3: Alif, Lam, Mim

I've discovered a hidden martial arts gem from Indonesia that came out a year after The Raid. It features Cecep, from The Raid 2 finale in the kitchen, and it's decent. The film is set in a futuristic dystopia in 2032 Jakarta, where liberation becomes a new tyrant. The plot is interesting and unconventional, it's broken up into three stages, where each focuses on one character, all of whom meet in the end. It does have weaker CGI effect at times, but the visuals are decent, but the most interesting thing is definitely the action! The whole thing is shot entirely in slow motion, something I haven't seen that before – this is the Snyderverse in Indonesia. Thanks to it I was able to fully enjoy the really nicely choreographed Indonesian Silat. The cinematography is crisp, so you can see all the punches, the moves; it's pretty badass (there is no gore, but the film isn't afraid of fractures), and the finale, when Cecep as the bad guy meets the main characters, it's a blast. Had I seen it five years back I probably would have been happier. I found the middle part a bit slow, but I really enjoyed the innovative action in the first and the last thirty minutes. Story 3/5, Action 4/5, Humor>No, Violence 3/5, Fun 4/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5 7.5/10, (23.06.2021)