Pintu Terlarang (2009)
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Duration: 115 minuten
Alternative title: The Forbidden Door
Country:
Indonesia
Directed by: Joko Anwar
Stars: Fachry Albar, Marsha Timothy and Ario Bayu
IMDb score:
6,6 (3.119)
Releasedate: 22 January 2009
Pintu Terlarang plot
A successful sculptor, whose life has always been dominated by his domineering wife and mother, discovers a secret organization. He learns that members of this obscure organization can track dysfunctional, disrupted families through hidden cameras as a pastime. When he comes across a family where the boy is being horribly mistreated by his parents, he feels compelled to help him. However, this quest leads him back to his own home, where a secret door could be the answer to many questions.
Actors and actresses
Gambir
Talyda
Dandung
Koh Jimmy
John Wongso
Menik Sasongko
Ibu
Bapak
Claudia
Man at Church
Reviews & comments
Tonypulp
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- 21231 messages
- 4608 votes
Not bad!
There are many grandiose posts on IMDB about this work. I'm not sure I agree with them entirely, but it's almost certainly a film that would be better with a rewatch. For the first hour, you have absolutely no idea where the film is going; if you do, things will make more sense and become less of a drag.
The first half is relatively uneventful, which, considering the film's nearly two hours, is quite a long time. But ultimately, this is more than compensated for by the excellent plot and its twist. A plot that's only revealed (in hindsight, thankfully) late in the film, and therefore remains surprisingly captivating until the end.
You won't see the twist coming; it's a great find, and it makes everything that came before it just that little bit stronger. Furthermore, it all looks very good, with strong direction and exceptional acting. I'm almost certain some MM members will appreciate this one, so it's definitely one for the fans.
Who knows, maybe it'll be re-released someday for a higher score, but for now, a nice 3.5*. I think it's even the first Indo flick I've ever seen.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Inland Rabbit
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- 3286 messages
- 2159 votes
Wow, strange mess.
We start off rather calmly. To say nothing happens for the first 35 or 45 minutes is a bit of an exaggeration, but it's more of a beautiful buildup. A sarcastic look at the sculptor's life and his art. Funny, though. Right away, the "noir with a new twist" is back. Dusty, yet classy music and a very stylish look throughout the film. A nice buildup to the mystery, which later proves to be so important.
For a long time, we're treated to an atmospheric and, at times, gritty thriller. There are certainly some scenes that are a bit less enjoyable to watch. However, the film also retains its humor, though it's often dark and sometimes even a bit twisted. Well, the film goes in multiple directions, and I'd seen Kala; Joko always has a crazy ending in store. So, I didn't expect this AGAIN.
It's nice that the man has retained his style, even if it's visually less prominent. His love of darkness and water/rain is evident from the very beginning. The alleyways/corridors and stairs come later, but they're also present. That's definitely a characteristic and looks very stylish.
A bit too much dusty music, but that suits the film somewhat. What's more annoying is that the occasional English word gets thrown in amongst the Indo gibberish, and it sounds absolutely awful.
Oh well, there's always a little criticism, but a small 4* rating is definitely worth it. The film has a very unique style, veers off in several directions, and has a "beautiful" ending.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Shadowed
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- 11421 messages
- 6719 votes
No.
Despite the good soundtrack, I couldn't find anything to commend in The Forbidden Door. I found it a very slow thriller that only held my interest for a few moments. There are quite a few paths the film takes that didn't resonate with me, but the underlying message is still interesting. Unfortunately, it didn't really resonate with me while I was watching it.
Anwar partially aims for style with this film, but I found it difficult to break through. The Forbidden Door is shot rather dully, and the locations are underutilized. The beautiful settings are poorly rendered. Director Anwar does have a flair for color, but that's mainly because the film knows where to film, which is in buildings with beautiful architecture. I doubt they changed anything about that from a directing perspective.
The acting is lackluster, and I find the main characters incredibly dull. I sensed this coming from the very beginning. The first lines of dialogue flow across the screen, the conversations begin to flow, and the urge to do something else became almost immediately overwhelming. Anwar fails to make anything compelling in this film, and the final result is no exception.
In terms of violence and horror, it's not a particularly remarkable film, which makes me think that wasn't its intention in the first place. But as a thriller, I find it rather unsatisfactory due to its incredibly slow pace. There's no buildup, nor any tension. I was in a very emotionless state while watching this film.
The gory scenes towards the finale are somewhat satisfying, and the film does have some good atmospheric settings. I also miss the gruesome feel, tight direction, and especially characters who can talk interestingly. It was almost impossible to get through this, and a running time of 115 minutes is quite long.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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