Overview
A woman's quiet life spirals into chaos after a violent encounter forces her to confront her past and seek justice.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- sardonic
- stylized
- arthouse film night
- international cinema evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a subversive, gorgeously shot, visceral feminist neo-western with assured staging and distinctive Indonesian cultural grounding.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film explicitly recasts spaghetti western conventions through Sumba settings, Indonesian traditions, and a female-centered perspective.
Marlina’s self-defense and subsequent pursuit of justice directly confront abuse, patriarchy, and gender inequality.
Critics specifically describe the film as an unwavering slow burn, while its staged confrontations build nail-biting suspense.
Long shots turn the characters into doll-like figures against Sumba’s landscape, underscoring the tension between nature and social order.
Films like Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts, and why
Thelma & Louise
shared feminist revenge narrative, stylized neo-western framing, and dryly violent revision of patriarchal power
Promising Young Woman
shared women-centered revenge fantasy, deliberate visual composition, and critique of gendered violence
Django Unchained
shared satirical western grammar, escalating retribution, and high-contrast stylization
The Nightingale
shared slow-burn tension, rural isolation, and morally charged confrontation with male violence
Movie Details
- Director
- Mouly Surya
- Release Date
- 2017-05-15
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (84)
Cast
- Marsha Timothy
- Egi Fedly
- Tumpal Tampubolon
- Dea Panendra
- Yoga Pratama
- Haydar Salishz
- Yayu Unru
- Norman Akyuwen
- Ruly Lubis
- Satrya Ghozali
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Fandor, OVID, AsianCrush
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts about?
- A Sumba widow turns an act of self-defense into a stark, stylish journey through revenge, justice, and patriarchal violence.
- What is Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts as moderate.
- What did critics think of Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a subversive, gorgeously shot, visceral feminist neo-western with assured staging and distinctive Indonesian cultural grounding.
- Which films are like Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts?
- Films with a similar feel include Thelma & Louise, Promising Young Woman, Django Unchained, and The Nightingale.
- How long is Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts?
- Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts?
- In United States, Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts streams on Fandor, OVID, AsianCrush.
