The problem of corruption is endemic, and in Crossroads One Two Jaga we can see that it can be everywhere. Especially when it comes to the police, the institution that should take care of the security of people, ends up having more elements that are corrupted in the name of money. We have seen this kind of movie done many times by different countries and, this time, it was made in Asia. This is happening, more specifically, in Kuala Lumpur (watch on Netflix).
Indice
In Crossroads One Two Jaga, therefore, we have a tangle of stories that intertwine until finally putting off the ties that bind them, coming together in a climax that intends to impress the one who watches. The film, however, has some obvious problems, of which we will speak shortly. First of all, we must explain that the Malaysian feature shows the structural problems of a resource-poor country, such as Malaysia, that end up yielding to several social problems that are well demonstrated here.
One of them is related to the immigrants. Everyone knows that the world is going through a chaotic situation regarding huge groups of people who want to leave their countries of origin and try to live elsewhere. The most notorious case is between Mexico and the United States, which has an old feud about it – and the current president, Donald Trump, even promised to build a wall to prevent these people from entering illegally. It is no different in other places on the planet. In Malaysia, there is also a huge influx of people from neighboring countries entering it to try their luck in jobs that nobody wants, usually those who have strenuous journeys with poorly payment. They submit to this by betting on a future improvement, which often never comes.
The drama in Crossroads One Two Jaga focuses on this side of the problem: people who end up entering the country dreaming of a better life, but end up being hit by the reality that surrounds them. To this is mixed a police plot involving an agent with good intentions and another, completely corrupt, who ultimately decide the fate of these people. The plot, as you can see, is very interesting and can hold your attention most of the time. Only by the social side that the film demonstrates, it would be worth watching it. But as we said, there are problems in the structure that end up hindering the development of the film.
But it may not matter at all. Crossroads One Two Jaga has a powerful message to deliver, even with so many flaws in its production. If you like movies that have the power to make you reflect, this is an interesting one to watch. The production may be poor, but the intention is noble. It’s a police movie that holds your attention if you can relativize its problems.
You can also like Baby, Battle, Time Share and The World Is Yours.
Synopsis 1: Immigrant laborers and corrupt police. In a world of desperation, doing the right thing isn’t just hard. It’s dangerous.
Synopsis 2: In Kuala Lumpur, an abused domestic worker tries to escape to Indonesia, while an idealistic cop insists on fighting corruption – at a heavy price.
Age rating: 14;