Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts

Frontier home, arid landscape, livestock and a recently widowed woman, Marlina, left alone to face a group of bandits at her door. It is not the Wild West of the past, but the Wild East of the present. The bandits tell Marlina that they are doing her a favor by taking advantage of her. "You are lucky," they tell her "if men still find a use for you." Therein begins the robbery, journey, confession and birth. If Marlina can stay calm and keep her wits about her, there is life at the end of the tunnel.

The cultural tapestry of eastern Indonesia, resiliency and determination of local women, ugliness of traditional male privilege and mystery of life, are revealed in this humorous, witty, bold and unique film. While some of the supporting cast are a little shaky with their acting, a few scenes are far-fetched and disjointed, and the dialogue could use added depth, the film is a compelling cocktail of intriguing and unusual characters, pretty scenery and uncommon circumstances. There are occasional scenes of violence and intense action, yet generally the film is easy going and delightfully slow-moving. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The four acts go by pretty fast, which is good. It's like an uncooked Kill Bill as Marlina kills her rapist and the men who he was traveling with who wanted a chance to assault her as well. Then it's a strange slow burn as Marlina attempts a journey to inform the police of what happen, while avoiding another set of men looking for her attackers.

It's one of those flicks that has an interesting story line, that your expecting far more action and drama from, but the filmmakers chose to keep a quiet approach possibly to respect the real situation of sexual assault.

Plus it's done in a different culture other than my own. A contemporary place that co-exist with my place but in so many ways very different than what I know. That really does add to the interesting element of the film.

And I love the pacing of the film. It seems to go slowly but it does not feel like it at all. Perfect!

Absolute great watch!

Four acts may sound like a lot and for some people the movie may feel very slow. It is indeed slow, so just don't expect any big bangs or a story that will have a Hollywood flair to it. Having said that and mixing into it that there is a certain degree of predictability. Still there is shocking moments and this may not be for the faint of hearted.

It's not like it is very explicit in its violence depiction, but you'll get the idea (no pun intended). Some may have issues with the movie being "feminist". I do not feel there being a negative energy with a strong female lead. Also there is still a lot of bad male characters. Which generally is something I don't like - one sided portrayl, but it does work for this movie. I don't agree with everything in here, but this is more than decent

I enjoyed watching this Indonesian movie! I enjoy good foreign movies, it enhances my appreciation for films from around the world!.

When the Western genre comes out of Indonesia, attention to its similarities becomes a critic's part-time job. Critic Maggie Lee calls Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts a "Satay Western" the way other critics would call a Clint Eastwood western an "oater."

But Leone and Morricone are there with lens and music, landscapes hot and desolate and music just as forlorn. Marlina (Marsha Timothy) alone out there, widowed, and visited by bad guys who want not her money and livestock but also her body.

From that harrowing episode comes a vengeance story different from the usual Western tropes in so many ways. Mostly it is a Western with a female as lead and as tough with a machete as Eastwood with a gun, and just as vengeful.

Marlina together with another feisty female, Novi (Dea Panendra), who is pregnant, places the patriarchal men in vulnerable territory. In fact the customs of Indonesia, Malaysia, and elsewhere are so vigorously male-centered as to make any cultural Westerner cringe. However, that seems to be director Mouly Surya's goal.

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts will remind you of Tarantino's Kill Bill but without some of his patented irony. In both cases, a violent feminism seems just right given the offenses women have suffered over the centuries.

As in the great spaghetti Westerns, the theme music is haunting and the landscape forbidding. But most of all, the characters are strong and righteous, just the way #MeToo should like it.