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JOKO ANWAR : ‘Modus Anomali’ premieres in US to positive critic response

A new horror thriller from Indonesian director Joko Anwar received a nod from international critics at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival in Austin, Texas, recently

Ika Krismantari (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Mon, April 2, 2012

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JOKO ANWAR : ‘Modus Anomali’ premieres  in US to positive critic response

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new horror thriller from Indonesian director Joko Anwar received a nod from international critics at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival in Austin, Texas, recently.

Modus Anomali had its world premiere at SXSW, the second-biggest film festival in the US, a press release sent to The Jakarta Post stated.

The English-language horror flick is the second collaboration, after Forbidden Door, between writer-director Joko Anwar and producer Sheila Timothy under the aegis of the Indonesian film company Lifelike Pictures.

The film was played in the section of SXSW termed “Midnighters” for films that fell in the “fantastic” genre.

Some gave the movie complimentary reviews for its ingenious plot and gripping storyline.

It seems Joko, whose first noir film, Kala, has been compared to the works of Australian director Alex Proyas and Japanese horror director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, has nailed it again.

“A black-hearted and blood-lusting thriller with a vicious sting in its twisted tail,” said Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle.

The film was lauded for “coming up with something a lot more original than just an Indonesian version of Friday the 13th or Dawn of the Dead,” wrote Scott Weinberg on Fearnet, a site dedicated to horror, thriller and suspense movies.

Praise also went to leading man Rio Dewanto for his strong performance. Rio plays John, who is on a holiday in the woods with his wife and two kids when he suddenly finds himself separated from his family with no memory of what happened.

The story revolves around the man’s struggle to regain his memory and win back his family.

Most reviews warned viewers about the explicit content in the horror flick, but the ferocious displays seemed to create an impression on film critics and viewers.

Peter Martin of the film blog Twitch said, “Twelve hours after watching it, Modus Anomali is still resonating nicely in my brain.”

It seems Indonesia will add to its list of respected and well-reviewed films this year with Modus Anomali and the much-acclaimed The Raid.

Local movie buffs can see the film when it is released nationally on April 26.

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