Modern cinema is a product of Western culture. Our cinematic perceptions of the world have for decades been dominated by American cinematic icons produced by Hollywood.

It is therefore not surprising that an Indonesian firefighter protested about what he considered an inaccurate depiction of his professional life in the comedy film Si Jago Merah, the latest production of Hanung Bramantyo and Starvision.

To paraphrase a viewer's comments, the movie, which tells the story of the daily lives of firefighters, was "too American".

One may ask, for instance, "Do people here really call firefighters to help them find a ring that is lost in a closet, as the film shows? Do they also really call firefighters to rescue their pets from trees?"

These scenes are likely to appear only in American movies.

But it is perhaps too much to expect realism from a comedy film. After all, its director, Iqbal Rais, said he never intended to provide a realistic -- let alone vivid -- depiction of Indonesian firefighters' lives.

"We are trying to focus the story on the four college students," said Iqbal, who previously worked with Hanung on the film The Tarix Jabrix.

If so, then the film's biggest mistake is its pretension to be seen as a tribute to the unsung heroes who risk their lives to rescue fire victims.

Apart from its inability to provide a realistic portrayal of firefighters, and its inclination to maintain the Hollywood dramatic and heroic clich*, the film's storyline is luckily well written.

The jokes and slapstick scenes, though mostly predictable, are strangely still funny enough to make the audience laugh.

This is perhaps the achievement of its main actors: retro band Club 80s' drummer Desta and its keyboardist Ytonk, comedian Agus Ringgo and Indonesian Idol finalist Judika.

Si Jago Merah follows four college students with different personalities and from different cultural backgrounds.

Gito (Desta) is an avid-clubber; Dede (Agus Ringgo) is an acute womanizer; Kuncoro (Ytonk) is a spoiled rich kampong boy; and Rojak (Judika) is a militant activist.

They are united by the same problem: Being summoned by the dean for failing to pay their tuition fees.

While meeting with their feisty dean, Ibu Susi (played by Sarah Sechan), they discover that their parents are all broke and can no longer send them money.

Trapped in the same dilemma, they become friends and, after trying some lousy jobs, decide to become firefighters.

The classic Warkop DKI (Dono, Kasino, Indro) films, which often depicted the lives of college students from regions in urban Jakarta, come to mind when watching this film. A number of slapstick scenes are even reminiscent of Warkop films.

Judika's acting debut is almost impressive, as is Ytonk's.

Agus Ringgo, who began his acting career in the comedy film Jomblo (2006), plays the token wacky character, while Desta, who has also starred in comedy films, the latest of which is Barbi3, is more restrained in the role of Gito, the melancholic one in the group.

The film's biggest flaw lies in the special effects it uses when depicting a burning building; windows burning slowly with harmless campfires as opposed to ferocious blazes.

The problem with local movies is that audiences tend to judge and compare them to Hollywood standards. The case would be different if local filmmakers steered away from trying to emulate their Hollywood counterparts.

-- JP/Ary Hermawan

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