I finally watched this highly controversial movie. Although Balibo is not allowed to be screened in most cinemas in Indonesia, we can easily find its pirated DVDs. This Australian movie is quite successful, and I can see why. Robert Connolly did a very good job in portraying the tragical story of Indonesia’s invasion to East Timor in 1975. The story moves in a very vivid, almost blunt manner. No mystery, or no over the top actions, no computer graphics or ultra cool special effects. Its simplicity makes the story felt real, and it makes Indonesia’s popularity to drop slightly. This movie has enraged many of the former country and army leaders because they considered the portrayal as offensive and highly inaccurate.
In Indonesia, everyone believed that the Balibo Five (5 Australian journalists that were killed in Balibo) were not murdered cold heartedly like how it is portrayed in the movie but they were accidentally killed in a gunfire. We used to believe that Indonesians came to East Timor in peace and that the East Timor people themselves chose to be a part of Indonesia too. And let’s not delude ourselves, Australia wants a piece of East Timor too, the abundance of oil in Timor Sea is a lucrative business and Australia has secured its part in an ever profitable agreement with East Timor.
Nonetheless, I do hope that since East Timor (now Timor Leste) is fully independent now, they will be able to mend their terrors-tainted country and build a much better life. Timor Leste’s restoration should really be a part of Indonesia’s responsibility too.
Overall, I give this movie an 8 out of 10 
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No1 seems 2b interested 2comment so I volunteer yet again ^^” Well may b coz u’r review sux? Like I said it’s just MAY B ^^” Well I hope u really appreciate what I’m doin rite now, typin sm/ comments so u don’t feel so bad. I know it sux 2hav no1 interested in givin u lousy comment. I know I’m nice, I can say that again =P Thx 4d effort nyway but d movie doesn’t seem like my kinda cup of tea. I already know indonesia is full of corrupt ppl, gud e.g. s inti. It sux 2max >.< Laterz sandy, sory about d late stupid outburst ^^"
they just traded one chaos for another, useless ~_~
@AD: Thank you hahaha
@@: well, they got to start somewhere. An initially, there will always be chaos