Thrilling seat-edger, but drags nowhere.
As a long-time admirer of Joko Anwar's work, I watched a critic's review ahead of this release, which described him as one of Indonesia's most distinctive and promising directors, though it also suggested that his growth as a filmmaker may be distancing him from the essence that once defined his style. Having seen most of his entire filmography, I consider Pintu Terlarang and Pengabdi Setan 2 to be his most compelling, narratively coherent, and innovative works within their competitors. I've observed his tendency to deliberately distort the plot, seemingly to provoke discussion, which can be effective if it leads to meaningful resolution. Pengepungan di Bukit Duri marks his third consecutive work where I've questioned his overall quality and growth as a well-known Indonesian director, yet the consistently high expectations surrounding his work compel me to reconsider whether my critical stance might stem from a biased perspective rather than a true decline in his creative output.
Pengepungan di Bukit Duri. Discrimination. Violence. The only elements which dominate the film to such an extent that little else emerges from the narrative. While the main message has been conveyed early on, the plot's development feels constricted, resulting in a two-hour runtime that often drags in its attempt to deliver a point of social critique. From my perspective, Joko Anwar consistently excels in crafting compelling premises and captivating the first act, which successfully keeps the audience with intrigue. However, his recent works, including this one, tend to lose strength in the second act and stall entirely by the third. It increasingly feels like his plots start with great premise, only to lose momentum midway, leaving some spectators confused and unsatisfied. By the time I reached the third act, I found myself mentally overwhelmed by a relentless stream of conflict, both from the storyline and audiovisual design, without any pause of resolution. This continuous barrage creates a draining viewing experience. The film's sensitive content teeters between feeling authentic and artificial. Its buildup and visualization of certain acts lacks uniqueness to his other work, making it feel unnecessary and repetitive.
Some characters create gaps between the smoothness of the overall delivery, specifically Diana, which raises a great question about her mysteriousness and clarity of the character. For some followers of Joko Anwar's work, you must know what this mystery is related to.
That said, in terms of technical execution, Joko and his team remain exceptional. The production design, cinematography, and overall visual coherence are executed with a level of craftsmanship that commands respect. Even when the narrative falters, the visual presentation remains captivating which reinforces a good impression of a thoughtfully-made project. The audio design, which features a throbbing bass segment, dynamic action effects, and meticulous stereo mixing, enhances the immersive quality of the film and adds emotional depth, serving as a reminder of Joko's continued strength in sensory storytelling.
