Marlina the Murderer
A young widow violently turns the tables on her would-be attackers, in this powerful, provocative, and visually stunning Indonesian take on the ‘feminist western’ genre.
Powerful, provocative, and visually stunning, Mouly Surya’s third feature is one of a kind: a contemporary reworking of the spaghetti western and smouldering revenge movie that is deeply rooted in the cultural and geopolitical landscapes of Indonesia.
Marlina is a young widow, living alone in a remote farmhouse with the embalmed corpse of her deceased husband. When robbers arrive, entitled by centuries of male domination, to steal her livestock, seize her possessions, and rape her, Marlina has only her courage and intelligence to rely on. She thinks fast and acts even faster. The next day finds her on the road, hitching a ride to town with a severed head in one hand and a sabre in the other.
Witty and subversive, MARLINA THE MURDERER is a bold and welcome affront to the staid sensibilities of male-centred cinema culture.