Best Indonesian war movies

Red & White (2009)

The movie starts with the tough lives of the aforementioned characters in a military school, showing friendship and even competition among them. But the lives of the young cadets changes when Dutch soldiers suddenly attack their camp, tearing them apart. With limited weaponry and forces, they decided to unite to fight against the Dutch and defend their freedom. Combining action, drama, humor, romance, human tragedy and strong personal stories, the movie is aimed at inspiring the new generation with the spirit of the generations before them who fought and sacrificed themselves for the freedoms Indonesia enjoys today.

Janur Kuning (1979)

The Long March (1950)

It tells the story of an Indonesian revolutionary who falls in love with one of his Dutch prisoners.

Akce Kalimantan (1962)

The Struggle (1960)

Devoted to the heroes who fought for their homeland’s freedom in the 1947 Indonesian war of liberation.

Nagabonar (1986)

All sorts of unlikely figures come to prominence in wartime, no matter what the country. Indonesia is no exception. In this comedy, Naga Bonar, a pickpocket who has seized the opportunity of the moment to declare himself a general in the Freedom Forces during the chaos of the Japanese occupying forces’ withdrawal in 1945, as the Dutch attempted to reassert their control over the area. However, soon a mask becomes his true self, and he becomes a true soldier and patriot.

War Victims (1983)

A women in prison movie set in a Japanese POW camp during World War 2.

Pasukan Garuda: I Leave My Heart In Lebanon (2016)

Garuda member contingent, Captain Satria, Lieutenant Arga, and Sergeant Gulamo, assigned to Lebanon as peacekeepers. Satria among others, should mediate disputes between Israeli soldiers by the Lebanese army, and managed to free the Spanish army of Hezbollah soldiers hostage.

Hell Raiders (1982)

The story of Indonesia's fight for independence from the Dutch.

Toha, Pahlawan Bandung Selatan (1961)

This is the heroic story of Mochamad Toha, who successfully blew up a Dutch ammunition depot in Bandung and ruined their defences. Set in Bandung at the time of transition, between the departing Japanese and the incoming Dutch (who are supported by the British), Indonesians had to fight for their independence. Toha emerged as a leader of the common people, who saw injustice and oppression, and who sacrificed himself by blowing up the ammunition depot.

Anak-anak Revolusi (1964)

During the revolution, Japan is defeated but has yet to surrender so a 14-year-old boy insists on joining the army, to avenge his father, who is incarcerated in Nusa Kambangan for murder. His actions are brave yet extreme in every way. Recognising this, the commander promotes the boy to section head, even though all his men are older than he is. He takes the most dangerous missions and as a result, one of his men dies. The late man’s girlfriend then volunteers, and is also killed, after being just as reckless as the boy.

The Last Train (1981)

With the failure of Linggarjati Agreement as the background, a heroic and also a love story are interwoven. The army headquarters in Yogja decides to withdraw all existing trains to Yogya.