Netflix’s ‘24 Hours with Gaspar’ is an Indonesian language mystery thriller set within a well-crafted dystopian world and possesses a narrative acceptable for most trope-loving fans of the genre. This 2023 release is based on Sabda Armandio’s novel of the same name. It explores themes deeply rooted in poverty’s dark desperation for betterment and the ever-enkindled flame of childhood friendships.
Its distinct tone sets it apart from many other films in the genre and places its characters in proverbial grime akin to the realities one may encounter in similar situations. Balanced with elements of crime, allure, vengeance, and the unwavering bond of companionship, the film accompanies the titular character’s one-day adventure and leaves most things properly addressed. However, many details may fall through the cracks, as the pace and the way the feature reveals information may birth a few queries. SPOILERS AHEAD!
24 Hours with Gaspar Plot Synopsis
‘24 Hours with Gaspar’ follows the titular character, a private investigator, who has just uncovered a systematic cover-up by the government on a mass slaughter case. Set decades in the future, in a dystopian Indonesian capital that a fatal virus has plagued, Gaspar stumbles upon an interlink between the case and the early disappearance of his childhood friend Kirana.
However, time isn’t on Gaspar’s side as he has only 24 hours to live and is determined to solve the mysterious case, even if it is his last. Afflicted by health concerns, Gaspar unravels dark, reticulated truths on the way as he is assisted by an unlikely and interrelated group of assailants, all of whom want to break the shackles of deprivation.
Is Kirana Alive?
As an orphan, Gaspar was raised by an old man called Babaji, and when asked what he wanted the most, he said he wanted a friend. Here’s where Kirana comes into the picture – she is Gaspar’s neighbor and best friend. The duo spent a lot of time together growing up, but she suddenly disappeared one day without a trace, leaving Gaspar distraught and bewildered.
Years later, all grown up, he is still attached to the fond memories of Kirana and will do anything to learn what happened. As he pieces the puzzle together, he finds Wan Ali, a man connected with a previous case he had worked on. Wan Ali owns a jewelry store, and although it does not make a lot of sales, the store somehow remains afloat. Curious to know why, Gaspar probes further, only to realize that Wan Ali is in some way connected to an organ trafficking trade and is deeply linked to the network.
Wan Ali is also in possession of a mysterious black box, which Babaji once mentioned in a story told to Gaspar during his younger years. Babaji spoke about its magical abilities and its alluring traits. The box is said to provide wealth and well-being to anyone in its possession. While not completely convinced that the black box has any abilities, he realizes it could hold information about his missing friend.
After receiving insightful inputs from Bu Tati, Wan Ali’s sister-in-law, he finds out that Kirana is actually Wan Ali’s daughter. He makes the grave assumption that Wan Ali was the one to sell Kirana for her organs but doesn’t have the right proof. He conjures up a plan, but the plan requires a team.
Gaspar is already friendly with an aspiring investigator, Agnes, who has been helping him so far. He then convinces his ex-girlfriend Kik and her boyfriend Njet, who are both impoverished and looking for a way out of their depravity. He also employs the abilities of Bu Tati and her son Yadi, who have been wronged by Wan Ali in unforgivable ways.
Gaspar plans to rob Wan Ali’s store in the night while the others loot the store; he can exact his vengeance on Wan Ali and find any other information. He follows Wan Ali to a secret hideout but is unable to take care of him there. The plan goes horribly wrong, and a seemingly fatal chase ensues between Wan Ali’s gang and Gaspar’s group. In the end, with Gaspar and Agnes the only ones left, he returns to the store to finish business with Wan Ali as Agnes lures his gang to another area.
In a final showdown, Gaspar and Wan Ali face off as Gaspar interrogates him about Kirana’s whereabouts. Wan Ali’s sinister demeanor tries to fight back but is unable to. Since the secret hideout has a fingerprint authentication security system, Gaspar rips off Wan Ali’s finger and takes it with him. Upon accessing the hideout, he sees children caged, ready to be harvested for their organs. In the next room, he sees the black box and opens it. Inside is a miniature version of young Kirana, who looks up at him and smiles. It represents the manifestation of Gaspar’s deepest desire.
The film here implies that Kirana is long gone. Gaspar, who tried to rescue her, attempting to solve the puzzle piece by piece over the years, was ultimately gifted the truth that she didn’t make it. At that very moment, the magical box gives him what his heart desires the most- the truth about Kirana. The black box plays a mysterious yet vital role in the proceedings of the film. Although it never addresses what is inside the box, the film implies that it possesses the ability to give its holder its deepest and even darkest desires. For some, it is wealth through any means necessary, and for some, it is the truth through the same.
From a realist perspective, Kirana’s death would have happened decades in the past. Her father harvested her organs for wealth and business, not caring for his own daughter’s life. Even the money he received from that transaction would have been spent years before. Gaspar, being a young boy then, would not have understood the magnitude of the situation, let alone try to save her. However, Gaspar never gave up. He was on a perpetual quest to find out what happened to his beloved friend, and even though it took a long time, he still managed to unravel the truth.
Why did Wan Ali Take Away Kirana?
As the feature progresses, audiences are informed about a plague that ravaged Indonesia in 2025, called Plague Number 36. An antidote was created to save lives in the form of a vaccine but only distributed to a select few. The vaccine had serious side effects that deteriorated the condition of human organs, which resulted in an increased need for organ donors. As a result, vaccinated individuals who had the money for it could get donors or go through extreme and illegal measures to attain the organs. This is where the film connects Wan Ali with the organ trafficking network. The underlying fact is that Wan Ali had something to do with Kirana’s disappearance.
In a flashback, we see Kik, Gaspar, and Kirana’s other childhood friend witnessing Kirana’s capture. Kirana was hiding in a cupboard when Kik found her. Kirana tells Kik not to reveal her whereabouts to the perpetrators. Kik, unable to do anything in that situation, agrees, but eventually, they find Kirana and take her away. She never reveals this information to Gaspar and he is only able to put the pieces together much later.
Gaspar, who is hot on the trail for information about Kirana, stumbles upon Wan Ali, interconnected to his previous case of mass slaughter, which the government had been trying to cover up. The informant who provided the information was found mysteriously dead sometime later. Later, in a scene with a curious Agnes, who wants to be an investigator just like him, he explains the entire plague situation. He reveals that the organ trafficking industry has been on the rise in the past decades because of the systematic increase in buyers.
All fingers now point at Wan Ali. Gaspar, who has been tirelessly looking for clues, has found out that he took away Kirana to harvest her organs. Although it is not directly confirmed, we can safely assume that he would then go on to sell them for a hefty price to individuals within this trafficking network. Wan Ali harvested his own daughter for his greed, albeit during a time when money is scarce, as masterfully portrayed in the film’s dystopian environment.
Wan Ali’s greed is paramount, as he will do anything to get whatever he wants. Gaspar’s interactions with the characters who know Wan Ali reveal the same fact about him: that one isn’t safe from his greed, even if they are his own daughter. Wan Ali may have run out of new sources to harvest organs from and looked to his daughter as a business opportunity. He heartlessly agreed to kill Kirana and, in the process, sold a little bit of his soul.
Is Gaspar Dead?
In the final moments of the film, an accomplished Gaspar is riding away on his bike and taking in the last few moments he has left in his final 24 hours. As he fades out, he rides off the side of the road and falls to the ground. The film here cuts to a montage of Gaspar’s group celebrating the victory of taking Wan Ali’s riches, while on the other hand, showcasing pedestrians near Gaspar’s crash stealing all his belongings. It is a representation of the desperate times people are going through. The film here implies that Gaspar is dead, and his 24 hours are up.
Gaspar has dextrocardia, a rare heart condition where the person’s heart is on the right instead of usually being on the left. While in reality, the heart condition isn’t critical, the film’s rendition of it is life-threatening. Gaspar also had a functioning mechanism that kept his heart from stopping, but due to a lethal fight that knocked him unconscious, the mechanism’s output weakened, giving him only 24 hours to live unless repaired. From a narrative point of view, the 24-hour period provides the perfect setting for thrills.
While the film doesn’t explicitly show Gaspar’s death, it is implied, as the following segment after he falls showcases a flashback to his childhood and the fond memories he had with Kirana. It symbolizes the accomplishment of a man who has finally found what he desired the most. The sequence of memories after his death indicates the peace he has established with the truth, even if it wasn’t something pleasant. The flashback also symbolizes the externalization of Gaspar and Kirana’s friendship, which now moves on from the living into the afterlife.
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