Merantau. Review of Long Wai Ting

24.01.2010EvilDollaR

Among the large number of positive reviews of “Merantau”, I still managed to find one review, which is almost the direct opposite of the rest. Despite the negative attitude of the author of the article towards the film itself, it is quite interesting and has a right to exist, because, as many people as there are, so many opinions. In any case, fans of martial arts, and Silat Harimau in particular, will not be scared by one negative review. Enjoy reading!

Many people believe that the official posters of a film can tell how good it is or vice versa. But in that case there would be a whole lot of great films, wouldn’t there? This also applies to Merantau Warrior, the recently released Indonesian action film. If the poster is anything to go by, Merantau looks like one of those films that will literally have you glued to the screen, and will be packed with action scenes that will make you want to bite your nails. But the truth is that you won't have to be forcibly torn away from the screen, and certainly won't need a visit to a manicurist.

I have no doubt that Merantau will remain a highlight of Asian action films, and will likely achieve cult status among fans who revere its predecessors such as Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and “Ong-Bak” Tony Jaa. But, sad to say, he will never be able to rise to the level of his predecessors or shake up the world of martial arts. Even after the release of the last video, I was still not sure what “Merantau” was.

Like Ong Bak, it contains elements of Asian tradition and mysticism that have long attracted the attention of Western audiences. The plot of the film is based on the traditional rite of “Merantau”, according to which village teenagers must go to the city in search of a path to enlightenment. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? While this is a fairly interesting theme to pursue, the storytelling is crude to the point of insult and the characters are formulaic. There's a righteous hero willing to sacrifice himself for others, a foreign villain with bad acting and a very bad sense of humor, and a lady in need of help whose character is designed to make you cry. However, it didn't work.

Jakarta's urban setting was not used to its full potential. Jakarta alone is not enough. I mean, the director could do with adding scenes and key locations that make Jakarta Jakarta. Remember the manipulation of Bangkok tak-tak from “Ong Bak”. Why didn't they use, for example, some huge black sedan? The film only comes alive during the action scenes, but only if the fights are not fleeting. Despite its shortcomings, “Merantau” has something that no standard martial arts movie has, with the exception of “Crouching Tiger.”

The masterfully choreographed fights here somehow look surprisingly familiar. If you go to see “Merantau”, don’t have too high hopes for it. Don't expect originality in the storyline. Despite the exciting fight sequences and the “fantastic” official trailer, “Merantau” is a run-of-the-mill action movie with weak villains, lackluster acting and a limited plot.

Author: Long Wai Ting
Source: voize.my
Translation: EvilDollaR

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Tags: Merantau Warrior, Gareth Evans, Iko Uwais

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