A young Dutch soldier deployed to suppress post-WWII independence efforts in the Netherlands’ colony of Indonesia finds himself torn between duty and conscience when he joins an increasingly ruthless commander’s elite squad.
“The East” is a thoughtful war epic by director Jim Taihuttu. He identifies his heritage as from Dutch and Moluccan background which inspired him to portray the rarely discussed war in Indonesia. “The East” focuses on the Indonesian War of Independence, which saw the Dutch (newly liberated from Nazi Germany) head to Indonesia to salvage the last remnants (oil, rubber) of their crumbling Empire.
Post-World War II, several colonies gained or fought for their independence. In Indonesia, due to Dutch Apartheid and colonial rule, a countrywide consciousness grew to bring forth national identity for millions. Those millions of civilians led by their first president, the revolutionary Sukarno, became determined to rid themselves of their Dutch rulers. The Netherlands responded by sending 150,000 troops to Java.
Johan de Vries (Martijn Lakemeier) is a fresh recruit from Northern Holland who claims his family was killed in WWII. Taihuttu’s choice to focus on a white protagonist instead of a native Indonesian accentuates the colonial atrocities. Johan befriends fellow Dutch soldiers Mattias (Jonas Smulders) and Werner (Jim Deddes), while they’re transferred to Java’s capital Semarang.
The screenplay uses exposition to give some historical context to the unfamiliar subject. At the barracks, Kamp Commandant Mulder gives an overview of Sukarno and refers to the former occupying Japanese imperial army as “Japanese Nazis.” At the barracks in Semarang, Werner’s brother – a commanding officer who’s been stationed there for ten weeks – lays out a list of lethal things: tigers, excessive heat, and roaming rebels. Johan impresses his commanding officers with his intellect and knack for speaking Indonesian. At night, the young soldiers are tasked with guard duty while their superior officers sneak young girls into the camp for sexual exploitation.
Taihuttu filmed on location in Java and stated the production was not easy to complete. The cinematography by Lennart Verstehen uses tracking shots with wide-angle lenses to capture the marvelous landscape, the lush jungle. Impressively, production designer Lieke Scholman built everything from scratch including the large army barracks.
During patrol Johan, using his improved Indonesian, questions a local farmer – too frightened to divulge any information. Although the soldiers decry Nazism, they regularly refer to the locals as “monkeys.” After a local villager speaks Dutch with the soldiers, he offers them coconuts to quench their thirst. The next day the villager, along with his wife are found beheaded, their heads placed on a pike.
Occasionally, the screenplay flashes forward to Johan’s post-war life and his mysterious quest for revenge. Jumping back to Indonesia, the Dutch soldiers spend some time at a local brothel and Johan becomes enamored by a sex worker named Gita.
Enter Raymond Westerling, aka the Turk (Dutch-Tunisian Marwan Kenzari in a splendid physical performance) who confronts some leftover Japanese troops looting a citizen’s house. After the Turk pulls out his pistol, the ragtag unit of troops back off. The Turk is half Greek, half Dutch, grew up in Istanbul, and “doesn’t answer to anyone.” While the Dutch troops are based on various characters, Westerling was a real man trained by the British government in intelligence and counterterrorism.
After an ambush kills one of Johan’s good friends, the Turk begins to take extreme measures in a quixotic attempt to quell the rebellion. When a local man whose daughters have been kidnapped by rebels shows their coordinates, Kamp Commandant Mulder says it’s too dangerous. The Turk is intrigued by the challenge and mounts an audacious attack. As Johan becomes further entrenched with the Turk, they become involved in top-secret operations. Under the Turk, the Korps Speciale Troepen – a clandestine commando unit wearing black uniforms with green berets – was formed. The Tropen’s brutal tactics are questioned to this day.
Being a lover of history, I enjoy intelligent films about war and geopolitics. While most films – especially Hollywood releases – have contradictory politics and narratives, “The East” sticks the landing. The pacing is fantastic, with fluid editing and temporary moments of beautiful reprieve before the bloodshed. Between the film’s location, its screenplay, both philosophizing and decrying the nature of imperialism, there are no doubt similarities with “Apocalypse Now” and “The Thin Red Line” but this anti-war statement stands firmly on its own.
In Theaters and On Demand Friday, August 13th
