574,068 views
This film tells the story of a group of villagers in Java who rebelled against the Dutch East Indies colonial government. This film contains themes of loyalty and betrayal. The story of November 1828 begins when Captain van der Borst, accompanied by his troops, tries to extract information about the hiding place of Sentot Prawirodirdjo, Prince Diponegoro's right-hand man. Jayengwirono, a demang mad at his position, informs him that Kromoludiro is the one who knows the information. Kromoludiro is arrested, held captive in his own house, and forced to open his mouth with various efforts. Throughout the interrogation process and the chain of events that arise, it is seen that behind the conflict between the Dutch and the Javanese people, there is actually an internal conflict that is no less terrible within the characters. This film reminds us that hostility or excessive aggression towards others is often an unconscious expression of tension within the person himself. An interesting contrast is also shown in the figures of Captain de Borst and Lieutenant van Aken. Captain de Borst in this film is fueled by personal ambition. He was irritated because other officers who were younger than him had already achieved higher ranks. The reason was because he felt that they were pure Dutch, and van Aken was just an Indo. On the other hand, Lieutenant van Aken, who was also an Indo, secretly sympathized with the Javanese people, and refused to justify any means. If you look closely, the parties in direct conflict are the subordinates. The superiors—in this case the Dutch and Prince Diponegoro—are only in the background. On the Dutch side, there are actually no Dutch people; there are only a number of Indo officers and the others are mercenaries. Prince Diponegoro himself is only discussed; the one who appears on screen is his confidant, Sentot Prawirodirjo. Even then, he is presented in a messianic image: appearing at the last moment to reap the fruits of the mutual cooperation struggle.