Lupus 3: Topi-topi Centil Movie Review, Film Still and Poster

Indonesia 1989
Director: Edi S.S.
Cast: Hilman Hariwijaya, Ita Purnamasari, Sylvana Herman, Rima Melati, Gito Gilas, Boim, Gusur,Anto
Rating: Teen
VCD Quality: Poor/Decent/Excellent
Running Length: 1 hour 33 mins 35 secs

Review of the Movie

Lupus 3: Topi-topi Centil film still 1


LUPUS 3: TOPI-TOPI CENTIL
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
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The charm of an actor in a movie is highly important! Even becoming more important in a sequel...Want to know what's more important than that? It's Not to replace the entire cast in the next sequel! Lupus: Topi-Topi Centil was released in 1989, after the audience had enjoyed Lupus: Tangkaplah Daku Kau Kujitak (1987), Lupus: Mahluk Manis Dalam Bis (1987).

Lupus: Topi-Topi Centil was also based on a novel written by Hilman Hariwijaya. In English perhaps it would be translated as "Lupus: Fancy Hats". In this comedy flick however, Ryan Hidayat who was role as Lupus in the previous movies, unfortunately, was replaced. Alright, changing one actor was already bad enough, but why the heck did the filmmakers change the whole actors and actresses and left only, most notably, two of them, Gito Gilas and Sylvana Herman and those two even only have minor roles in this third entry. Sigh....

The storyline centers both on Lupus (Hilman Hariwijaya) and Lulu. Lupus is a high school student who is well known for his writing skill. In this movie he is seen mostly trying to raise a small chicken farm with the help of his friends, Boim and Gusur among others. He is also appointed to be his class (II A-2) representative on the upcoming lecture competition.

Boim is also tries to win Nyit Nyit's heart, actually her name is Yunita. Yunita is the best friend of Fifi Alone (Sylvana Herman), an actress-wannabe who is also the love interest of Gusur, one of Boim's best friends besides Lupus. Poppy is back, by the way, only this time she is played by Ita Purnamasari.
Lupus’ little sister, Lulu, has a crush on a boy named Andi (Gito Gilas, he roles as Gito in the previous films), a charming guy who excels in Basketball and loves to wear fancy hat. The love-sick Lulu tries to impress Andi. From being a cheerleader to planning to buy a new fancy hat for him, even though Lulu actually realizes that Andi already has a girlfriend.

Chemistry people...chemistry. Alright, speaking frankly, the new cast resembles more the real characters on the novel, most notably Boim, Lupus' mom and Lupus himself. Boim in the previous movie is too handsome and too gentle and Lupus' Mom is too wooden, even Ryan Hidayat as Lupus is too handsome and outgoing, I give you that. But after having watched two of Lupus' previous films, it's proven that Ryan Hidayat along with other original cast have chemistry and successfully enlivened the characters into a teen-flick with a quality that the Indonesian audience could enjoy, especially a fan like myself who collected the novels. In Lupus: Topi-Topi Centil, we as fellow moviegoers have the exact opposite of those things mentioned above. No chemistry, dull characters, and forced jokes. Hilman Hariwijaya is a great novelist and writer alright, but it takes more to be an actor, especially if his job is to replace Ryan's charm.

Upon seeing those different actors had already disappointed me, and that flaw grows bigger by the minutes. If seeing the young actors acting in the previous two movies remind me of the good ol' days, then in Lupus: Topi-Topi Centil, it's just like seeing a bunch of ordinary teenagers get together. I am very sorry to say, I'm grateful that I didn't watch this movie on theater back then, and now, reviewing this is merely a work. A piece of advice for fans who haven't watched Lupus' movies, see Lupus: Topi-Topi Centil first, then the rest of them. Maybe you won't get to disappointed like I did.

Lupus 3: Topi-Topi Centil