Target (2018) – Summary/ Review (with Spoilers)
Target’s desire to be both a silly comedy and a mystery conflicts in ways which lead it to disappoint both genres.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Target’s desire to be both a silly comedy and a mystery conflicts in ways which lead it to disappoint both genres.
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| Director(s) | Raditya Dika | |
| Written By | Raditya Dika | |
| Date Released | 11/23/2018 | |
| Genre(s) | Comedy, Mystery | |
| Good If You Like | Over The Top Comedy
Whodunit Storyline |
|
| Noted Cast | ||
| Radit | Raditya Dika | |
| Abdur | Abdur Arsyad | |
| Willy | Willy Dozan | |
| Cinta | Cinta Laura Kiehl | |
| Anggika | Anggika Bolsterli | |
| Ricis | Ria Ricis | |
| Romy | Romy Rafael | |
| Hifdzi | Hifdzi Khoir | |
| Samuel | Samuel Rizal | |
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Target‘s Plot (Ending on 2nd Page)
Target is about a group of 9 stars, famous for their work online, on stage, on film, or TV, doing a movie known as Target. There is Radit and Abdur, both who are comedians. Screen stars Willy, Cinta, and Anggika. Then there is television action hero Samuel, YouTube star Ricis, magician Romy, and then Hifdzi. It isn’t clear if he, Hifdzi, is famous or not. He might be just Samuel’s best friend. Hard to say.
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What is made clear though is Target isn’t a normal movie – both in terms of the actual movie and movie within a movie. For with shock collars, guns, and so much more, including a “Gamemaster” you may think this is a SaW ripoff. However, what it ultimately is might be a plot of revenge for which these celebrities, and Hifdzi, are just an ends to a means.
Highlights
Willy Dozan
The main thing which may get you through this movie is the duality of Dozan’s character, nicknamed Wince. When he presents himself as this effeminate older man, it’s corny, perhaps offensive to some, but also comical. The exaggerated mannerisms and play on the idea of this man in his golden years acting like a flirtatious, and delicate, women is sometimes hilarious. But, it is also when Dozan snaps into the action hero he once was that he shows his value to this film.
How? Well, while the action of this movie isn’t by any means impressive, seeing Dozan go from femme to hyper-masculine is as funny as most of the antics you see him perform. Making it so his character may be the sole one who will keep you watching until the end.
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Criticism
Some of the Acting & Fight Scenes
I’m going to tell you right now, a lot of the acting in this is cringey. There are multiple moments where you’ll wonder, between the script or actor, who decided this was how the character should be portrayed? One example being Ricis hiding, in a very awkward manner, when everyone realizes they are trapped and a joke she tells that the gamemaster doesn’t like. That early on moment may lead you to think this is not worth continuing.
However, if that doesn’t turn you off, the fight scenes Samuel, Abdur, and Willy have may do the trick. Why? Well, because they are choreographed like terrible WWE matches. That is, you can tell the moves were planned, to a point, and practiced, but the actual impact and believability? Pretty much non-existent. Leaving you with moments like Willy spinning Samuel around by his legs with the camera positioned in a way for you to know Samuel is definitely not spinning in the air because of Willy.
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Overall: Negative (Acquired Taste)| Currently on Netflix
While I enjoy Willy, that is because I have some appreciation for camp and his over the top performance, especially when playing femme, is the definition of camp. However, I don’t think most people will find much enjoyment with this movie. The romantic plot between Cinta and Radit won’t make you swoon and there isn’t much chemistry. Willy is comical, but in a way which requires the bar for you to be a bit low. The fight scenes are not on the level of The Night Comes For Us, or anything like that, so there goes what Samuel could have contributed. As for the rest of the cast? They’re around, they have lines, but they don’t contribute a reason for you to see this movie till the end. Even with there being a mystery pushed of there being one survivor.
Hence the negative label and why, in parenthesis, it is noted the film is an acquired taste. This movie isn’t horrible but I feel this is a movie you can’t just recommend to anyone or, like with most Mixed labeled movies on here, say “just give it a chance.” This is the kind of film that, saying someone should watch this, might mean them questioning anything you say from that point on. Again, not because it is horrible but it seems geared towards a niche that isn’t necessarily large.
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