Perewangan

After a series of strange incidents, a woman and her sister are tormented by deviant spirits that are soon found to belong to a curse inflicted upon the family generations ago for their family's success, and they must find a way of stopping it from consuming them.

For the most part, the film is a missed opportunity that could've been great. One of the biggest factors in this regard is the generally weak story that is simultaneously confusing and dull while showing plenty of potential for greater outcomes. The initial incident sets everything in motion regarding the father's return from the hospital and almost immediate suicide, starting things on a fine note, yet the implications of a grandstanding curse on the family don't come off that well afterward. Filled with pointless meandering involving cousins disrupting the grieving process to inquire about finding new housing or the effect of the death on their income, the running time is ground to a halt, spinning its wheels on such matters instead of pressing forward. There's a fantastic starting point to discover the origins of the curse afflicting the family and a follow-up involving the mother's illness, but instead, this goes off into other factors that stretch out the running time far longer than necessary when other films have done similar material in less time. On top of this, the story is plain confusing and leaves way too many questions than it answers. There are many mentions about the whole curse starting from generations ago that her grandfather stopped, but her mother started again for little reason given. It's explained how the curse operates and what started their ancestors' quest to begin it, how the early signs gave it all away, and what needed to happen to stop it, but it's all surface gloss with the particulars left unanswered. The demon is named only once, and what its purpose for being summoned is not, and it has such a bizarre targeting scheme that goes unexplained as well, since the male uncles are attacked, yet the female Aunty is spared. This is just part of why the storyline makes little sense without generating any answers for what's going on, as numerous other pieces to the story are just thrown out without explanation, just to be taken as they are, and with the lackluster special effects present for some of the kills, these all lower the film. Outside of these factors, this one has a lot to like. This is mostly tied up in how the curse manifests itself in the traditionally fun and chilling supernatural attack scenes that show the curse has been set into motion. Opening on a strong note with the preparations for the specific ritual and what goes on to prepare it, the later scenes show the effects of this take shape in the form of brutal suicides that end up genuinely gruesome and graphic. Going so far as to include other members of the family to help enhance the perceived power of everything, these pave the way for the more traditional hauntings and demonic visions to occur later on. With the figures popping up unexpectedly in mirrors, on the other side of the room, or from cracks and crevices within, these scenes offer up some energetic and rather enjoyable scares that get better as they go along. The final battle, taking place with the daughter attempting to perform the sacrificial ritual on her mother as her sister watches on, terrified, ends this on a high note as the creepy house, ritualistic actions, and chilling imagery create a fun sequence. What makes it so fun is, oddly, the convoluted and twisting story that provides some chilling ideas in general. The whole idea of the relatives setting into motion a deadly curse that affects multiple generations down the line, and knowing that it was initially stopped, only to see it continue on, makes for a solid overall setup. The generational curse that has to be uncovered and provide enough countermeasures to ensure it doesn't ensnare the kids works rather well to set up how the different mannerisms the mother exhibits show off the effects of the curse. The worsening physical conditions and changing mental state highlight everything going on rather well, as it points to the general deterioration felt from the curse, which all gives the story a bit more grounding to overcome some of the issues regarding how much it doesn't answer. Getting to see how her sister acts around the mother, the skin changes, and the visions of demonic spirits running around the house, not interacting with anyone else around them, may not help answer the questions presented, but keep the interest going enough to let this one focus on bringing the curse to light. These do enough to counter some of the issues, if not all of them.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Language, and children-in-jeopardy.

An amazing thriller to watch! It draws inspiration from a Javanese folktale, masterfully incorporating a chilling horror twist that keeps you on edge. The eerie atmosphere sets the perfect tone, and the plot is packed with unexpected twists that keep you guessing till the very end. Each scare is well-executed, and the characters are complex and engaging, making their journeys even more compelling. The acting is phenomenal, truly bringing the story to life and adding depth to the overall experience. Horror fans will appreciate the film's unique cultural perspective and the balance of suspense, mystery, and scares. A must-watch!

Watching this movie feels too long because it's bored and story is pointless, there's no character either in protagonist and antagonist, i don't know what this movie want to deliver, completely clueless.

The vibe on early is quite scary, but sadly when on middle-end that vibe is gone. There's no story build up and lack of context explaining what is going on.

By the end, you're left feeling more confused than frightened, wondering why you stuck with it for so long. This movie misses the mark, leaving audiences wanting more-more character, more suspense, and ultimately, more reason to care.

Pro tip: never trust horror movie based on twitter thread.