‘Rise of a hero’
Gundala is a 2019 Indonesian superhero action-thriller film about an orphan who grows up in Jakarta tough and streetwise. It becomes obvious that greed and violence reach a fever pitch; it soon becomes clear that he is the people’s only hope for peace.
Written and directed by Joko Anwar (Impetigore; Satan’s Slaves) based on the comic book by Harya Suraminata, the movie stars Abimana Aryasatya, Tara Basro, Bront Palarae and Ario Bayu.
Reviews:
“Gundala is a flawed superhero movie, which will certainly entertain the audience hungry for more similar productions. While the change in scenery for the genre is quite refreshing, the charm and interest will most likely wane when Anwar’s film reveals what it is: just another superhero movie who thinks because it changes its mask it can cover up that it is just more of the same.” Asian Movie Pulse
“Nitpicks aside, the action is excellent. It’s full of creative choreography and performed by talented martial artists, which is precisely what you want from an Indonesian action flick.” That Shelf
“As a superhero film, the story arc here is simply not that compelling or interesting. Sancaka’s childhood tragedy of losing his parents never resurfaces in his journey of becoming a superhero, and there’s also a lack of clarity when it comes to what Gundala’s powers actually are.” V Cinema
“Thankfully, Gundala doesn’t try to compete with the likes of The Avengers or whatever version of Batman DC is currently pushing. With a budget of just over $2,000,000, it would have been beyond foolish to try. Instead, Anwar keeps the action within the budget and delivers solid, if smaller-scaled entertainment.” Voices from the Balcony
Cast and characters:
Abimana Aryasatya … Sancaka / Gundala
Tara Basro … Wulan / Merpati
Bront Palarae … Pengkor
Ario Bayu … Ghani Zulham
Lukman Sardi … Ridwan Bahri
Arswendi Nasution … Ferry Dani (as Arswendi Bening Swara)
Pritt Timothy … Agung
Aqi Singgih … Ganda Hamdan
Donny Alamsyah … Fadli Aziz
Tanta Ginting … Ito Marbun
Dhimas Danang … Hasbi
Muzakki Ramdhan … Young Sancaka
Marissa Anita … Kurniati Dewi / Sancaka’s Mother
Rio Dewanto … Sancaka’s Father
Putri Ayudya … Indira Rahayu
Technical details:
123 minutes
Aspect ratio: 2:39: 1
Audio: Dolby Atmos
