Every few years or so, there will be a movie that will draw controversy for its content. Very often, the movie will be banned or severely censored before its release.

There have been cases such as the 2013’s highly controversial Tanda Putra, a film on May 13 racial riots that took many liberties with history and demonised certain opposition politicians.

That film, however, was not widely viewed, relying on support from fringe politicians and special screenings.

This year on June 23, Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan was released, and it has been breaking box office records week after week.

Although projected as a “historical movie”, the movie opens with a...