I can’t be completely objective about Kabut Berduri (Borderless Fog), an Indonesian film by Edwin, with Putri Marino as the lead protagonist, Sanja Arunika, who is sent from Jakarta to Borneo to investigate a strange set of murders where one victim’s severed head is found the body of the other. Set, as it is, where Malaysia and Indonesia meet on the island of Borneo, the film introduces some of the complexities in the relations of the Dayanese, Malay, and Chinese people of the region.
The film’s strengths lie in Edwin’s vision. The visuals remain with you throughout the film, as does the performance of Putri Marino. Her character is never glamourised, or sexualised as Hollywood films tend to do with female leads. Sanja remains focused, yet deeply imbricated in the story as aspects of her personal life emerge from the fog of the crimes and tensions of local communities.
I will not rate the film. In most cases ratings are highly subjective, and often just silly. I will recommend it for Edwin’s palette and vision, for the characters and storyline (if you can stay with it), for Marino’s presence, and for the immersion into the local communities on the border of Malaysia and Indonesia on the island of Borneo.
What was amusing and surprising (different genres and themes considered), was that while I was watching Kabut Berduri I was reminded of the visuals of Andrei Tarkovsky’s Mirror and Stalker. I’m probably out of order for raising Tarkovsky and Edwin in the same breath, but watching Kabut Berduri, I could not help thinking about Tarkovsky’s visuals.