The Siege at Thorn High

2025 1h 58m ID

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 47

ActionCrimeThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Morgan Oey
Edwin
Omara Esteghlal
Jefri Hariman
Hana Pitrashata Malasan
Valdiana Rahardjo
Endy Arfian
Khristo Ramli
Fatih Unru
Rangga Kurnia
Dewa Dayana
Gerry Rahadi
Satine Zaneta
Dorothy Susatyo
Florian Rutters
Simala Arka / Sim

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Joko Anwar
Writers: Joko Anwar
Languages: Indonesian, Sundanese, Mandarin, English
Countries: Indonesia, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released last year.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Indonesian, Sundanese, Mandarin, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Indonesia, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Joko Anwar, shot by Ical Tanjung. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Aghi Narottama. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Joko Anwar shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Morgan Oey and Omara Esteghlal and Hana Pitrashata Malasan carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt33479839 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Joko Anwar directs. Ical Tanjung behind the camera. Aghi Narottama scores. Joko Anwar cuts. Produced in Indonesia, United States of America. Dialogue in Indonesian, Sundanese, Mandarin, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released last year.
2Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Indonesian, Sundanese, Mandarin, English.
3International production across 2 countries: Indonesia, United States of America.
4Directed by Joko Anwar, shot by Ical Tanjung. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Aghi Narottama. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Joko Anwar shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Morgan Oey and Omara Esteghlal and Hana Pitrashata Malasan carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt33479839 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 47 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 28 themes, including "high school", "chaos", "dystopia", "violence in schools".
11Released under 22 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Ical Tanjung
Original score: Aghi Narottama
Editing: Joko Anwar
Makeup / hair: Novie Ariyanti
VFX supervisor: Abby Eldipie
Sound: Hiroyuki Ishizaka
Runtime: 118 min · 1h 58m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $4,650,998
Original language: ID
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Siege at Thorn High (2025)

Also by

Joko Anwar

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Allen2025-04-28
★ 8/10
imagine you just chillin then outta nowhere some jawir dude pulls up and attacks you
Call Me Dunham2025-08-13
★ 10/10
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.
Call Me Dunham2025-08-20
★ 10/10
"Our country is like the thinnest glass. If we don't do anything, we'll just have to wait for it to break. We're not in a good place." —