User Reviews

When i heard Joko Anwar name, I can't let go of his figure from horror and thriller, which is genre that his known for. Quite surprised when i heard Gundala will directed by him, but at the same time, i feel optimistic this movie at least have quality control about cinematography and decent storyline. Some of characteristic that Joko Anwar offer in every movie that directed by him. Trailer was good, and hype kinda high because they wanted Gundala to become opening of the original Indonesian superheros cinematic universe.

So, about the movie. Like i was expected, Joko Anwar pour his directing style to Gundala, make it little bit darker even for standard of DC heroes movie universe in the this decade of course after The Dark Knight or Nolan era. It kinda feel like i'm watching thriller or horror movie in some part of scene. From first part of until middle part of movie the storyline was solid, but after from there to the end, the plot are kinda messy and transition between each scene feel in rush to reach the ending. Some of scene have cringey moment of superheroes movie too.

The main issue that brought here feel like too many political critisism that they wanted push upfront all at once and make we almost lose focused about Gundala and shifting into Ridwan Bahri versus Pengkor. The final fight feel little bit stiff and too much jumping for one enemy to next enemy and some small but important side character feel like they just in there for some moment and next time, everyone just forget they ever exist, we not really know what happens with them eventually, and talking about CGI, i don't expect to much from start and yeah, its kinda mediocre when some of Indonesia movie that released at the same year have better CGI quality consider this movie are one of ambitious project that ever happen in Indonesia movie history.

Sancaka and Wulan are lacking of chemistry make us almost forget that they supposedly be our hero and heroine. Even little Sancaka with Awang have better chemistry, and personally i think Awang have one of good and smooth choreography fighting scene even if just happen for short time. So far the cinematography good, music scoring good, and some fighting scene are cool, but it being messy at half part till the end with incosistent quality of storyline movement. With all the hype that hanging around Bumi Langit Universe, i hope at least they will learn to maintain good storyline, improve acting quality, and considered how wisely use CGI placement to support the script for next Project/movie. So we will see this superheroes genre movie more in the Indonesia movie market at the future.

From the very start to the middle of the story where we are brought throughout the harsh life Sancaka has to endure at a very young age until he was mature enough to take care of himself (and anybody else who needs help), I was ready to give it a 9 out of 10, a rarity for a superhero movie, especially local superheroes (as there weren't so much of Indonesian comicbook movies before): great character build up, better than most superhero origin story, without having to impose so much of Marvel-style forced jokes, that reflects the condition of the real life of low class Indonesian citizens.

But alas, "wasted potential" was the common theme that would, I think, perfectly describe the execution of the third act, where our hero was faced by his hardest test of strength and faith: it was so rushed that almost none of the interesting, strong bad guys (and girls) has any value at all. why not make the movie a little (or much, depends) longer then, to make space for the development of these badass bad people that would automatically lift the movie to the same world-class level of "The Raid" and "The Raid 2"? Well, maybe it's the matter of the budget or the family friendly rating, I don't know for sure, the point is, for a director as hard-working and dedicated as Joko Anwar, it's pretty disappointing.

The CGI isn't so great by Hollywood standard. Fighting scenes kind of remind you of action movies like "The Raid" instead of a comicbook movie (without so much of lightning power, Gundala's iconic attribute), maybe it's the impact of the budget problem, but I think it was intentional as the great director himself has declared that in this movie, Sancaka hasn't even realized about his true potential, his true identity.

But still, it's a good start for local heroes to rise up in their own cinematic universe against the hagemony that is the MCU and DCEU among local movie-goers. Something that probably only my country is confident enough to do so.

The latest Joko Anwar movie GUNDALA is set to be the first Bumi Langit cinematic universe. the story is grim and dark, what I love about this movie is the opening scene that tells a lot about the character straight to the point and it's beautiful.

I feel like the pacing of this movie is kinda slow. I mean the guy doesn't even become his alter ego until over an HOUR into the movie. Also his power is kinda lame in the movie. He can absorb thunder and shoot it back, it also heals him, and makes him indestructible. but it is almost like if he shoots a single bolt he can't use those powers until he is struck by lightning again. This dude's main way of beating baddies is martial arts. Now I love a good martial arts film and this was enjoyable BUT I wanted to see a superhero throwing thunderbolts not punches. This dude is just basically daredevil that can throw a bolt every once in a while.

Plus you think a hero who NEEDS thunder to use powers would fight crime during thunderstorms

I actually anticipated Gundala since they released the trailer. Sadly the story-telling isn't as great as the cinematography. The first 40 minutes felt totally flat, with few scenes which didn't add any importance to the whole movie, therefore made the first act dragged on too long. The rest of the movie had some jumbled up scene which didn't make any sense and confusing. Hopefully they could improve for the next movie.

This movie is so cool, i love all the plot twists, i love the heroes that are very 'human', i love the villains that are also very 'human', i love how they show how ugly politics & politicians are in Indonesia, i love how the movie keep me on suspense. AWESOME!!!

Not bad but the editing movement is too fast when how did he get his strength. In this scene we need something more dramatic like in the film Dragonball when a superhero character is transforming to gain power. Slowing down on that scene, then it will be more exciting to watch.

The superhero "feel" was there, maybe because like almost all superheroes, they have a dark past, etc. but the storyline execution was a huge mess! The story telling was all over the place. There was no timeline whatsoever and after the first 15 minutes or so, I just gave up making sense of the story/plot. It jumps here and there and I lost sense of what I was watching. The main character building makes very little sense and look pointless. Could just been told as a flashback of some sort. The fighting scenes looked "lazy", dull, slow execution and looks too choreographed. Cecep as the villain fights way better than the superhero! They tried so hard to introduce too many characters in a short time, making another huge mess and pointless direction of the plot.

I can't believe the high rating this movie got here. Really?! I know they don't have Hollywood like budget, techs, etc. but at least a good storyline and fighting scenes (Silat!) could compensate that.

Hopefully the next BLU installment would have a more enjoyable storyline.

This Movie has a pretty good storyline, plot, and conflict. It has a grim and dark vibe to it. They made a good job on telling the Main Character childhood life with a really good cinematic, but they're lacking on introducing other characters more (except the Main Villain), and also it feels like there are some plot hole though here and there, like some part of it was skipped and not explained.

The conflict feels real here because they put "real life" conflict of how poor people are treated unjustly, hardship of street life, how money rules everything, and etc, where political is the main focus of it. We can also clearly see what was the motivation of the Main Villain, what makes him become what he is and what drives him to do so.

The pace are slow but well built, except at the third act that the pace are kinda a bit messy and feels rushed. The CGI are mediocre at best with one or two bad ones at some scenes (because of limited budget) but still enjoyable because this is not a typical CGI focused superhero movie. The Fight was kinda sluggish (it's understandable since the director is not experienced in action movies), but maybe it was intentional to make it that way because of the Main Character growth progress.

Overall it's a good movie nonetheless with some small notes here and there, a great opening movie for Bumilangit Cinematic Universe.

Great cinematography and story to tell. This era we need heroes and Joko can bring the man. This movie is f great

Joko Anwar, one of the most prominent filmmakers in Indonesia, delivers luwarm blockbuster that is full of cliches and unnecessary setups for its doomed universe.

Incoherent storytelling and series of action set pieces that serve no purpose in the plot except to showcase some fine stunt work. Its mash of random scenes. For example there is a scene of protagonist fighting the thugs then at the end of fight the scene switches to different group discussing. Then again, the scene switches to protagonist fighting a different group of thigs at different location. The film does not explain why or how the protagonist got there and why is he fighting.

Again because producers want to build "universe" they insert several random scenes that average audience will say "What just happened?"

Some production designs and cinematographies are quite decent. The vibe of the 1st act had mixed horror vibe with Dark Knight-ish tone. However, overall horrible script with terrible pacing combined with choppy edits made this film to become Daredevil instead of the Dark Knight.

I mean Ben Affleck's Daredevil

Relatively unoriginal script that screams of Nolan's Dark Knight and MCU influences, but a worthy watch as Indonesia's first superhero.

I liked the characters and cinematography, and as a native Jakartan it's wonderful to see my home city and its familiar faces represented on the silver screen.

The so-called "immoral drug" gave me a good laugh though.

Gundala interested me from the opening, especially when little Sancaka met his savior and they got befriended for a while. These two boys are great actors! And then came Abhimana who equally interested me with his performance. And the movie was able to keep me up until Pengkor's "soldiers" were introduced. I lost touch with most of them, except for Kelly and Cecep who did great. The others seemed a little bit lacking. The way the movie ended was a bit confusing and looked ill-produced. But overall I love all Joko's movie, no exception with Gundala. It's a hope for Indonesia's superheroes film, and for me as well; and I know the hope will keep me addicted to all Joko's movies.

Its a superhero movie without the usual cliches. Fast paced, brutal and dark at times and filled with tons of action. The background music is amazing. The best part is the character development n slick direction. The cinematography is gritty n the editing crispy. Director Joko Anwar has got an impressive body of work already. This guy is a real talent who deserves more recognition. If u enjoyed Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, then u will definitely enjoy this film too.

The movie could be better. The story goes too fast. The protagonist's motive is unclear, considering his previous point of view. There are too many political messages in the movie that kinda ruin the fun.

I've given it 4 purely because of some of the quality of the individual fights and that's being generous. The story is just totally incoherent, boring and the acting is sub-par. I don't even want to take about how repetitious the whole thing is too. Really and truly just recommended for diehard fans of the Indonesian comic book hero. Others beware!

One challenge when we talk about adapting comic characters into live action is expectation. I warn you, expect nothing but prepare to explore into uncharted territory.

Gundala, the patriot-we-deserve, many people are still afraid that it won't live up the hype. Well, here's a thing, the very first minute I sit, they managed to build a bit of tension, penetrating heart-touching drama, and still turned out great in the end of the first act. Thanks to Joko Anwar who successfully crafted a brilliant storyline, eventhough it's not faithful to comic version.

From my personal standpoint, unraveling the comic's plot is essential in order to satisfy the audiences. He made it more grounded and believable to tackle down the assumption that superhero movie must be CGI-tastic. Instead of enrich CGI fakery like Marvel franchise, he strengthen the characters building. And instead of putting supernatural ability, which is convincingly unreal, he focus on connecting the dots between characters and their backstory so they make it in a perfect circle. It seems, he has a grand vision to upcoming movies in Jilid 1.

Let's dig deeper into the movie. Aesthetically, much like his previous movie "Satan's Slave" (surprisingly, he also make a reference to it), Gundala is quite good at painting the lights. The combination between visual, choreography and scoring make it even more dramatic in consistent pace. Honestly, I got goosebumps on several scene of this movie.

As I mentioned above, grounded story helps Gundala at making sensible issues; addressing topdog vs underdog, racial inequity, civil disorder, moral dillemas and even LGBT. And yes, in Indonesia's context, it's very much relatable. It did something no movie had ever done before.

And what about Sancaka? At a glance, his costume looks a bit silly. But, as it turned out, that's the most reasonable costume with realistic elements, considering what Sancaka has been through. One thing that I have to appreciate about Sancaka is Joko's ability to depict him in a more "human" side. Moreover, the lead-villain Pengkor, is treated in similar way. He's capable at sending shivers down the spine, but at the same time, he delivers something that we choose to believe is for good purpose. These appealing plot will eventually lead us to twist we never saw coming. However, some repetitive scenes throughout the movie just didn't work out for me.

To sum up, Gundala is definitely benchmarking the future movies in Jilid 1 and become the stepping stone of Indonesia's creative industry.

So, are you ready to watch? Here is some advice. Get to know all characters who were introduced in Jagat Sinema Bumilangit press conference last week is highly recommended. Pay close attention, you'll find many easter eggs, don't miss any of them. Stay put, because there will be post-credit scene which some kind of tease for what's to come.

See you in cinema, folks!

As a movie critic, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed "Gundala". The plot was engaging and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire movie. The themes of good vs. Evil and the consequences of violence were handled well and added a layer of depth to the film.

The acting and characters were also a highlight. The lead actor portrayed the transformation of the protagonist from a humble, everyday man to a powerful superhero with great skill and emotional range. The supporting cast also delivered strong performances and added complexity to the film.

The direction and score were both impressive, with the director skillfully weaving together the various plot threads and the score adding to the tension and excitement of the action scenes. The cinematography and production design were also well done, creating a rich and immersive world for the story to unfold in.

Overall, "Gundala" was a thrilling and emotionally resonant superhero movie that left a lasting impression on me. It's definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre.

I dont know what happened actually on gundala movie, the plot story is really bad, i really dont understand with many people said gundala was dark movie like DC universe... Yeah that's make me laughing. Hope next movie will be better than Gundala. Thanks.

An honest no-spoiler-review, from someone who love marvel superheroesc and only knows Gundala by its name.

If I l'm going to watch a superhero movie, I want to see action, for sure, but a believable one.

The cinematography was amazing, and I think Indonesian moviemakers are starting to catch up with Hollywood. There are so many cool shots! Love to take them as still images. The fighting scenes were taken beautifully, with many long shots. I don't think even marvel do this. Many fighting scenes brought me back to Jackie Chan's films, and the legendary Old Boy corridor-fighting scene.

The story writing, regretfully, was poorly written. I expected much from big name like Joko Anwar, but I have to be honest that it's just a poorly written story. For an origin story, a background of a superhero must be established with enough clarity. Until the very end, I still don't catch what is Gundala's superpowers. Super strength? Super fast? Thunder? It's not even clear whether Gundala himself know his power or not. The pacing was awful and I can barely sympathize with any character. They're either introduced too fast or not introduced at all.

The world building was interesting, but it lacks of screen time. Every demonstration or political scenes are held with close ups. Let the audience know the city, let them feel familiar with its architecture or urban elements, let them be there.

The dialogues and monologues are cheesy and pretentious. The lines were just awful and far from inspiring. And why all the character speaks proper Bahasa while living in a slum-ish urban settings? The audience couldn't relate to it because nobody talk like that real life.

Also it's an action film, and Indo movie makers always forget how they got the good names. We should learn from the Raid 1 and 2 again. It's not the actor, it's how the fights are choreographed and presented. The actors in the movie can be seen seeing where the hits will come from, and the punches are just too shallow.

And last, I know it's hard to make a movie that will be compared to MCU. But it can't be helped. These guys make BLU and supposed to ready for the comparison. But please make a movie that is clear, and just believable. I hope a lot from these movie makers, please don't just throwing all the good actors. MCU started with less known actors for a reason, and you guy should learn from it. Cheers.