Tany

I’ve been seeing this movie’s trailer on tv everyday for the past couple of weeks because it’s on Pay-Per-View. All I could say is that this movie is so SAD!

HAFALAN SHALAT DELISA (2011)

Delisa (Chantiq Schagerl), a cheerful little girl who lived in a small village named Lhok Nga on the coast of Aceh, had a wonderful life.

She was the youngest child of the family of Abu Usman (Reza Rahadian). Her father worked in an oil tanker of an international oil company.

Delisa was very close to her mother that she called Ummi (Nirina Zubir), her older sister Fatimah (Ghina Salsabila), and the twins Aisha (Reska Tania Apriadi) and Zahra (Riska Tania Apriadi).

December 26, 2004, Delisa with Ummi was getting towards the prayer exam  when suddenly there was an earthquake. An earthquake that made Ummi and her sisters frightened. Suddenly the tsunami struck, eradicate their small village, destroying their school, and washed away Delisa as well as hundreds of thousands of other in Aceh and other parts of the coast in Southeast Asia.

Delisa was rescued by a soldier named Smith, after days passed out on the rocky hill. Unfortunately, serious injuries makes Delisa’s right leg must be amputated. It makes soldier Smith wanted to adopt her, but Abu Usman managed to find Delisa. Delisa happy together again with her father, though sad to hear news of her sisters has gone to heaven, and Ummi still not found.

Delisa has become a little angel who shared a laugh in every presence. Delisa learns how to survive a new life after the disaster and the true meaning of the more values in life which is sincerity with her father and everyone around her to guide her.

‘Delisa love Ummi because of Allah’

HAFALAN SHALAT DELISA
Genre: Drama
Writer: Armantono
Producer: Chand Parwez Servia
Director: Sony Gaokasak
Production Co.:Kharisma Starvision Plus
Cast: Nirina Zubir, Reza Rahadian, Chantiq Schagerl, Al Fathir Muchtar, Mike Lewis, Loide Christina Teixeira
Release Date: December 22, 2011

STORY

This movie is so touching. At one point I actually had tears in my eyes. The story is based on the book by Tere Liye.

It’s a very religious movie, but also emphasizing on moral values in life. It’s sad to see how tough it is for a little girl (I think she’s 6?) who lost one of legs due to the Tsunami, lost all of her family except her dad, everything she had – her homes, the village, best friends, to struggle to survive the aftermath. She barely understood much the meaning of the disaster, the situation and always keep a cheerful face but when she did, you could actually feel her pain.

Chantiq played Delisa very well. She really did get into the character. You could see how close she was to her family.

Same goes for others. They all did their parts well and it makes you really connect with the characters and not feel as if they’re just characters. They pulled you into their life, and their pain and their struggle to survive with what’s left after the Tsunami. As you know, the Tsunami was one of the biggest devastating disaster in the history. You saw the disaster and the effect, but through this movie you will see how they’re trying to survive the aftermath and rebuild their lives.

Only thing that irks me is that in some part, the characters were overdone to almost seem unreal. Acting I mean. But other than that, they were good.

You also see how Delisa tries to grasp the meaning of certain values like doing something with sincerity and not hoping for something in return. You do it because of Allah swt, not because of a prize or a gift. There are also some other moral values that they tries to teach in this movie.

EFFECTS

This is not million dollars Hollywood movie, I have to keep reminding myself therefore you don’t expect Steven Spielberg or James cameron level of true special effect. The CGI was so obvious that it kind of ruins the whole experience. When there’s no CGI involved, they story is well done. You actually see what the Tsunami did, and all the wreck. I was hoping for more severe image of the effect of Tsunami, like the bodies and all but you don’t see that. It’s sort of the very mild version of the real Tsunami.

SPOILER ALERT!!! SKIP THIS PART!!

ENDING (SPOILER ALERT!!!!)

The only thing I don’t get is the ending. It shows that the necklace that Delisa’s mother promised to give her once she passed her prayer exam is on her neck. You see her finding her mother, lying on the beach, holding the necklace which she took. Her mother disappeared with the necklace during the Tsunami. Maybe because I watched this quite late that I probably couldn’t digest this part but seriously, I got really confused as to how she got the necklace. Did she find the mother? If she did, then wow, her mother was in good condition that it’s unreal. I seriously don’t know.

SPOILER ENDS.

Overall, it’s a very good and touching drama. It’s worth watching. It’s something fresh from the Indonesian cinema because I am so friggin sick and tired of all the stupid horror movies. As an obsessed horror movie freak, I always feel very insulted when watching Indonesian horror movies. They used to be good – especially the classic ones but modern horror movies? PURE TRASH. They’re more like softcore porn rather than horror movies. They also always make fun of the ghosts especially pocong. God, I can’t even count how many pocong movies are there. 90% of them are pure piece of dog shit. They insult your intelligence.

Now I feel like getting the book but I might have some trouble understanding Indonesian language but I still want it. I wonder if I can find it here. Before I end this, here’s the trailer of the movie. Enjoy.

PS: One major plus point about this movie is that all the guys in this movie are very good looking! Ustaz Rahman, Delisa’s father and Smith.