Merantau Poster

Merantau (2009)

Action  
Rayting:   6.8/10 10.2K votes
Country: Indonesia
Language: Indonesian | English
Release date: 5 November 2009

A young man from the countryside uses his skills in silat martial arts to survive the slave trade.

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User Reviews

doddypki 9 August 2009

i can divide this movie into two parts first 15 minutes, the drama part, here we see the background story of the movie. we'll be introduce to the main character, too bad i can understand "bahasa Padang" but there is an English subtitle ( which sometime is not accurate)

second part the FIGHT part this what i like..... fight, fight, and more fight the martial art choreography is pretty much similar to tony jaa but....i don't care, this Iko can really kick ass

though this movie is not perfect, but i recommend this movie to all of action martial art movie mania

7/8

hoffmanj7691 3 July 2014

Fmovies: There are definitely problems with the pacing of the movie. But overall, I would call this one a success. We have a director that found the lead actor while shooting a documentary about the Indonesian martial art of Pencak Silat. The director scores some major props just by introducing this fighting style that I, and many others probably, have never even heard of. The director is also taking a chance by actually setting up shop in Indonesia. This to me shows he isn't trying to make big budget Hollywood movies but is instead trying something new. The movie could have been better sure, but lets give it up for some originality and freshness I say. The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2 are both excellent films by the same director and cast of this movie. I for one am looking forward to some new approaches by this squad from Indonesia!

indiratiarani 22 November 2009

Being an ardent lover of martial art flicks and all its heroes- Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa, to name my favourite ones- I have been waiting for a long time to have the hero of my own country, Indonesia; of our own martial art tradition, Silat.

My long wait is over now. Here comes Iko Uwais in his first movie, Merantau. It's hard not to compare the movie with Ong Bak, and Iko Uwais with Tony Jaa. Not only because the two movies come from the same region and introduce us to the new generation of martial art actors, but also because the vague similarities in their faces. But admitting bias as I am, I would say Merantau is a much better movie than Ong Bak and Iko Uwais is a much better actor than Tony Jaa.

Merantau story is quite simple and almost cliché. About this guy named Yuda, played by Iko Uwais, in his journey of Merantau, a tradition still very much in practice by the young males of Minang tribe in West Sumatera, in which they have to prove themselves worthy to be called a real man by migrating to other place and surviving against all odds in the new place, gaining new experience, new skills that will benefit their hometown or their village. Before going on Merantau, they usually prepare themselves with certain skill that would support their survival in the new place. Yuda's skill is Indonesian traditional martial art called Silat, or Silek in Minang language, of the Sumateran Tiger (Harimau) style. He wishes to establish a Silat school in Jakarta.

But in Jakarta, fate brings Yuda's journey to the life troubles of a stripper, Astri and her pickpocket brother, Adit. His goody country boy nature made Yuda can't let injustice happens to those siblings, although he has his own problem to be solved. Can Yuda help them? Will he survive in his new place and prove to people back home that he is a real man? You have to watch the movie by yourself and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Merantau gives a balanced combination of drama and action. Instead of watching a purely action movie, I feel like watching a drama whose main protagonist happens to be a really good martial artist. Supported by excellent casts, combining first time actors and the more experienced ones, the acting look natural. I can feel the anxiety, loneliness and despair of Adit when he was forced to hide when his sister was chased by the thugs. I can feel the rage and determination of Yuda when he broke into the strip club to safe Astri, and I become misty-eyed when Yuda's mother waves goodbye to Adit.

Iko Uwais proves himself to be a capable actor, despite the fact this is his first acting experience ever and he has to play the role of a guy from different ethnic group, with different accent and language and different Silat style. For those uninformed, during the first part of the movie some of the language used is Minang language, that I, an Indonesian of Betawian descent (just like Iko), has to read the subtitle to understand what it means. Iko is blessed with great camera presence and natural facial expression. He is able to give a sweet smile (he has wonderful smile indeed) and brutal angry face with enough convincing acting. A very good start for a new movie star whose last occupation was a truck driver for a telecom company.

However, what sell most from Iko's skills in the film is his fighting skills. The choreography team, led by Silat Harimau master, Edwel Datuk Rajo Gampo Alam (acts as Yuda's silat master in the movie) is smart enough to put Iko's skill

erma_azam 6 August 2009

Merantau fmovies. Of course I have to see this movie.

This is the first Indonesia martial arts movie after for years we, Indonesian people, didn't have any like this. And of course, we so tired with all ghosts and unclear sex comedy movies.

Oh my God.

Im just speechless.

This movie is so good, make me sit comfortable in theater, even though the theater have many trouble while playing this movie. But, all forgivable when you see how Good this movie is.

First hour, seems just like action movie fans not interested, because just so many drama. Next, u will blow up, because the action is just so great. And you know what, Iko Uwais is a bad-ass. Really, really bad-ass.

He play better than Tony Jaa. He can fight and amazingly can act. Very well. He make a debut acting with great charisma and camera just loves him so much.

Several actor play quite well. Especially for our mother, Christine Hakim, she is great. She is the mother of act.

The technical side is great. The lighting was good, sound effect and music score was great, editing was quite good. Slow for drama and really fast for fighting scene.

But, i really like the cinematography. It's just, GREAT.

Merantau becoming a different sensation when you see in cinema. I mean, for a while you never got this genre. And second, it's great. And that's making me just like having some multiple orgasm.

And one more thing, I'm officially Iko Uwais fans right now.

See you other time, fellas.

8/10

lucius_420 2 July 2010

Action for the guys and drama for the girls, what more can you ask from a movie? I just cannot say enough good things about this movie and I really could not fathom how it could garner a negative review at all. I watched Merantau some months ago and I just finished watching it a second time. I had forgotten it a bit, but as soon as it started I remembered everything and how amazingly good it is. I was noticing that part of it at the end reminded me a little of Tony Jaa at the end of Protector, but I do not think it was a copy of it at all. Another thing is that even though the Indonesians are right to praise this new movie of theirs, and Iko Uwais did show us some really great acting and martial arts skills, I still would not go as far as to say that Iko is better at either one than Tony, especially since the latter has more films under his belt (more experience, hello?). Tony Jaa has joined the ranks of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen, and Jet Li as the greatest martial arts movie heroes. If you are a martial arts movie fanatic as I am and you analyze Ong Bak 2 then you cannot argue with this statement. Iko Uwais is also really awesome and I see good things happening for him. He might join those ranks one day, we'll wait eagerly to see what he does next.

The fighting choreography I thought was really fantastic. I really thought Iko added a lot of feeling into his actions and I liked how it made me feel that it was realistic in the way that people who get punched and kicked a lot start to stagger a bit even when they're fighting for their lives. The actress who played the mother character was also really great even though her role wasn't too long. I was preparing to steel myself to the agony of watching the two Americans doing their super cliché way that they are always portrayed in any Asian film, but I was pleasantly surprised in their commitment to character and they made convincing bad guys. Lots of good acting and directing all around. The camera, sound, lighting, and editing were all very fine. The music was especially good in places. The script is so good that this time I shed some tears. I almost never cry, especially during my action movies, but this one is so good. Great plot! The entire story ties itself together really well from beginning to end and is told in the traditional way of the ancient storytellers. What transpires between the hero and the bad guys' main bounty hunter is truly one of the best parts of the movie. There are other places where philosophy and political statements are blatantly obvious, but it really shines between these two warriors on opposite sides of the battlefield. I really think many young people, the ones who have to struggle through this often harsh world and suffer terribly when there is no one to help them, would really sympathize and feel a connection for the story and the main character who looks quite young himself. It irritates me very much that millions of action fans in my home country in the United States have never seen or heard of this movie. Needless to say I am also extremely upset about many really great foreign films not seeing the light of day here especially when many of them outshine the awful vomit Hollywood spews in my face on a constant basis.

jp2592 6 July 2014

The main actor is legit. Which in the martial arts cinema is rarity. I actually saw his movie the Raid 1&2, which I liked so much because the whole movie is just so good from the fight scenes to the action choreography, its just insane. Some credit goes out tot he director too. Now this movie, seems like it has a lower budget as you can tell when watching, but the fight screens and camera work are there. The story needed to be a bit more developed but the fight screen between the silat friend in the elevator was pretty intense. I wished it was a bit longer but what he did at the end will have you rooting for him.

As for the 2 white bad guys at the end. Their style of fighting was kind of non believing. They could of done better. IDK, seems like something was very lacking.

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