Written by Indonesia has recently become known as one of the world’s finest producers of action cinema, with Timo Tjahjanto, Kimo Stamboel, and Joko Anwar achieving full-fledged auteur status. Although Bandit is a gritty crime thriller that arguably more closely resembles something like Amores Perros than the Indonesian genre cinema that has recently reached the international stage, it is nevertheless an auspicious breakout for filmmaker Brian L. Tan, driven by surprisingly strong production values and performances for an indie.
What is Bandit about?
Bandit follows a father-to-be and his best friend who, hoping to make better lives for themselves, decide to steal a car, hoping that they can make enough money to get out of poverty. However, when they find a dead body in the trunk, they find themselves in over their heads, caught in a web of criminal activity — with danger setting in just as the hero’s wife is about to make him a father.
Bandit Review
With Indonesian crime films, audiences have become accustomed to high-energy, action-packed adventures, and that’s not what Bandit is. It’s much more of a slow burn — especially in the first third, when you will feel the runtime waiting for things to get moving, but the chaos of the final act is enjoyable and you will be invested enough in the characters and their story to stay engaged.
While the story feels somewhat generic at times, it still works because of characters that are easy to care about. The central emotional arc of the film is about protecting one’s family — something that a majority of audiences will be able to sympathize with. And on top of that, the friendship between the two main characters provides yet another emotional in for audiences.
None of the actors in the cast are names that will be (likely) familiar to American audiences, but they all have pretty deep resumes in their home country of Indonesia. The two leads, Wafda Saifan and Roy Sungkono, are both excellent. Their chemistry together as friends is excellent, and Saifan, in particular, brings a lot of emotional depth to his role. Meanwhile, as the villain, Teuku Rifnu Wikana is quite good, playing the character with a lot more restraint and less broad strokes than one might expect from an independent crime thriller like this.
That’s not to say there is no action at all; there is one fight sequence set in a club in the final act that is pretty enjoyable despite the clear limitations of the film. It’s not some huge spectacle, but it has a visceral impact that accentuates the human stakes of the conflict. The use of lighting and color in this scene also makes it clear that Tan has all the skills to helm something more major if given the budget.
Indeed, as a whole, Bandit looks a lot better than you would expect from an independent film on the festival circuit. A lot of this is the fact that the film was shot on location in Bali, and a lot of it is thanks to cinematographer Austin Ahlborg. One thing that is particularly refreshing about the aesthetic is that it doesn’t feel like it’s going for imitation or even broad style over substance. It’s just going for strong, well-made craft, and it lends the film a polish that many indies lack.
Is Bandit worth watching?
Will Bandit take the world by storm like something like The Raid or The Furious? Perhaps not — it’s not quite exciting enough to become a crowd-pleaser. But I am excited to see what Brian L. Tan does next, having every bit of confidence that he will make something big in his career, and this thriller is a great testament to just how far competent cinematography and strong actors can carry an indie.
Bandit screened at the 2026 Dances With Films LA festival.
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