Anticipation has run high for Indonesian new roman-ligious (romance-religious) drama Ketika Cinta Bertasbih (in many difficult attempts to translate the title, the film settles on very weird translation of "When Love is Extolled").

Before the lens started filming the scenes, the promotional gimmick of casting the leading actors through a reality show, and rumors of sky-rocketing production budget have fueled the interest for many.

This includes the anticipation of seeing the return of one of Indonesia's senior directors Chaerul Umam in his first theatrical feature after 12 years.

The last time his name appeared on cinema billboards was when he directed heroic film Fatahillah in 1997, at the time when local films was put to a very long sleep. The lackluster reception to that film did not hinder the fact that Chaerul Umam remains a gifted director whose track record assures us of his top-notch quality: setting the bars of romantic comedy (Kejarlah Daku Kau Kutangkap), sport drama (Gadis Marathon), and religious drama (Titian Serambut Dibelah Tujuh), of which is still widely considered as one of the most compelling Indonesian films ever made.

Putting him together with another prolific senior director Imam Tantowi, this time sitting on as a screenwriter, it is assumed, and hoped, that these two greats will deliver another work of art that challenges our minds.

How sad it is then that we put down our heads in disappointment when the end credit rolls.

In a surprising backlash to the rule of thumb in adapting literary works to big screen, Ketika Cinta Bertasbih (shortened as KCB from here on) instead does what many of us fear most: Suspiciously staying true to the original novel by doing page-by-page adaptation.

Otherwise, how can we see too many characters being crammed in a storyline that allows each and every back stories to be revealed? The result of this method is another unwelcome decision of having the film cut in half, a completely unnecessary move. Red Cliff, it ain't.

The heavy lines of Islamic teachings that will surely please anyone with their objectivity still do not help watching the film mindlessly goes over one character after another, and still fails to see some of their relevance to the whole story.

In short, the story should go like this: Khairul Azzam (newcomer Kholidi Asadil Alam) is a modest Indonesian student in Cairo, whose hardworking manner earns him respect from an ambassador daughter who is also a celebrity in the making, Eliana (Alice Norin), his flat mates, his mother (Niniek L. Karim) and his siblings, and a highly educated girl from a respected family, Anna Althafunnisa (newcomer Oki Setiana Dewi) whom Khairul helps in a robbery incident.

Needless to say that affection arises between Khairul and these women, and their potential conflicts are welcome, what's with Anna being already proposed by Khairul's friend, Furqan (newcomer Andi Arsyil Rahman), who suffers from an unfortunate blackmail crime.

Focusing on the development of these characters may do wonder to this otherwise a highly potential work to enjoy. What was stretched for 120 minutes, and possibly more in the sequel, are back stories from supposedly minor characters, for example, Khairul's flat mates and their personal problems, all of which, while intended to show Khairul's clear-headed attitude and intelligence in solving their problems, instead bogs down his character as being a passive character with nothing but reacting to his surroundings.

The danger of having a passive character as the main lead is the failure to relate, let alone empathize with the character, as we are unclear with his real motif to stay on screen. If he intends to look for a girl to marry, why his initial presence in earlier scenes fail to show and give this evidence?

However, Kholidil should be lucky to be in an ensemble where nobody eclipses one another or tries to steal the film. Good for all the newcomers then, who are picked from the reality show, but this may not sound too good for the senior actors who appear in the film, as their presence is reduced somewhat to a very minimum level that fail to make us sit up and notice.

Storyline structure aside, the film will please audiences with proportionate panoramic views that do not overwhelm. Rudy Kurwet as cinematographer here lens the film to the pleasant effect, with the exception of a particular scene using blue screen works that goes laughable.

The overall look of the film justifies the otherwise minor-to-altogether unimportant need to have the film almost entirely shot in Egypt.

The look of the film also at least soothes us from the chagrins of hearing over-the-top music score of Anto Hoed and Melly Goeslaw's orchestra pieces. Sadly, if there is one thing the makers of this film learn from its predecessors of religious dramas, it seems to be the out-of-place film score, rather than anything else.

But another thing that KCB has also learned from other similar films before is that its confidence of making a box-office success.

No doubt about it, as heavy promotions, and blatant product placements in the film, will result in long queues in cinemas. Its sequel will also benefit from this, although we may just wait for that coming with a lesser anticipation instead.

Ketika Cinta Bertasbih, with English subtitles, is now playing in cinemas nationwide.

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