Leonard Retel Helmrich's powerful documentary profiles the work of Agus Nur Amal, an Indonesian puppeteer on a mission to fight Islamic extremism. By Western standards, his methods are jolting: the 9/11 attacks are reenacted by Amal on a television kiddie show, with toy props and an Osama Bin Laden doll (the young audience laughs heartily until they are exposed to images of terrorist bombings in Indonesia during 2004 and 2005). On a quest to track down the terrorists behind the 2002 Bali bombings, Amal confronts one of the jailed perpetrators, an extremist who delivers anti-American rhetoric while freely interpreting the Koran. Amal even chases the dead, using a medium to contact the suicide bombers behind the attack—an endeavor that apparently hits an awkward spot when the psychic refuses to tell Amal where the souls of the killers wound up (one can guess it wasn't Heaven). Considering that Amal's Indonesian audience is also the world's largest Muslim population, his crusade is both difficult and dangerous, while his continued criticism of the local leadership clearly hits nerves. Indeed, Promised Paradise was abruptly banned from the 2007 Jakarta International Film Festival upon the orders of the Indonesian government. An outspoken denouncer of Islamic extremism from within the Muslim world, Amal's methods might seem strident and shrill, but the courage of this man who simply expects better from his society is extraordinary. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Promised Paradise
(2007) 52 min. DVD or VHS: $99.95: public libraries; $325: colleges & universities. The Cinema Guild. PPR. ISBN: 0-7815-1221-2 (dvd). Volume 23, Issue 1
Promised Paradise
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: