Director: Ramanathan Undiapah

Cast: Julius Silas, William Bereung, Majorie Noan, Theodore Tei

Rating: PG | Genre(s): Drama | Run Time: 1hr 30mins (appr.)

A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES FOR FILM CRITICS AND A TRUE TREAT FOR PNG’S GRASSROOTS

“Ples Man 2, a sequel to the film Ples Man, continues the story of the resilient character Eric in his journey to bring change to his community.”

After bringing change to his community and establishing a family of his own, young Eric (Julius Silas) decides to run for the up-coming by-elections as a member for Rural Development. But tensions are high as he comes face-to-face with a serious political rival, Victor (William Bereung) who will do anything to prevent Eric from taking a position of power.

Julius Silas commonly known by his social media persona, Tuli Mahn, delivered an average performance at best. Although he was the main character, the spotlight was stolen by William Bereung a.k.a Bata Rat through his performance as the villainous character, Victor. Silas’ acting was flat and emotionless compared to Bereung’s which was passionate and natural. Although both individuals are known for comedy content, Bereung appeared to have more range, being able to play both serious and funny characters.

The script had no buildup and especially in critical moments. Characters accepted major events or choices without much resistance or debate. For instance, when the character Eric says that he wants to stand during the upcoming by-elections, his buddies immediately agree to his decision immediately. Realistically such major decisions will be thought through before coming to an agreement.

On the other hand, characters such as the Prime Minister (Theodore Tei) delivered his dialogue with zest especially in scenes depicting political speeches.

Filming prisoners wasn’t the best creative choice. Inmates’ faces had to be blurred for privacy purposes. In the case of filming for entertainment, getting actors to play the part of prisoners would’ve been the best choice. The prison scene amidst the fictional scenes was out of place and put the film in a state of disarray, making you question whether Ples Man 2 is a feature film for entertainment or a documentary.

Captions were used unnecessarily and in big bold lettering drawing attention away from the scene. Small, simple fonts would be more effective to communicate locations or using establishing shots.

In spite of its flaws, Ples Man 2’s cinematography, editing and direction has improved greatly from the last film thanks to the input of individuals such as TJ Agua and SP William Wangare. Compared to Ples Man 1, Ples Man 2 has made efforts to ‘show the story’ instead of just ‘telling the story’.

The first installment of the franchise was characterized by means of long dialogues and monologues whereas Ples Man 2 focused more on actions complemented by appropriate interchanges to communicate its message.

Issues such as sorcery accusation related violence, payback killing, political struggle, and grief are topics that the average Papua New Guinean will relate to be able to empathize with.

Final Thoughts:

Ples Man 2 is unwatchable to the educated Papua New Guinean, however to the grassroots, it is a voice – a window to their soul and livelihood. No, it wasn’t the best PNG film, but it certainly will open doors to more films in the future.

Rating: 3/10

Best enjoyed for educational purposes.