“The Golden Cane Warrior” shows us that Indonesia can create fast-paced, exciting martial arts films that can rival a lot of the more expensive martial arts films coming from other countries in Asia. Featuring a wonderful performance, fight choreography and story, “The Golden Cane Warrior” is an action film worth watching! Recommended!
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TITLE: The Golden Cane Warrior
YEAR OF FILM: 2014
DURATION: 111 Minutes
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Color, 1:85:1 aspect ratio, Indonesian 5.1 HD Surround Sound, Subtitles: English SDH
COMPANY: Well Go USA Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: November 3, 2015
Directed by EIfa Isfansyah
Written by Ifa Isfansyah, Mira Lesmana, Jujur Prananto
Produced by Mira Lesmana
Co-Producer: Riri Riza
Associate Producer: Robin Moran
Music by Erwin Gutawa
Cinematography by Gunnar Nimpuno
Edited by Waluyo IchwandiarDono
Starring:
Tara Basro as Gerhana
Christine Hakim as Cempaka
Eva Celia Latjuba as Dara
Reza Rahadian as Biru
Nicholas Saputra as Elang
The well-respected Cempaka (Hakim) holder of the mighty and powerful Golden Cane relic weapon and its ultimate deadly moves, was expected to announce her succession to one of her most talented students. Murder and betrayal take over before the announcement is made public putting the Golden Cane in danger of falling into the wrong hands. The only person who can help restore order is the long lost Naga Putih (The White Dragon), the last warrior who still possesses the ultimate moves of the Golden Cane. Two betrayed students, hurt and angry, must find the warrior before it’s too late.
From Indonesian filmmaker Ifa Isfansyah (“9 Summers 10 Autumns”, “One Day When the Rain Falls”, “Bring Me the Moon”) comes his 2014 martial arts film “The Golden Cane Warrior” (Pendekar Tongkat Emas).
The film stars Tara Basro (“A Copy of My Mind”, “Killers”, “The Right One”), Christine Hakim (“Merantau”, “Eat Pray Love”), Eva Celia Latjuba (“Jamila and the President”, “Takut: Faces of Fear”), Reza Rahadian (“When Will You Get Married”, “Yasmine”) and Nicholas Saputra (“Cinta dari Wamena”, “Someone’s Wifei n the Boat of Someone’s Husband”).
“The Golden Cane Warrior” which received positive reviews from critics will be released on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment.
The film begins with an introduction to an older martial arts master named Cempaka (portrayed by Christine Hakim) who has earned the title “The golden Cane Warrior”.
She has four disciples which include Biru (portrayed by Reza Rahadian), Gerhana (portrayed by Tara Basro), Dara (portrayed by Eva Celia) and the young Angin (portrayed by Aria Kusumah). Each of these disciples are the children of the enemies she had defeated in the past.
On the day that she is to give her golden cane along with the ultimate technique to one of her four disciples.
Cempaka ends up choosing the young Dara and wants Biru and Gerhana to watch the place as she leaves with Dara to learn the ultimate technique. She tells Dara, no matter what happens, always protect the golden cane.
But as they are to leave, Cempaka becomes ill and Biru and Gerhana reveal themselves to have poisoned Cempaka with deadly snake venom. The two come to attack and take the golden cane away from Dara but Cempaka is able to stall time and allowing Dara and Angin to escape.
But as Cempaka eventually succumbs to the poison and is killed by Biru and Gerhana, the two go after Dara and Angin.
But as Dara and Angin fall over a cliff, they are saved by a mysterious person.
As the two wake up, Dara remembers the final words from Cempaka that they must the White Dragon Warrior, Cempaka’s partner who is the only person left to teach Dara the ultimate technique of the Golden Cane.
Meanwhile, Biru and Gerhana spread their lies amongst the Red Wing clan and their master, a close friend of Cempaka, orders the capture of Dara and Angin, who are now wanted criminals.
As Dara and Angin continue their search, Biru and Gerhana will do all they can to make sure they get the golden cane from Dara and make sure both are killed.
Can Dara and Angin survive and will she find the White Dragon Warrior and learn the ultimate technique of the Golden Cane?
VIDEO:
“The Golden Cane Warrior” is presented in 1080p High Definition and in 16:9 widescreen. Picture quality is fantastic as the outdoor scenes are vibrant, closeups feature amazing detail. Skin tones are natural and I saw no problems with banding or artifacts.
“The Golden Cane Warrior” looks fantastic in HD!
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
As for the lossless audio, “The Golden Cane Warrior” is presented in Indonesian DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Digital Stereo. Dialogue and musical score are crystal clear while action sequences and percussion utilize the surround channels. It’s not the most immersive soundtrack but for a martial arts action film, the film sounds great in HD.
Subtitles are in English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“The Golden Cane Warrior” comes with the theatrical trailer for the film.
If there is one thing to say about Indonesian action films, they are really bringing a refreshing take to Asian martial arts cinema.
While Indonesia has had wonderful action films in recent years with “The Raid” and its sequel, “The Golden Cane Warrior” shows us the amazing potential of Indonesian martial arts films but also showing us that in an industry which action films have been long dominated by China/Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, it’s great to see what is coming out from other countries such as Indonesia and Thailand.
“The Golden Cane Warrior” is a martial arts film feature solid performances and great fighting choreography.
The film’s premise is rather simple. Cempaka is the martial artist known as the Golden Cane Warrior. With each enemy she has defeated, she has raised and trained her enemies children and took them in as one of her own.
But as Cempaka is getting older and is ready to pass down her Golden Cane and the Ultimate Technique, she doesn’t give it to her two eldest students but to Dara, a young girl that is not as adept to martial arts as to the older Biru and Gerhana.
But Biru and Gerhana are not willing to take Dara as their leader and because she is inexperienced, they end up getting their revenge by poisoning their master and doing all that is necessary to get the Golden Cane away from Dara and have Biru proclaimed as the new Golden Cane Warrior.
As the two managed to ruthlessly get back the golden cane away from Dara, they bring their terror by destroying another camp and molding it to their own Golden Cane House. With no one powerful to defeat Biru and Gerhana, Dara must find the White Dragon Warrior, the other person who knows the Ultimate Technique and learn it, so she can avenge her master.
As “The Golden Cane” is considered one, if not the most expensive film to create in Indonesia (which cost $2 million to make which is a lot in the Indonesian film industry), it will be interesting to see if there is a sequel to the film and also if this will jumpstart the martial arts genre in the country.
The strategy to hire well-known acting talent and focus on fight choreography, set design and overall story, one can only hope that we see more quality Indonesian martial arts films in the near future. But I do like what I see coming out of Indonesia and giving more of us in the West, more exposure to Indonesian cinema.
The Blu-ray features wonderful picture quality with vibrant outdoor scenes and great clarity, especially during closeups. Lossless audio features crystal clear dialogue and music soundtrack. There are no special features included on this Blu-ray release but a theatrical trailer.
Overall, “The Golden Cane Warrior” shows us that Indonesia can create fast-paced, exciting martial arts films that can rival a lot of the more expensive martial arts films coming from other countries in Asia. Featuring a wonderful performance, fight choreography and story, “The Golden Cane Warrior” is an action film worth watching!
Recommended!
