15: The Movie

Audience Reviews

View All (80) audience reviews

Audience Member Desconozco el tipo de vida que llevarán los chicos de 15 años en Singapur, pero "15" no me convence de creer en su rara trama y extraña forma de actuar de los jovenes de su elenco, dejandome asqueado y furioso de haberla visto. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Desde Singapur esta película que nos muestra la vida de un grupo de adolescentes y que nos enseña que a pesar de la distancia hay problemas globales, nuestros jóvenes se ven involucrados en una vida de autodestrucción por que la vida no tiene ningún sentido. Una narrativa que le debe mucho al vídeo clip pero que a su vez la hace "interesante" unas vidas perdidas donde solo se cuenta con la pandilla. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Of all cult / documentary framed movies (I have watched), this one the boldest, most awakening and most uncomfortable. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Gritty and in your face. Just a little long that's all. Great stuff about youths getting wasted. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member FASCINATING! "15" provides amazing insight into a segment of the youth culture in contemporary Singapore. The streets in Singapore are supposedly spotless and you can walk around at 3 a.m. without worrying about being attacked. (No one says that you won't face intense law enforcement interrogation for being out at 3 a.m. but thugs won't attack you.) I have to mention remembering a controversy surrounding an American blond teenager visiting Singapore named Michael Fay. He was punished by caning in April 1994, for alleged vandalism. The thought of punishment by caning caused an international sensation. President Clinton even got involved in the matter. He strong-armed the Singapore government into reducing the number of strikes from six to four. Few Americans realize that when an official Singaporean caning is administered (by no less than a professional martial arts person), the skin is obliterated with the first strike. Bleeding begins immediately. Permanent scars are common. The activities portrayed by the young males in "15", all non-professional actors who actually lived in public housing, are eye opening, if not shocking. I was thoroughly entertained. The camerawork is cutting edge and magnificent. There are times when you almost feel that you are watching little MTV moments. Vibrant visuals combined with interesting rhythmic musical patterns are shown when a new gang affiliation is made. These boys change gangs as quick as garage bands changed names and personnel during my youth. The kids are young. They feel angry and alone in a city that refuses to acknowledge their existence. The only comfort this group of young men have is the transitory nature guys have with guys as they define which gang they belong. At the end of "15", little postscripts about the characters are given: some are under criminal investigation, one is dead, another "whereabouts unknown." I don't know if this is truth or fiction. I suspect it may be truth. In all but one case, the characters' names are the same as the names they were born with. "15" was shown throughout the world before being viewed by a public Singaporean audience. When it was seen in Singapore, 27 cuts were required. (They are restored in the DVD.) Feeling lonely, in spite of belonging to a gang is the mental state of the boys in "15". They are in a constant state of distress. Most of the worry and stress is caused by parental factors which stress the value of money over EVERYTHING. It is a capitalistic economic system run amuck. The boys worry about parental rejection for failing ONE test. You see gorgeous slim guys posing as tuffs with tattoos reciting gang rap. The director, Royston Tan, shows the boys for what they are: young kids with frail bodies who have no one but each other. The film is extremely graphic. You may find it hard to watch at times. You will be watching the boys walking down the street. All of the sudden, a girl falls on the sidewalk. Her head gushes blood. She has committed suicide. There is a face piercing which is no special effect. Melvin, Vynn and Shaun are members of a typical gang. They talk about sex, indulge in drugs, get tattoos and piercings, and fill their seemingly aimless, pointless lives with various forms of mischief. Shaun then ditches Melvin and Vynn for a new gang: Erick (Erick Chun) and Armani (Melvin Lee) bring with them a new set of emotional baggage: Armani is determined to commit suicide. Erick becomes the object of Shaun's affection. The unique chemistry between the cast and writer-director Tan is obvious. It is incredible this is Tan's very first feature. I truly felt his enthusiasm for filmmaking. I know that the general theme of troubled teens is nothing unique, but it takes a Gregg Araki to present anything remotely comparable. These aren't the soulless delinquents you find in a Larry Clark film. There are wonderful sectional divisions with little philosophical underpinnings such as: "A second to err. A Lifetime to pay." "Life's second greatest pain: Rage." "The third species: A walking corpse." "The world's most lethal drug: Despair." The love these boys have for each other is beautiful beyond words. It is just so unfortunate at this time in their lives, they believe if they don't die of AIDS they'll get cancer. I was truly moved. I believe that you will too. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member deep and dark...mainly explicit with a taste of black humor,portrayed "disturbing"experience of teenage angst...gangs,drugs,suicides,social-psychological crap etc might be funny or scary...too realistic or just some "nonsense & unbelievable" part of youth looking for entertainment value? PASS IT! Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews

15: The Movie

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW