Mrs K (2016)

Upper-class homemaker Mrs. K appears to be a beautiful, elegant, upper-class lady focused only on cooking and parenting. But a sudden turn of events shockingly reveals that her real skills are in fighting and survival. The urbane yet cold spaces captured in the film visually accentuate the threatening situation she has fallen into: She is being blackmailed by an ex-cop from Macau, and a young couple has kidnapped her teenage daughter. Trapped in such life-threatening situations, the mother and daughter are each able to be a "strong woman" in her own right. Mrs. K, with her extraordinary past, has been keeping secrets from her husband and the ex-cop. The tension that builds up as a result of such narrative elements is complemented by occasional light humor. Focusing on the characters' psychologies rather than the thrilling speed of action also makes the film unique. The heroine demonstrating her explosive energy in action scenes gives a long-lasting impression, and the presence of her daughter, who has an exceptionally-strong character, also contributes to the narrative's mysteriousness. A film that demonstrates the creativity and uniqueness of action films in Malaysia today.