1884. Mission: Destroy Love (2014)

Starring: Maya Karin, Bront Palarae, Izara Aishah

Director: Osman Ali

Running Time: 95 mins

Mission: Destroy Love (Sejoli) is a Malaysian film about a man and a woman who, after having been dumped in their respective relationships, have a chance meeting on holiday in Thailand, and despite their initial differences, decide to band together to bring down the marriage of their former partners.

Although largely harmless, Mission: Destroy Love doesn’t win any plaudits for trying something a little different, due to a very generic and predictable story from start to finish that borrows all sorts of plot elements from other films and doesn’t do enough to establish its own identity, coming off as nothing more than another formulaic hour and a half of will they won’t they rom-com fare.

But let’s start on the bright side, with the fact that the film can be a fairly enjoyable watch at times. Although it’s not a riveting story by any means, and doesn’t manage to provide any really funny comedy, it has all the hallmarks of a pleasant and simple romantic-comedy, and in that you can have some fun provided that you sit back and don’t expect any sort of real quality.

What’s more is that the two lead performances from Maya Karin and Bront Palarae are pretty entertaining. The same definitely can’t be said for a few completely over-the-top supporting turns, however the two leads are both likable and lively enough throughout to make you care about their story. Again, there’s nothing particularly riveting or emotionally engrossing when it comes to that side of the story, however the two lead actors do a decent job at getting you on their characters’ side, something that really helps to make the film a lot more bearable than it could have been.

In truth, however, there’s not really anything else to rave about with Mission: Destroy Love. With pacing as clunky as its title throughout, and plot twists that can be seen from the very first seconds of the movie, the film proves a little tiresome in its generic nature, with a dull romance blossoming between the two likable leads, and an even more dull take on Throw Momma From The Train, as they attempt to bring down their ex-partners’ new love.

There are a lot of romantic comedies out there, but the only ones that work are the ones that take the generic foundations and add liveliness, great characters, good pacing and genuinely interesting characters into the equation, and that’s where this film really falls down. Yes, it’s fairly pleasant and passable, but it doesn’t have anything to make it stick out from the crowd, leaving it as just another romantic comedy to fall by the wayside, and that’s why I’m giving it a 6.8.