Indonesia is about to have a 1,100-character superhero movie universe, opened with Gundala blockbuster

Any studio wants to own a long-running franchise chain that is attractive in terms of both revenue and entertainment. The financial success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) - which has brought Disney and Marvel Studios billions of dollars worldwide - has become a "holy grail" for other studios who are also seeking to create for themselves. The films themselves are interrelated but only achieved relatively limited success.

The latest name to join the race comes from a country you probably never expected: Indonesia. The country's Bumilangit studio recently announced it would develop the "Bumilangit Movie Universe" (BCU) based on a huge library of more than a thousand comic characters to create a cohesive superhero world. together. The first film in the series, Gundala, clearly shows the intent of the company: an action movie that hits the tastes of the masses, filled with martial arts-style battles and spectacular visual effects, and quirky story line makes viewers feel like a comedy. Anyway, this is a good start!

What genre is the movie?

Telling the origin of superheroes. Almost the entire length of the film tells the life of the main character (Gundala), a martial arts superhero with lightning techniques. But that's because this character is linked to a bigger, more complex story. Even at the end of the movie, he still didn't know it all. He only discovered his power and used it to save a world without a superhero until he appeared.

What is the movie about?

Sancaka boy in Indonesia, Sancaka realized that trying to be a hero only threatens people's lives, and it is best to suppress the desire to help the gentle people are bullied. His father, a union leader, was killed in a crackdown on strike factory workers demanding fair pay. His mother disappeared, leaving him to live alone in the streets of Jakarta, once beaten to death by seeking to protect those weaker than himself. He learned martial arts and self-defense skills from another street youth, along with lessons that never forget human morality. Your father once said: " If we see injustice and do nothing, we are no longer human." But when Sancaka grew up, he followed a new concept: " Never mind other people".

But dodging the press in Jakarta, where corruption is raging in public offices, and the majority of the population is dominated by gangs armed with sticks, is difficult to do. (as a child, Sancaka fights with small bandages armed with sticks; as he grows, the sticks become bigger, the enemies become bigger, and the battles become more spectacular). Most local politicians are manipulated by the gangster boss Pengkor, who is willing to brutally kill anyone who challenges him openly.

But in the end, Sancaka also had to go into a war for the community, with her cute neighbors Wulan and her younger brother. The battle quickly expanded, bringing into battle the gangs that needed to be punished with innovative fighting techniques and the newly discovered Sancaka superpowers. Since then, our brand-new superhero has decided to attack Pengkor, and a comfortable battle is anyone's guess.

What is the true intention of the movie?

Like so many films that started another franchise, Gundala's goal is to introduce the pieces that will be put on the chessboard. In the interview after the premiere at TIFF, writer and director Joko Anwar said Gundala was the first of eight films planned to be released from now until 2025. The eighth film, Patriots, will bring. similar in style to Avengers, which brings together all the superheroes introduced in the previous 7 movies together. He revealed that Bumilangit Studios owns more than 1,100 Indonesian comic book characters, and will use them to build a giant connected movie universe.

Gundala expressed that intent in a familiar way: crammed into a story of seemingly redundant backgrounds and characters, but played an important role for many years to come. For example, in a side story that has almost no connection to the main story line, one of Pengkor's allies intends to revive an ancient demon connected to Gundala, warning that a battle is Greatness is about to happen. A superhero girl named Sri Asih also suddenly appeared at a critical moment, just like Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman. And there's also a series of key points at the end of the movie that can open up new lines for future superheroes and villains. As explained by Anwar, Gundala's strength is the ability to attract and unite people together. His origin story is very interesting, but he is also a "gathering point" to form a group of superheroes in the future.

Is the movie good?

Gundala is a stylish movie. Anwar said the film was shot in five cities and 70 different locations within 50 days - a fairly tight schedule, sometimes he had to use a motorbike to go from one point to another because there was a need to monitor many scenes. same time. As a result, many matches are usually rehearsed first, then shot exactly once - each shot takes about 2 hours. Of course, in the movie you will not feel that rush: the fight scenes are shown very glossy and fierce, with the atmosphere of danger increasing and fighting poses are quite diverse. format. Anwar's shooting method is to keep the distance from the camera to the cast just enough for viewers to watch the battle. The shooting procedures are minimized, and there are many amazingly surprising action scenes.

The cast of the film generally has good looks and acceptable acting. Muzakki Ramdhan, the boy who played the childhood Sancaka, played a special special role - he is both an actor and an emerging martial arts star. Abimana Aryasatya, who plays Sancaka as an adult, is very soulful and powerful, and he has proven that he is both gifted in fighting action scenes, and has a predestined martial art charm. - especially in scenes where Sancaka's friends try his super powers by attacking him to see if he can recover super-speed. The film can add a bit of humor. The overall atmosphere of the film is quite dark, with a clear message about the resentment of the genuine hardworking workers in Jakarta. The film focuses heavily on describing that, but there are still short moments that make viewers smile with astonishing smile.

For American audiences already familiar with Marvel films, Gundala's biggest weakness is the rhythm of the film. There are many scenes that focus on unimportant characters, or talk about the corrupt state, morality, corruption, and responsibility . The movie also introduces many strange side stories. , from an underground orphan killer organization, to a serum that can destroy fetal brain tissue so babies are born without a moral control center. You will see a passionate killing violinist, a Javanese mage, a human head that was cut off and preserved in a mirror block, and an impatient legislator who wants to fight against the gangster boss Pengkor. All of these lines sound interesting. True, but they also distract the audience from the main story of Sancaka - sometimes it becomes a side story alongside political conflicts and the bigger picture the movie franchise has. to aim.

Which movie will be ranked?

There are many scenes of violence against children in the film, along with many deaths, but they are depicted so as not to be too violent or harsh. This is primarily a martial arts movie - action - adventure. Perhaps PG-13 would be a reasonable rating.

How to watch a movie?

Gandula was premiered in Indonesia in August. Manufacturers are currently considering to launch it globally.

Reference: TheVerge