El ocaso de un imperio

"Max Havelaar" is a 19th century novel about the Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia - specifically, about one man's fight against the oppressive, bureaucratic and inhuman nature of the Dutch/Indonesian rule in the poor province of Lebak. The novel is (rightfully) considered one of Holland's most enduring and powerful works of literature; Fons Rademaker's 1976 cinema adaptation, however, has been largely forgotten.

This is a shame. While the script is ponderous and the pacing definitely not for the impatient, it is a haunting movie thanks to its big star: beautiful Indonesia itself, one of the most lush, mysterious places on earth. Beautifully photographed by Jan "Speed" de Bont, you can practically feel the tropical heat emerge from your screen... And to see the fair-skinned Dutch try to make sense of this environment makes you wonder how they built this empire in the first place. The recreation of the 19th century is also very well done - you can tell the budget must have been unusually high for a Dutch film of this period.

In any case, my advice is to sit through it, maybe in 3 sessions. I'd recommend "Max Havelaar" in particular for anyone interested in Indonesian history and culture.