What's wrong with the director Hanung Bramantyo?
Ever since the epic Sultan Agung, his films have increasingly leaned toward being exaggerated, chaotic, and inconsistent. And now, the remake of one of Indonesia's most legendary youth films-Catatan Si Boy-has been brought to the big screen only to end up far below expectations.
Let's be clear: when you remake a box office classic, there are only two possible outcomes-it either lives up to the original, or it completely collapses. Unfortunately, this film is a total MESS.
Hollywood, when doing remakes, usually maintains the essence of the original era. They stay true to the setting or choose to make a sequel or prequel instead of rewriting the setting of an iconic story. But in Indonesia, many filmmakers, rather than creating continuations, prefer to remake legendary titles-and change almost everything! It's way much better to make a NEW STORY than making a remake film.
From the cast alone, the imbalance is glaring. The young actors struggle-especially when put alongside senior actors (playing their parents), the contrast is painful. The only performances worth noting come from the senior actors and the actor playing Emon (although even he doesn't surpass the iconic original). At best, it's a decent attempt-but not enough to carry the film.
There's absolutely no chemistry between the leads. Key characters have been altered to the point of being unrecognizable. Vera, once known for her bravery, independence, and strong-headedness, now comes off as lacking understanding and a little narcissistic-insisting only on being understood, never trying to understand others. It's a far cry from the Vera we knew.
Boy's friends, like Andi, get almost no screen time. The story also seems confused about what era it belongs to. Is it set in the 80s-90s, or in Gen Z's world? The cultural mix is jarring-like Gatsby aesthetics meets 80s street gangs with cars and motorbikes, plus TikTok-style Gen Z dancing. It feels like a film that has completely lost its identity.
I grew up in the 90s, and I still watch and enjoy the original Catatan Si Boy from time to time. That's how legendary this film is. It wasn't just a story-it was a cultural icon.
Those who gave this remake a good review are probably Gen Z OR audiences who have never watched the original. For them, this might be fresh. But for those of us who remember how powerful and meaningful Catatan Si Boy once was, this remake feels like a hollow imitation.
