Even without comparing the movie with the novel, any sound moviegoers can find that Riri Riza, the director and co-writer of the movie (not the novel), is not in his top form. His usual go-for-detail is lost somewhere after 30 minutes of the movie.
One of the most disturbing "mistakes" is the switch of story point-of-view (POV) somewhere in the middle of the movie. The story suddenly changes from flashback Ikal (POV first person) to the internal conflict of Bu Mus (POV of 3rd person). And goes back to Ikal again. Surely, this is never happen in the book. And surely, the decision to dig more on the life of Bu Mus result in more dramatic scenes and put more "human" into the ideal teacher. However, the sudden change in POV is a mistake nonetheless.
The POV switch is also destroy the focus of the story. This is the story about the kids! The kids that fight for their dream and their hope with high spirit. The focus on Bu Mus and Pak Harfan ruin this, and all that I can see is just a bunch of poor kids with spirit slightly higher than usual, but not worthy bearing the title of Laskar Pelangi (The Rainbow Warrior). The kids is just there.. well, being kids.
The diluted stories and lack of spirits closed with bitter end. The return of Ikal with his scholarship to French, does not come from a struggle (I know, it's told in the novel, but we're talking movie now). It's just plain unfair. Ikal is not the most struggling of all. He is just plain kids, no more exceptional than other. At least, the struggle and spirit is not there in the movie.
It seems like Riri get exhausted and want to end the movie, but do it not in his best way. The lack of flow, the inconsistency and the lack of spirit shown in the movie is not usual for the work of Riri Riza.
Come on, wake-up Oom Riri.. you can do better. Good novel do not guarantee a good movie. But good director does!
One of the most disturbing "mistakes" is the switch of story point-of-view (POV) somewhere in the middle of the movie. The story suddenly changes from flashback Ikal (POV first person) to the internal conflict of Bu Mus (POV of 3rd person). And goes back to Ikal again. Surely, this is never happen in the book. And surely, the decision to dig more on the life of Bu Mus result in more dramatic scenes and put more "human" into the ideal teacher. However, the sudden change in POV is a mistake nonetheless.
The POV switch is also destroy the focus of the story. This is the story about the kids! The kids that fight for their dream and their hope with high spirit. The focus on Bu Mus and Pak Harfan ruin this, and all that I can see is just a bunch of poor kids with spirit slightly higher than usual, but not worthy bearing the title of Laskar Pelangi (The Rainbow Warrior). The kids is just there.. well, being kids.
The diluted stories and lack of spirits closed with bitter end. The return of Ikal with his scholarship to French, does not come from a struggle (I know, it's told in the novel, but we're talking movie now). It's just plain unfair. Ikal is not the most struggling of all. He is just plain kids, no more exceptional than other. At least, the struggle and spirit is not there in the movie.
It seems like Riri get exhausted and want to end the movie, but do it not in his best way. The lack of flow, the inconsistency and the lack of spirit shown in the movie is not usual for the work of Riri Riza.
Come on, wake-up Oom Riri.. you can do better. Good novel do not guarantee a good movie. But good director does!
