Si Doel the Movie 2 hits the nostalgia button even harder this time even when the narrative keeps slowly lollygagging with the titular character's infamous indecisiveness.
When Si Doel the Movie arrived in 2018, it hit the nostalgia button hard-knitting all the characters left (and the cast members who survive the 14-year gap) and revisiting the classic romance conflict to craft a new story, promised to be a closure to the legendary saga. Rano Karno knows exactly how to use the lingering power and present it as a fatal blow; but, turns out, Falcon Pictures knows better how the business goes. Si Doel the Movie 2 picks up where the first movie left out, hitting the nostalgia button even harder; but, we know pretty well, it's purely business.
Si Doel the Movie connects with the early arcs of the telly series, Si Doel Anak Sekolahan, bringing back the love-triangle drama involving Doel (Rano Karno), Sarah (Cornelia Agatha)-Doel's ex-wife who left to Holland, and Zaenab (Maudy Koesnaedi)-Doel's second wife. While the first movie sets mostly in Holland, to the place where Sarah left; the second movie sets mostly in a rural Jakarta area, where the original series set. The drama is brought home to the place where it begins.
Frankly, the nostalgia dose has actually run out by the end of the first movie. Expectation for the sequel is purely closure-no more exposition and callbacks. And yet, Si Doel the Movie 2 seems to be keen in lollygagging around with a soap opera treatment. Instead of moving forward with the drama, the narrative opts to pause a bit and goes on some filler sub-plots, involving Mandra and his quest for online taxi business. Si Doel the Movie 2 moves even slower than the first movie.
And yet, the conflict also grows in the second movie-provides more complication and dilemmas. The problem grows more intriguing when Little Doel (Rey Bong), Sarah's son, decides to go to Jakarta for vacation and for familiarization with his estranged father. At the same time, Zaenab, drowned in insecurity, grows distant with her husband. Si Doel, as usual, resorts to his infamous indecisiveness who has been his archnemesis since more than two decades ago. There's one scene where Doel's mother, Maknyak, explains how Si Doel has grown up with such indecisiveness; but, that explanation alone serves nothing plot-wise.
Fans of the original series will find it amusing at some points (the movie goes even further showing some reels from the original series halfway through the movie) and, at some other time, they will find it a pain in the ass. Take it, Si Doel the Movie 2 hits the nostalgia button even harder this time even when the narrative keeps slowly lollygagging with the titular character's infamous indecisiveness.
Drama, Romance Written & Directed by: Rano Karno Starred by: Rano Karno, Maudy Koesnadi, Cornelia Agatha, Suti Karno, Mandra Runtime: 95 mins
FilmIndonesia.or.id
