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Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts Movie Review

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts is a 2017 Indonesian western thriller film directed by Mouly Surya. It’s a great example of the cinematic potency and power of Indonesian cinema.

When a young widow is raped and her cattle is stolen, she fights back and kills several of her attackers. She then embarks on a journey through the country, but the ghost of the killed man haunts her. We have seen similar premises before as this feminist revenge tale ain’t nothing new, but the execution is fresh enough that it really worked.

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It it easy to see why this film clicked both with audience and festival-goers. It’s artistic, but also very easy to get into despite a somewhat slower pace, especially in the second half. I personally dislike instant creation of new genres as this movie doesn’t quite warrant new classification, but it is definitely different enough that it deserves high praise for its originality.

What is so authentic about the movie? Well, a couple of things. One is the element of the American western transported into Indonesia itself. The result is absolutely enchanting and hugely atmospheric. Seeing the villages and the natural landscapes of the rural part of Indonesia was wonderful to behold and a couple of these vistas are so well shot and composed that they reminded of Sergio Leone movies in the best way possible.

The movie surely is immensely artistic, but it is also beautifully scored with the music evoking a sense of paranoia, epicness and even nostalgia for the western genre of the long-gone era. This simply must have been a deliberate homage of the western genre as you can sense the admiration that Mouly Surya holds for it. The editing is also very strong, though admittedly the second half can become a bit too leisurely in its pace.

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I found the supporting characters underrealized. Yes, they do make an impact in the story and the protagonist’s journey, but still more could have been done with them, especially the other woman on her journey. The child is more memorable and the scenes between Marlina and the little girl were just so lovely that I wished for more parts squarely focused on the two. One could certainly see a longer movie spun from this tale as an hour and a half was probably not a great choice for the runtime.

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts is very violent, especially in its first act. The killing scene is brutal and disgusting as was the woman literally carrying this man’s head with her at all times. That was crazy and unexpected, but it did lead to that very interesting element of her conscience imagining a headless body tormenting her. The movie is psychologically sound despite not having extensive dialogue, which is a sign of great filmmaking and especially terrific directing skills from Surya. The feminist message is also subtly executed, which was refreshing.

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Thanks to some gorgeous rural vistas and a very evocative score, Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts basically becomes an Indonesian version of a western movie. The revenge thriller elements are subtle as is its feminist message. The movie can be too leisurely paced, but an excellent protagonist, confident directing and a lot of heart at its core made for a truly winning formula.

My Rating – 4.5