Edwin promised to his sister on her deathbed to find her son she gave up a long time ago. Edwin's quest brought him to become a substitute teacher in Duri High School, Jakarta, a school for juvenile delinquents. There he must face the most violent students to find his nephew. When he eventually finds the boy, a city-wide riot erupts and Edwin is trapped in the school with the cruel kids out for his blood.
high school chaos dystopia violence in schools teacher school submissive discrimination social conflict aggressive turbulence political thriller dark future unrest dark student intense ethnicity apathetic brisk tragic religion issue race and inter-group relations psychological tension bukit duri jakarta sensitive issue suspenful message of humanity
A private user reviewed The Siege at Thorn High (2025)
The Siege at Thorn High
After such a long time, Joko Anwar has finally returned to directing a film outside of the horror–supernatural genre, and honestly, I’m satisfied with this one. As always, Joko Anwar’s opening scenes immediately trigger me—my heart pounding, thump-thump-thump!! Truly terrifying, yet this isn’t even a horror film. Almost every aspect of this movie comes close to perfection: from its neatly woven plot narrative, to its amazing world-building and production design. The dystopian world is portrayed as being in total chaos, yet it feels so realistic that it makes us feel as though this world is dangerously close to our own reality. No wonder—collaborating with MGM ? resulted in such mind-blowing production design.
The scoring is also perfectly placed, amplifying the tension even more. The visuals? Stunning—an atmosphere so gripping that it brought back memories of the dark times during the 1998 riots. As for the acting? Omara Esteghal delivers an excellent and convincing performance as Jefri—his facial expressions and gestures scream pure psychopath. Likewise, Morgan Oey is equally impressive as a teacher forced to risk his very existence in his role—torn between protecting his students and surviving their horror. To embrace and reconcile means risking being killed, but to defend oneself—even if it means killing—goes against his moral code as a teacher.
This isn’t just an ordinary action–thriller. It carries a message for all of us: never let such events destroy our beloved country—Indonesia is non-negotiable! This film reminds us to preserve the unity of the nation, to never allow division, and to ensure that such conflicts never become reality. May our beloved homeland remain a safe and comforting home until the end of our days—because the motherland will always live in our hearts and be protected. We must never be complacent, lest such events reappear in the headlines or echo through the voices of radio broadcasters.
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