The Warrior – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Indonesia, 1981
Director: Sisworo Gautama Putra
Cast: Barry Prima, W.D. Mochtar, Dana Christina, Eva Arnaz, Dorman Borisman, Rukman Herman, H.I.M. Damsyik, S. Parya, S. Suryabrata

Release Date: November 12th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 36 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Indonesian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Witchcraft and black magic versus mystical martial arts! This outrageously entertaining fantasy flick stars Indonesian action hero Barry Prima. He plays Jaka Sembung a kind of Robin Hood figure who possesses mystical powers. As a leader of his country’s rebellion against the oppressive Dutch colonialists, Jaka Sembung is captured, tortured and left for dead. But he returns, even more powerful than before. In desperation the invaders resurrect an evil wizard and set him against Jaka Sembung in a fierce fight to the death." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this transfer, "HD transfer from the original negative".

The Warrior comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.4 GB

Feature: 28.2 GB

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Indonesian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the English-language track sounds more robust than the Indonesian audio track. Included are removable English subtitles for the Indonesian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include theatrical trailers for The Warrior (4 minutes 15 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman (2 minutes 56 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles) and The Warrior and the Ninja (3 minutes 21 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with screenwriter Imam Tantowi (9 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Indonesian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with producer Gope Samtani (11 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with SFX maestro EL Badrun (22 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Indonesian with removable English subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Joko Anwar (37 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with Imam Tantowi (21 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Indonesian with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

When word spreads about an impending revolt, the Dutch occupiers set their sights on eliminating the leader of the rebellion, Jaka Sembung, once and for all.

Sisworo Gautama Putra directed The Warrior. He is also known for making Primitives, Satan's Slave, Sundelbolong, and The Hungry Snake Woman.

With only one film under his belt, The Warrior would make Barry Prima a star who would rule 1980s Indonesian action cinema. The Warrior would also reteam Barry Prima with director Sisworo Gautama Putra; they had already worked together on Primitives. Barry Prima would portray Jaka Sembung in four films: The Warrior, The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman, The Warrior and the Ninja, and Jaka Sembung and the Ocean Goddess.

The Warrior is a melting pot of the outlandish and the bizarre. Body parts are dismembered and reattached with ease, eyes are gouged, the dead are raised, and in one scene the protagonist is transformed into a pig. An ample amount of bloody carnage is present, and the fight sequences are ridiculously exaggerated.

The main attraction is Barry Prima in the role of Jaka Sembung, a Christ-like character who refuses to bend to Dutch occupiers. He delivers a solid performance that more than fulfills the role of the hero; is it not surprising that out of all the characters he’s portrayed, Jaka Sembung is the one he’s most identified with. Also, the deliriously over-the-top bad guys should not be overlooked when discussing the performances.

The Warrior, like all Indonesian cinema from this era, is not known for its polished production values, and yet it is a film that succeeds despite its shortcomings. And though the bloody moments of carnage far outnumber moments of exposition, this does not affect pacing in any way as things move along briskly. Ultimately, The Warrior is a satisfying mix of carnage, action, and mayhem that often exceeds expectations.

The Warrior gets an exceptional release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer