Based on the classic comic, “Gundala” is a poignant portrayal of the notion that heroes — whether every day or superhuman — can be found anywhere (though a superpower never hurts). Indonesian orphan Sancaka spent his life on the streets trying to attract as little attention as possible, but when greed and violence reach a fever pitch in Jakarta, it soon becomes clear that he is the people’s only hope for peace.
“Gundala” is the origin story of a young boy named Sancaka (Abimana Aryasatya) and his transformation into the electrical superhero, Gundala. His parents are both blue-collar workers in the midst of a protest against his father’s employer. A young Sancaka meanwhile deals with his fear of lightning whenever it begins to rain. He knows in his heart that the lightning wants to strike him even though he doesn’t know why at first. Soon after Sancaka’s parents are both taken from him and he begins his life as an orphan. Later he meets a friend, Awang (Faris Fadjar Munggaran), who defends him and teaches him martial arts. Eventually, they are separated and Sancaka is once again all alone. Eventually, he grows up as a normal man avoiding lightning at all costs. He works as a security guard and keeps to himself. He unintentionally gets mixed up in his neighbor Wulan’s (Tara Basro) problems who is in the middle of a strike herself. This work strike issue is only compounded by a corrupt politician Pengkor (Bront Palarae), who uses his position as a means of controlling the small town. After a fight with a bunch of gangsters that ends with Sancaka being thrown off a building he finally gets struck by lightning. The lightning gives him strength and thus he is reborn as Gundala.
“Gundala” is a story about bravery and morality centered around this hero’s journey. Sancaka doesn’t necessarily search for trouble but when he becomes Gundala he realizes his responsibility to others around him. This first entry is a great introduction to the world of Gundala. The character design, casting, and the extent the production went to modernize this action hero are superb. “Gundala” has become one of the most unique and exciting productions to come from Indonesia. Joko Anwar’s direction for the film felt true and honest. Being a fan of the comic, he took this production to a new level and made it his own. Neither the script nor the execution of it was the problem but the amount of information given all at once about this character. Many of the characters felt lived-in and established without much pay off to their circumstances besides a few flashbacks.
The choice to turn this series into films probably wasn’t the best choice. The story of Gundala comes from a run of comics made by Indonesian comic writer Harya “Hasmi” Suraminata in 1969. It contains a ton of backstory and additional mythology that is touched on but not focused on in this film. The movie tries to ground itself in a more realistic setting but hints at more. A longer format such as episodic or limited series options would allow for more world-building without rushing to get through everything in the comics in one go. That is the main issue with Anwar’s “Gundala” since it puts his origin, his first villain, and the hidden mythology all inside this one film. It leaves space for a continuation but would benefit from more room to explore the lore of Gundala.
There are hopes that this journey will continue since the movie was received positively both commercially and critically. “Gundala” brings humor, action, and a deep mythology that can make for a new hero for fans to gather around. Anwar did a great job of establishing the character in our modern world and giving us reasons to care about his journey. At the conclusion of this film, we are brought into a broader world of powers and mythos when we are introduced to an ancient enemy of Gundala. This cliffhanger brings us into a bigger world than just Gundala’s town in true comic book fashion. Hopefully, they find a way to continue this story and allow more runway to tell Gundala’s story on an even more spectacular level.
Available on Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital July 28th
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