Jangan Seperti Bapak
Your 20-year-old just got the worst birthday gift possible
Angel's celebration turns into a funeral the moment her father, Pablo, is found brutally murdered on February 12, 2026. That's the premise. What follows is a 100-minute thriller that pivots on a single question: who killed him, and why?
Here's the catch — Pablo wasn't just a father. He was one of four leaders of the Red Dragon gang, alongside Vincen, Hans, and Chandra. Angel didn't know that until his body showed up. Now she's trapped between grief and the suffocating weight of his criminal legacy. The film doesn't look away from that contradiction. It leans into it.
Why this film sticks with you (even if the plot doesn't always hold)
Zee Asadel carries this entire movie on her face. What's striking is how little she actually says — most of her performance happens in the silence after bad news. There's a scene early on where Angel learns her father's dead, and the camera just sits with her. No music. No melodrama. That's the film at its best.
Director Daniel Tito Pakpahan (produced by JHN Production) keeps the violence grounded instead of stylized, which works for a story about a young woman processing trauma while also trying to survive a gang war she never signed up for. The action sequences are competent without being flashy. It's the quieter conversations — Angel talking to someone who actually knew her father, a flashback that recontextualizes their whole relationship — where the real pulse lives.
Donny Damara and Verdi Solaiman anchor the gang scenes with the kind of credibility that the script doesn't always deserve. Even Mongol Stress, in what could've been a throwaway supporting role, brings unexpected texture to the material.
The plot twists? They land. But the supporting arcs around the other Red Dragon leaders feel rushed — like Pakpahan ran out of runway in a script that wanted to do more than 100 minutes could hold. Doeta News TV described the film as "drama action penuh emosi dengan plot twist yang sulit ditebak" (emotional action drama with unpredictable plot twists), and that's accurate — the twists are there, they just don't always have room to breathe.
The rating isn't the whole story
IMDb has it at 4/10. That's lower than it deserves.
The film earned a 21+ classification in Indonesia, and that wasn't a marketing decision. Pakpahan committed to the violence and the emotional weight. There's no softening. This isn't family drama in the heartwarming sense — it's a young woman learning that the person she called Bapak was someone she never actually knew.
Early Letterboxd responses point to uneven plotting as the main criticism, though several viewers note the emotional ambition as genuinely felt. The film tried something harder than a straightforward revenge thriller. That attempt counts for something, even when the execution stumbles.
Where to actually watch it (and what to expect)
Jangan Seperti Bapak is on major OTT platforms following its theatrical run. Check Movie OTT's where-to-watch widget at the top of this page — availability shifts between streaming services and regions constantly, so a Google search from last month won't help you. The widget updates in real time.
Honestly, this plays better at home anyway. You can sit with the quiet moments instead of fighting theater noise and someone's phone lighting up three rows ahead.
Quick facts:
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Release date: February 12, 2026 (Indonesian cinemas)
- Rating: 21+ (adults only)
- Lead: Zee Asadel
- Supporting cast: Donny Damara, Verdi Solaiman, Aulia Sarah, Zack Lee, and others
- Director: Daniel Tito Pakpahan
- Production: JHN Production
If you liked Indonesian crime dramas with emotional depth — think along the lines of character-driven gang stories rather than action spectacles — this lands closer to what you're looking for than the low IMDb score suggests.
FAQ
Is this a true story? No. It's original fiction, though its themes of gang leadership, betrayal, and estranged family ties draw on recognizable Indonesian crime dynamics.
Can I watch this with my family? Not unless your family is 21+. The film carries an adults-only classification for violence and mature content around murder, gang crime, and family trauma. It's not softened for younger viewers.
Who's the lead? Zee Asadel plays Angel, the 20-year-old at the center of everything. She's supported by a solid ensemble, though the script doesn't always give them enough to do in 100 minutes.
Where can I stream it? Check Movie OTT for current platform availability in your region. Streaming catalogs shift weekly, so the widget there is your fastest route to finding it.
Should I watch it? If Indonesian drama-action hybrids appeal to you, yes — even knowing the plotting is uneven. Zee Asadel's performance and the film's genuine emotional core make it worth your time. If you need a tightly plotted revenge thriller, there are better options elsewhere. This one reaches further than it lands, but the reach itself is worth watching.
