Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
24 Hours with Gaspar it does have charming visuals, scoring topnotch, and starring elite actors. However, the film failed to provide satisfaction due to the absence of the most important part: classy story writing.
I actually had quite high expectations for 24 Hours with Gaspar. The film adaptation of the novel was directed by Yosep Anggi Noen, the figure behind Istirahatlah Kata-kata (2015) to The Science of Fictions (2019).
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The script was written by M. Irfan Ramli, who has worked on a series of films produced by Visinema Pictures. Not to mention the ranks of Indonesian A-class actors lined up as actors.
The film even gets off to a pretty convincing start. Yosep Anggi Noen immediately presents a picture of a dystopian world with a neo-noir touch.
The director’s execution of the visual elements deserves a thumbs up. As far as I remember, not many Indonesian directors have the confidence to build a dystopian setting like this.
Anggi Noen plays with his imagination about a chaotic portrait of Indonesia if the post-apocalyptic era arrives. He tries to show the situation of society collapsing with chaos everywhere.
Review of 24 Hours with Gaspar: Even though it has charming visuals, this film fails to provide satisfaction due to the absence of classy story writing. (KawanKawan Media/Visinema Pictures)
The dystopian world in Anggi Noen’s eyes also does not escape the depiction of the government turning into tyranny and monitoring every step of its people.
The visualization of where Gaspar (Reza Rahadian) lives is getting thicker thanks to the neo-noir style adopted. Scene after scene is ‘colored’ with dark and gloomy nuances.
Anggi Noen is also quite careful in choosing the futuristic elements displayed. He didn’t show off the advanced technology in a big way, as if taking care to keep the setting close to the local audience.
Scoring and the choice of music for the film’s soundtrack also further emphasizes the color of 24 Hours with Gaspar. Because, this film uses a lot of soundtracks to play a role in the story.
It must be admitted that the songs from FSTVLST to Mustache And Beard are indeed fitting soundtrack Gaspar’s journey. However, there is one song that feels strange because it doesn’t connect with the dystopian feel that is being developed.
Visual execution and scoring This impressive thing is a plus point for 24 Hours with Gaspar. Anggi Noen also once again proved his capacity to translate imagination creatively.
However, it doesn’t feel like this excellence can make up for the powerless story writing. The slick story from the novel Sabda Armandio failed to be adapted into a scenario that was, at least, as strong.
Irfan Ramli’s exploration in describing the setting and atmosphere of 24 Hours with Gaspar is actually quite convincing. However, changing vehicles is not an easy matter and is still a problem for many scriptwriters in Indonesia.
This can also be seen in 24 Hours with Gaspar. The film’s plot moves forward in a hurry and fails to build a strong foundation from the start of the story.
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