# Tira (2023) Review: Indonesia's Superhero Gamble > Tira is an eight-episode Indonesian superhero series from the Bumilangit universe, an ambitious streaming bet on local comics whose effects and pacing often wobble. Canonical: https://celluloidscore.com/reviews/tira-review/ Published: 2026-07-22 Last updated: 2026-09-25 Author: Kaiser Khan — Founder & Editor Language: English Review basis: direct-viewing Spoilers: none Rating: 3/5 ## Verdict It depends. Fans of Bumilangit's films and Indonesian genre TV will find ambition to admire, but uneven effects and pacing make it a harder sell for casual viewers. ## Is Tira worth watching? **It depends. Tira is an ambitious, sometimes exciting attempt to build an Indonesian superhero franchise on streaming, but it rarely escapes the strain of doing Marvel-style storytelling on a smaller budget.** Its appeal lies in its local identity: a heroine whose powers are tied to Indonesian myth rather than imported comic-book lore. The reservations are uneven visual effects and a story that moves in fits and starts across its eight episodes. ## What is Tira about? Suci (Chelsea Islan) is a university student trying to keep her grades up and hold on to her scholarship while building a career as a film stuntwoman. That balancing act turns into a fight for her own life when she learns that ancient powers are held by respected, high-profile figures locked in a secret war, and she is dragged into the conflict herself. The series combines an origin story, in which Suci becomes the hero Tira, with a mystery about where those powers come from and who else wants them. [Tira](https://celluloidscore.com/shows/tira/) is part of the Bumilangit cinematic universe, the shared world built from classic Indonesian comics that began on the big screen with Gundala. It is an Indonesian-language series from Indonesia, released on [Disney+](https://celluloidscore.com/shows/platform/disney/) in 2023. This review covers the complete show: a single season of eight episodes, and the series has ended. ## A superhero rooted in local myth The most interesting thing about Tira is its sense of place. Rather than borrowing American superhero conventions wholesale, the series draws on Indonesian legend and folklore for its mythology, and it sets its action against a recognisably contemporary Indonesian cityscape. That gives familiar genre beats, the discovery of powers, the reluctant hero, the hidden enemy, a flavour of their own, and it is a reminder of how rich Bumilangit's source material can be. The streaming format also gives the character more room than a feature film would. Across eight episodes, the series can spend time on Tira's relationships and her uncertainty about her new role, which makes her more than a costume. When the show focuses on her personal stakes rather than the wider mythology, it is at its most engaging. ## Ambition that outpaces the budget The series clearly aims for blockbuster scale, and that is where it struggles most. Action scenes are often energetic and clearly choreographed, but the visual effects vary considerably in quality, and some of the more fantastical sequences look unfinished next to the polished international productions audiences will compare it with. The ambition is admirable; the execution is inconsistent. Pacing is the other problem. Some episodes are crowded with exposition about ancient forces and the secret war, while others feel stretched to fill time before the next confrontation. The mythology can be hard to follow for viewers who have not seen the Bumilangit films, and the connections to the wider universe are not always explained clearly. ## Performances that do the heavy lifting The cast works hard to ground the fantastical material. The central performance gives Tira enough warmth and determination to keep the audience invested even when the plot becomes muddled, and the supporting players bring conviction to characters who are sometimes thinly written. Villains, however, tend towards the generic, and the dialogue can slip into stiff pronouncements about destiny and power. ## Who should watch Tira? It is best for viewers who have enjoyed the Bumilangit films, anyone curious about how Indonesian studios are tackling the superhero genre, and fans of Southeast Asian action who are willing to forgive rough edges. Eight episodes make it a manageable commitment. Expect fantasy violence and fight scenes, some frightening supernatural imagery and a few intense moments, suitable for teenagers upwards. If you want to explore more: - [Moving](https://celluloidscore.com/reviews/moving-review/), a Korean superpower series that shows how far the genre can go when character and scale combine. - [Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams](https://celluloidscore.com/shows/joko-anwars-nightmares-and-daydreams/), for Indonesian genre storytelling that mixes the supernatural with local anxieties. ## The verdict Tira is a promising but uneven superhero series, notable more for what it attempts than for what it achieves. Its local mythology and earnest heroine give it an identity of its own, but inconsistent effects and pacing mean it will mainly reward viewers already invested in Bumilangit's universe. **Rating: 3/5** ## Related title - [Tira (2023)](https://celluloidscore.com/shows/tira/) ## Editorial - [Editorial standards](https://celluloidscore.com/about/editorial-policy/) - [Report a correction](https://celluloidscore.com/about/corrections/)