If you thought there was going to be a shortage of Indonesian action any time soon, you needn’t look further than some of this season’s prominent faces. Films and projects like Anggy Umbara’s
3 and currently-developing French action series,
O, have several names in common who are now readying for another explosive return to the screen in what reads like a fantastic action thriller to come.
For this, we look to Ody C. Harahap‘s latest, Skakmat (a.k.a. Checkmate), from MNC Pictures, led principally by actors Tanta Ginting, The Raid franchise co-stars Donny Alamsyah and Cecep Arif Rahman, along with Halfworlds co-star, actress Hannah Al-Rashid. The synopsis thusfar – a rough translation of the original – reads like an exciting race against time with several players under the eye of an evil pair of manipulative gamemasters, with an array of guns, drugs, stunts and major fisticuffs to add to the mix. The way I see it, and as it stands, I wouldn’t pass it up.
SYNOPSIS:
Jamal (Tanta Ginting), a professional driver, gets a $10,000 offer from Ivan with the requirement that he should accompany Dito (Donny Alamsyah) to an address that has been written on a letter. Strangely, Dito gives Jamal a gun and handcuffs. Jamal doesn’t care, because he is interested in the $10,000 that was prepaid. Apparently, Jamal is trapped in Dito’s Checkmate Adventure that is run by High Land Boss (Cecep Arif Rahman) and Mami Tuti (Hanah Al Rasyid) who want to kill him. Dito is chased because he proposes to break open an international heroin cell which is found in candy and chooses kids as victims. The choice between Dito, Jamal, High Land Boss, and Madam Tuti makes their journey so challenging and bloody. But Dito is a hand-to-hand expert because he can win [or use] against his rivals. In the end, Jamal and Dito can change the checkmate position and report the real criminal to the police.
The first official piece of poster art is now circulating and hopefully this will draw us closer to a teaser in the coming days or weeks. It’s another addition to the respective credits of this cast – a few of whom are making quite the strides beyond borders as we speak, and I have nothing but high hopes.
Check out the poster below!
*Special thanks to Cameron Farmer and Windi Moon for the translation of the source material.
