High school social studies never made me care about Indonesia the way this film did. It examines the sweeping forces of change and clashes of cultures that have struck so many parts of the world since the second world war.
Most moviegoers will be drawn to this film by the presence of Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver, who do an outstanding job as Guy and Jill. Guy is a cocky, pragmatic news reporter, who is mentored by a fellow Australian, the half-Chinese Billy Kwan (in an awe-inspiring performance by Linda Hunt). Billy has seen Indonesia through his camera lens; he knows first-hand the daily trauma and heartbreak under which Indonesia's poorest citizens live. He adopts those he cares about, and follows their progress obsessively, assembling dossiers and secretly photographing them. Billy is an idealist who believes that Sukarno holds out the greatest hope for the Indonesian people.
Another of Billy's obsessions is Jill Bryant, a gentle Englishwoman who works for the embassy. Billy orchestrates a meeting between Guy and Jill, who, in the movie's most moving scene, break curfew and flee to Guy's cabin in a hail of bullets. Billy lurks outside, clearly satisfied that the puppets are filling the roles he has written for them in his private shadow play.
Betrayal is a huge ongoing theme in this movie. Billy, the idealist, always expects more from those around him than they deliver. He befriends the assortment of foreign journalists who pass through his world, only to be shocked at their exploitative behavior with the natives. Sukarno says one thing on TV but demonstrates very different motives as his reign continues. Billy despairs that he will not be able to change the way things are. Finally, Guy's relationship to Jill represents yet another betrayal -- he takes advantage of classified information that Jill passes to him out of concern for his safety.
I found the ending (no spoilers) to be the most disappointing thing in this movie -- it seemed somehow anticlimactic, and I would have liked to see something more, but cannot think of what. The ingredient that makes this film what it is is Maurice Jarre's wonderful, haunting score. The pacing of this picture is slow by today's standards, but did not seem so in 1982.
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Most moviegoers will be drawn to this film by the presence of Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver, who do an outstanding job as Guy and Jill. Guy is a cocky, pragmatic news reporter, who is mentored by a fellow Australian, the half-Chinese Billy Kwan (in an awe-inspiring performance by Linda Hunt). Billy has seen Indonesia through his camera lens; he knows first-hand the daily trauma and heartbreak under which Indonesia's poorest citizens live. He adopts those he cares about, and follows their progress obsessively, assembling dossiers and secretly photographing them. Billy is an idealist who believes that Sukarno holds out the greatest hope for the Indonesian people.
Another of Billy's obsessions is Jill Bryant, a gentle Englishwoman who works for the embassy. Billy orchestrates a meeting between Guy and Jill, who, in the movie's most moving scene, break curfew and flee to Guy's cabin in a hail of bullets. Billy lurks outside, clearly satisfied that the puppets are filling the roles he has written for them in his private shadow play.
Betrayal is a huge ongoing theme in this movie. Billy, the idealist, always expects more from those around him than they deliver. He befriends the assortment of foreign journalists who pass through his world, only to be shocked at their exploitative behavior with the natives. Sukarno says one thing on TV but demonstrates very different motives as his reign continues. Billy despairs that he will not be able to change the way things are. Finally, Guy's relationship to Jill represents yet another betrayal -- he takes advantage of classified information that Jill passes to him out of concern for his safety.
I found the ending (no spoilers) to be the most disappointing thing in this movie -- it seemed somehow anticlimactic, and I would have liked to see something more, but cannot think of what. The ingredient that makes this film what it is is Maurice Jarre's wonderful, haunting score. The pacing of this picture is slow by today's standards, but did not seem so in 1982.
/r