Throughout the viewing of this tense thriller, I really wanted to rate it a 10. The general acting was fine. Background music was nice, too. The violence, though not much, would satisfy any gore hound. What kept the movie from being a classic was the continued use of extreme long shots. Sure, I get it. Indonesia is practically a loathsome desert. Do we need to have that drilled into our heads with every scene? What made "Marlina" stand out were the original elements - a Asian babe on horseback toting a machete seeking revenge ala spaghetti western style. How often do you see that? You can practically see the various homages this film pays to its predecessors - "El Topo", "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly", "Man With No Name", etc. Recommended.