Malbatt: Misi Bakara – the true story of Black Hawk Down in cinemas next year

MALBATT: Misi Bakara is a military film that is based on a true story of an operation that happened in the Bakara Market in Somalia in 1993.

It was where over a hundred Malaysian soldiers from the 19th battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army were part of United Nations peacekeeping troops helped rescue the United States of America’s troops.

It is believed that Malbatt: Misi Bakara is currently the most expensive movie ever made in the Malaysian film industry.

It is also produced by the Malaysian Army together with six other corporations including Berjaya Pictures, Act 2 Pictures, Fast Bikes, Aurum Investments Limited, Golden Screen Cinemas and Astro Shaw.

Speaking at a press conference, director Adrian Teh explained that the making of the film cost as much as RM20 million.

“After Paskal (the movie), I am constantly intrigued to tell another true Malaysian armed force story.

"Nothing is bigger than telling this well-known mission.

“I am glad that I am given this chance to tell our version of this story,” he expressed.

According to the Penangite, from the RM20 million, 70% of the cost was used for production materials, apart from payment for the cast members.

“It took us about 100 odd days to shoot – the shooting was also done in Turkey and that was where we had to spend the most because we could not bring the armoured personnel carrier (APC) from here (Malaysia) because it was just too difficult, hence we had to build it there (in Turkey).

“Apart from that, the uniforms that were used during the mission are already obsolete, so consequently we were not able to rent them. 

"Therefore the uniforms worn by the actors were all re-printed and all that cost a lot of money,” he said adding that the production also had to use computer-generated imagery (CGI) technology to make the setting of the movie realistic, like in the year of 1993.

For the record, in the year 2001 a movie about this incident known as Black Hawk Down was directed and produced by Englishman Sir Ridley Scott, grossed US$172 million worldwide with famous actors such as Samuel Shepard Rogers III, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, and Orlando Bloom amongst others.

However, this time around, the Malaysian version will be directed and produced from a different standpoint, Teh reiterated.

Teh also confessed that it took him over three years to prepare the script and spoke to 15 soldiers from the 19th battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army to understand more profoundly their sacrifices.

Meanwhile, Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun who was also present at the event as the representative of the movie producers highlighted it was crucial to inject a sense of national pride and emphasise the heroic sacrifices of the soldiers.

“It is important to correct the facts in this incident. (In the movie) Black Hawk Down, the American (US troops) were seen as the heroes… but we know for a fact that it was the Malaysian soldiers who were the real heroes,” he said.

“Apart from that, I also see the potential for this film to make a profit as it can be sold to foreign countries such as China, Indonesia and I am pretty sure the Muslim countries will also give their support.

“It would also be great if it (this movie) can achieve the same (profits) as Mat Kilau,” he smiled.

While Chief of Army General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Zamrose Mohd Zain who was also present, stated he was honoured to attend the event. However, was not able to give a lengthier speech as he was experiencing a sore throat.

Also present were Lieutenant General Datuk Seri Mohamad Ab Rahman, deputy chief of Army; Lieutenant General Datuk Mohd Sofi Md Lepi, chief staff of Army; Major General Datuk Hamzah Ali, assistant chief intelligence; Senator Datuk Seri Zurainah Musa, Finas chairperson; Syed Ali Shahul Hameed, joint group chief executive officer at Berjaya Corporation; Budi Citawan W Hanafi, managing director, Berjaya Pictures; Datuk Razak Al-Malique, chief executive officer at Fast Bikes and Carla Soong representative of Aurum Investments Limited. – The Vibes, September 12, 2022