Panji Tengorak is not your straightforward revenge drama. While maintaining elements of revenge, it is mostly a thematic exploration of its characters, who are directly or indirectly affected by a war between two kingdoms. If revenge is the surface, what lies beneath is self-respect, brotherhood, longing, and a lot more. But the animated actioner portrays all of this within a short span of 1.5 hours. The film follows the story of the titular character, a vagabond who lost everything due to a pirate attack. After teaching himself martial arts and dark arts, he is pulled into a fight he tried to stay away from.

Director: Daryl Wilson

Cast: Denny Sumargo, Donny Damara, Cok Simbara, Aghniny Haque

Language: Indonesian

Streamer: Netflix

With a revenge drama comes flashbacks, but Panji Tengorak does it with flair. Each and every flashback is told from the perspective of its characters. But with hidden motivations driving each character, the unreliability of the flashbacks adds to the thrill. For example, Bramantya, the acquaintance of Panji's teacher, recruits Panji to fight some bandits, who are in possession of relics necessary to win the war. But Bramantya was also the person who was indirectly a cause of Panji's rise, so the viewer remains on edge. In this day and age of extreme gore that makes the viewing experience much more intense, Panji Tengorak's animation for the gore isn't heavy on the viewers. There is violence of all kinds— limbs being severed ruthlessly, skin being burned off, and even beheadings. But the way gore has been portrayed has made it easier to watch.

Panji Tengorak is an adaptation of Hans Jaladara's comic series of the same name. It follows the kingdoms of Madyantara and Aryadwipa, who have been at war with each other for ages. Instead of delving into the perspectives of multiple sides and using lengthy exposition, the film only chooses to show exactly what is needed for plot progression. The voice acting elevates the emotion as well. Special mentions to Cok Simbara (Lembugiri), Denny Sumargo (Panji), and Donny Damara (Bramantya).

One drawback to the film is its ambitions to infuse humour into the scenes. The film uses Kuwuk, who is a short and stout character, only to poke fun. This feels out of place. But Panji Tengorak is a proper action drama that introduces the uninitiated to the world of Indonesian pop culture. While the animation can seem generic, some shots are filled with breathtaking colours. On its own, it stands well as a solid entertainer for an audience that seeks an easy watch.