Merdeka
Genre: Action / Historical
Director: Joe Taslim
Writer: Meirad Tako
Cast:
Joe Taslim .... Ari Bima
Michiel Huisman .... Joko Wardoyo
Plot: Indonesia, 1889. The invasion by the Netherlands on Indonesia (also called Nusantara before Indonesia got their freedom) made Indonesia and its people suffer. Many people died, many children lost their beloved one. Their parent's or their friend because of the invasion. It's already more than 200 hundred years after the dutch have invaded Indonesia. The people who fight for the freedom cannot do much because the lack of weapons or supplies.
Ari Bima (Joe Taslim) and his Dutch-Indonesia brother-in-arm, Joko Wardoyo (Michiel Huisman) is Medaner (the people of the city of Medan). They were both orphaned with no brother and sister. Their orphanage got destroyed by the dutch, in their little heart lies revenge and hatred.
Ari Bima and Joko Wardoyo both train Silat and various other martial art and weapons. At the age of 26, Ari and Joko successfully push the Dutch out of Medan with their strategy and their slogan "Merdeka (independent) or die". And because of that Ari pointed to be the general and Joko as His right hand. But that's when the conflict starts. Joko jealous because Ari is the one who get the fame and can marry a beautiful lady meanwhile he can't get anything.
One night, Joko decided to go to Batavia (Jakarta) where Dutch HQ in Indonesia located. He sign a contract with them and become the ally of Dutch. At midnight, some of the Ari's soldier knock his door so hard that makes him wonder what is happening. He's shocked about the news. The Dutch is almost reach the city of Medan. Ari Bima leads the soldier to stop them by firing canons from the shores. Their attack doesn't give a scratch on the Dutch ship, instead a rain of cannon ball come to them. In that situation flee is the only option but they didn't take it instead they keep firing their cannon.
Once the Dutch ship docked, Ari's soldier rush the ship with Keris (Indonesian Traditional weapon) with Ari on the front line. Ari slips between them and directly to the captain. He can't believe it when he saw Joko with Dutch army uniform and stand as a captain. Ari shakes his head and throw away his thoughts and attack Joko.
An epic fight with various martial art happens, nothing is pushing or being pushed cause basically they're in the same level. Not until Joko shot Ari in the stomach. Ari stand with his knee, Joko ready to shoot Ari before he screams "MERDEKA ATAU MATI!" He explodes the dynamite and kills both of them. And all of Joko's armies are surrender.
Ari Bima may not be a national hero but at least he is a true hero.
Director: Joe Taslim
Writer: Meirad Tako
Cast:
Joe Taslim .... Ari Bima
Michiel Huisman .... Joko Wardoyo
Plot: Indonesia, 1889. The invasion by the Netherlands on Indonesia (also called Nusantara before Indonesia got their freedom) made Indonesia and its people suffer. Many people died, many children lost their beloved one. Their parent's or their friend because of the invasion. It's already more than 200 hundred years after the dutch have invaded Indonesia. The people who fight for the freedom cannot do much because the lack of weapons or supplies.
Ari Bima (Joe Taslim) and his Dutch-Indonesia brother-in-arm, Joko Wardoyo (Michiel Huisman) is Medaner (the people of the city of Medan). They were both orphaned with no brother and sister. Their orphanage got destroyed by the dutch, in their little heart lies revenge and hatred.
Ari Bima and Joko Wardoyo both train Silat and various other martial art and weapons. At the age of 26, Ari and Joko successfully push the Dutch out of Medan with their strategy and their slogan "Merdeka (independent) or die". And because of that Ari pointed to be the general and Joko as His right hand. But that's when the conflict starts. Joko jealous because Ari is the one who get the fame and can marry a beautiful lady meanwhile he can't get anything.
One night, Joko decided to go to Batavia (Jakarta) where Dutch HQ in Indonesia located. He sign a contract with them and become the ally of Dutch. At midnight, some of the Ari's soldier knock his door so hard that makes him wonder what is happening. He's shocked about the news. The Dutch is almost reach the city of Medan. Ari Bima leads the soldier to stop them by firing canons from the shores. Their attack doesn't give a scratch on the Dutch ship, instead a rain of cannon ball come to them. In that situation flee is the only option but they didn't take it instead they keep firing their cannon.
Once the Dutch ship docked, Ari's soldier rush the ship with Keris (Indonesian Traditional weapon) with Ari on the front line. Ari slips between them and directly to the captain. He can't believe it when he saw Joko with Dutch army uniform and stand as a captain. Ari shakes his head and throw away his thoughts and attack Joko.
An epic fight with various martial art happens, nothing is pushing or being pushed cause basically they're in the same level. Not until Joko shot Ari in the stomach. Ari stand with his knee, Joko ready to shoot Ari before he screams "MERDEKA ATAU MATI!" He explodes the dynamite and kills both of them. And all of Joko's armies are surrender.
Ari Bima may not be a national hero but at least he is a true hero.
BOX OFFICE
Budget: $24,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $8,050,005
Foreign Box Office: $20,054,585
Total Profit: -$17,056,833
Domestic Box Office: $8,050,005
Foreign Box Office: $20,054,585
Total Profit: -$17,056,833
REVIEWS
"This film was clearly too much for Joe Taslim to handle. He's never directed anything before, and he hasn't even been in the film industry for very long as an actor. He struggled both behind and in front of the camera. Merdeka needed a more experienced director to reach its full potential." - Rick Green, New Yorker
"I found the film enjoyable, although I'm not surprised at all by the film's failure at the box office. It's a bit of a slow-burn film and the characters are a bit cold. The fight scenes are strong and the journey by the two leads is an interesting one." - Tim Durand, San Francisco Chronicle
"Merdeka is a film I really wanted to like. The story is intriguing, but the execution is lacking. The story jumps around a lot, and we never get to know the characters outside of the revolution plot. Maybe a strong supporting cast could have given some depth to the story and the lead characters' journey, but star/director Joe Taslim and screenwriter Meirad Tako focused the film too much on just the two leads." - James Tubbs Jr., Vice Magazine
Rated PG-13 for violence
Filming Locations:
Jakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta, Indonesia