Yusron Fuadi’s The Draft! (also known as Setan Alas!) is an Indonesian genre film that explores the life of a screenplay in fun and exciting ways. The Draft opens with five typical students arriving at a nondescript villa for the weekend. What begins as fun however, soon descends into chaos as the group find themselves at the will of an almighty and all powerful terror that has a strange hold on them.
For The Draft, Fuadi changes up the overly familiar cabin in the woods premise in a fresh and dynamic way. For the film, Fuadi channels both One Cut of the Dead and The Cabin in the Woods with a smattering of Shaun of the Dead to create a horror comedy that is far more fun than its basic synopsis suggests. To go into any further details would risk detracting from Fuadi’s hard work, but suffice to say that once the viewer settles down to watch The Draft, they will quickly become locked in and invested in the world and characters evolving before their eyes.
Given the nature of The Draft, the film shifts through a variety of genre styles, Fuadi using the opportunity to demonstrate an ability to traverse several different strands of style and tone. His work deserves commendation, especially considering the limited resources at hand. That The Draft is able to go into the directions it does is thanks to the astute and frugal mind of Fuadi and his crew. Like One Cut of the Dead, The Draft is a love letter to the craft of movie-making that, just as with One Cut of the Dead, isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself. Those with a history in, or of studying film, will filnd The Draft especially entertaining, but there is lots for all to find and enjoy, from the effects to the character work, and the solid acting across the board.
A labour of love, Fuadi has created a movie with its film-loving heart on its sleeve. An endearing and charming comedy, The Draft is an inventive and enjoyable slice of Indonesian cinema deserving of discovery.
The Draft!
Summary
Poised to be the next little film that could, The Draft is a frantic and fun ode to the filmmaking industry.
The Draft! was reviewed at Fantastic Fest 2024.
