i have to admit that i liked this movie despite it being touted as another one of those ha-ha-boring!, predictable teen flicks. i dont know what crack those other reviewers were on but this was more enjoyable than i had expected it to be. and dont ever let this movie poster deceive you. there may be a big bunch of teenagers(and curiously, a teacher too), but dont fall for it. before i continue, i'd like to note that if you're in the mood for another typical teen movie to waste your increasingly decreasing money-needed-for-fossil-fuel on, dont bother watching this. instead, you should be watching 5SA1, 5SA2, 5SA3 or even 5SA5. (dont ask me about the almost identical movie titles; i'm guessing copycats.)

lets cut to the chase. this movie is downright crazy in a humorous, nerdy, violent, grotesque, perverted, explosive way. seriously, watching it will be like reliving those school days you had those past years. this eponymously-named movie not also captures the students of 5SA4 as they really are, it also documents the hilarious, never-seen-anywhere-else happenings in and around the school. one prime example would be [SPOILER] the day the ceiling of the teachers' office collapsed, bringing down a torrent of dust and debris(not just any normal debris, student included) onto unsuspecting teachers going about their usual routine of book-marking, gossiping and coffee-drinking competitions.

the classic school atmosphere - literally a mixture of minuscule sweat droplets, evaporated sleep-induced saliva and sound waves of hokkien expletives - is really a bringer of nostalgia. being introduced to the teachers in one scene also brings back many memories of how much you wanted to whack a few of your previous ones with a chocolate yule log.

in the movie, you also get to observe the many notorious school traditions the students religiously adhere to. the compulsory birthday tradition of having your shorts forcefully torn off, for instance, is both rather disconcerting and entertaining at the same time. the only way you'd be able to avoid such immoral outrage is to keep your birth date a secret. and boy, you'd be laughing your head off at the desperate measures some of these students take to do that.

but of course, this movie isnt all about fun and humour. there are moments of conflict so intense you'd think you were watching dreamgirls instead(yes, there's singing). i dont know if this was just another spoof or something, but there also seems to be a mild reference to 28 days later. the zombies, however, take the form of seriously sleep-deprived students. the carnage usually takes place the weeks before the school exams.

the bloopers and montage of sleeping students hypersalivating at the end is also really worth catching if you have time for 15 minutes of pointless i'd-like to-thank-my-parents credits rolling.

all in all, this movie was a surprisingly enjoyable watch, one of those few thought-provoking ones that comes along every once in a blue moon. yes, it has its stupid, insane moments but there's always a lesson to be learnt in the end. what lesson? that, i'd rather let you find out yourself. :)

duration of movie: 207 school days

17th July [UPDATE]: