Merantau

Aroview: Indonesia's riposte to ONG-BAK stars newcomer Iko Uwais as a young man from a Jakarta tribe whose rite of passage via the big city exposes him to the evils of human trafficking.

Although Tony Jaa comparisons are inevitable, Uwais has an engaging side to his action hero persona that makes this otherwise out-and-out fight-fest much more of a dramatic prospect (as far as these movies go). The combat sequences, meanwhile, are typically spectacular and brutish; the point of difference being the introduction of 'Silat', a traditional Indonesian martial art not seen on screen until now.

more matches…