: While some things in life are fated by God, sometimes random meetings between people that can change one' s fortunes for the better.
But on a closer look, 'Reeza's true message is about always being there for your loved ones, never forgetting your roots and not forgetting the wholesome values you learnt back in school, especially as a boy scout and silat exponent.
Ahmad Idham shot the movie in four different locations, namely Kuala Langat, Port Dickson, Bentong and Alor Gajah, and this gives it magnificent sceneries.
The ensemble, headed by Alif and Sophia, did a stellar job throughout the month-long filming in February, and it is great to see Sophia pushing herself hard to play an action heroine who holds her own against the rough baddies in several fight scenes.
Reeza's minor hiccups are two — the film has a few throwbacks to Ahmad Idham's previous films such as 'Impak Maksima', and this is a deliberate gimmick to promote its sequel, 'Impak Maksima 2' which will hit cinemas at the year end.
Alif also has his catchy "teeny bopper" song. 'Jangan Nakal', performed in one of the light-hearted scenes in Reeza's foster mother's house.
Sophia's Myra is a milestone and breakthrough in her acting career.
Playing Myra is a quantum leap of sorts, as Myra is a lot stronger than her usual girl-next-door characters.
Myra does not need saving by Reeza — she is pretty good in silat as her father is a master of the martial art.
She is honest and principled, a girl on a mission looking for something important to her family that leads to her being pursued by thuggish men who have an axe to grind against her father.
Alif's Reeza is an honest-to-goodness young man who was not very ambitious and lives one day at a time, but all that changes after he rescues Myra and helps her on her mission.
Followers of multi-talented Alif may find his Reeza too similar to other characters he has played in the past — the wholesome boy-next-door who loves to take on life's many challenges.
But that is what makes Reeza a likeable character, and such a character is sorely needed as a moral compass to Malaysians in this time and age.
'Reeza' may not be a challenging, thought-provoking movie with plot twists aplenty, but it is a heartwarming story that young Malaysians can identify with in a time of social ills aplenty.
Our car-loving boy scout hero is brave, kind-hearted, strong, resourceful and most of all, he wears the Rukunegara and the Scouts' pledge on his sleeve.
In box:
OPENS TODAY
REEZA GTR
DIRECTED BY Datuk Dr Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri
STARRING Alif Satar, Sophia Albarakbah, Datuk Seri Eizlan Yusof, Ropie, Noki, Cat Farish, Mas Anizan, Nelissa Nizam, Yassin Yahya, Niezam Zaidi, Man Raja Lawak
DURATION 90 minutes
RATING U