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Merantau
2009 134 min Hong Kong, Indonesia R 16+
★6.7
Action, Drama, Thriller
Director: Gareth Evans
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
In Minangkabau, West Sumatera, Yuda a skilled practitioner of Silat Harimau is in the final preparations to begin his "Merantau" a century's old rites-of-passage to be carried out by the community's young men that will see him leave the comforts of his idyllic farming village and make a name for himself in the bustling city of Jakarta.
Worldwide:
$154,660
Starring
Iko Uwais
Actor
Sisca Jessica
Actor
Christine Hakim
Actor
Awards
1 win & 3 nominations total
Key opinion
Merantau is widely regarded as a sincere and promising debut that established the foundation for the Indonesian action genre. While critics are divided on the originality of its narrative, the film is consistently praised for showcasing the unique martial art of Pencak Silat and highlighting Iko Uwais's breakout performance.
| Acting | Iko Uwais displays undeniable charisma and star potential in his breakout role as a principled, human hero. | |
| choreography | The film effectively introduces the distinct, lethal, and aesthetically unique martial art of Pencak Silat to a global audience. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative relies on a predictable and derivative 'country boy in the city' trope, often compared to Ong-Bak. | |
| choreography | Opinions on the fight scenes are split; some applaud the realistic and grounded combat, while others find the choreography repetitive or inferior to genre benchmarks. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is viewed as uneven, with some finding the atmospheric setup sluggish while others appreciate the intensity of the climactic finale. |