The Haunted Hotel

In fairness I'm not selecting a star rating for this film so as not to influence the user "grade" considering I didn't finish watching; I invested thirty-five or so minutes (IMO star ratings should generally be given when a film is watched in its entirety). The budget appeared to be in place and the production looked nice, but the writing! And, as a result, the acting was less than good or convincing. The dialogue was unnatural and seemed to be solely expository for us viewers. My eyes were rolling within minutes. I decided early on that another 90 minutes were probably not worth the time. But, perhaps it did turn into something worthwhile....

This film essentially takes place in Indonesia with a woman by the name of "Ningrum" (Hami Diah) getting hired to work as a maid at a hotel not too far from Jakarta. On her very first day, she is told that the 3rd floor is under construction and to avoid it at all costs. Not seeing any problem with this instruction, she readily agrees and begins her first day at work. It's then, to her surprise, that she hears a noise that sounds like a woman sobbing--and it's coming from a room on the 3rd floor. Naturally, being somewhat curious, she immediately goes to investigate. Then, upon entering the room where the sound appears to be coming from, she stares in horror at an extremely pale woman with white hair who, after mumbling some strange words to her, causes her to run out of the room in sheer terror. Sure enough, three days later she is killed by an unseen entity at midnight. The scene then shifts to a woman named "Raina" (Luna Maya) being driven to a hotel that she has just inherited from her father. Traveling with her is her adopted, preteen daughter "Fey" (Bianca Hello) who looks forward to starting a new life in this exotic location. When they get there, she is greeted by her in-laws who have been taking care of the place for several years. And like everyone else who comes to this hotel, they tell her to avoid the 3rd floor at all costs. Unfortunately, it isn't too long before she hears what appears to be a woman sobbing from one of the rooms on that very floor--and that's when the horror begins all over again. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay horror film which primarily benefited from its dark atmosphere and beautiful scenery. And although the acting was adequate, what lessened the film, to a certain degree, was its rather predictable plot and unsatisfying ending. That being said, while certainly not a great horror film by any means, it still kept my attention for the most part, and I have rated it according. Average.

I'll try not to spoil too much The story revolves around a cursed room at some old hotel, With some of "The Ring" kinda curse. It even shows at the first scene in the beginning. After that it become too much rushed out. Feels like wanna tell so much story in a little time.

Even though the story happens in Semarang there's only a few local language spoken here, and the dialogue feels to formal (kinda like the textbook standard grammar), which is really strange to hear in daily basis.

Not too much jumpscare nor some traditional/cultural background stories behind, just a so-so horror movie to watch.

As a lifelong horror enthusiast, I approached this Indonesian supernatural flick with cautious optimism, drawn by its eerie premise rooted in Semarang's local lore. Directed by Guntur Soeharjanto, the 2023 film attempts to weave a tale of dread around a cursed hotel room, but it struggles to rise above the genre's well-worn tropes. While the movie delivers moments of visceral unease, its predictable narrative and uneven execution left me wanting more.

The film's strongest asset is its atmosphere. Soeharjanto and cinematographer create a gloomy, oppressive vibe within the Ambar Mangun Hotel, where flickering lights and shadowy corridors amplify the sense of foreboding. The sound design, with its relentless, pulse-pounding score, keeps you on edge, especially during the film's more brutal scenes. These gory moments, driven by a vengeful spirit's sadistic streak, are genuinely unsettling; the ghost's method of peeling her own skin is grotesque enough to make you wince. The makeup and visual effects, particularly the ghost's pallid, white-haired visage, are convincing, adding a layer of authenticity to the horror. For fans of gore, these elements deliver, but they're not enough to salvage the film's deeper flaws.

Where the movie stumbles is in its storytelling and character development. The script, penned by Riheam Junianti, leans heavily on familiar horror clichés: a forbidden room, a cryptic warning, a countdown to doom. It feels like a rehash of countless other ghost stories, with little innovation to set it apart. The pacing drags across its 110-minute runtime, with long stretches of repetitive dialogue and predictable jump scares that fail to land after the first act. I found myself checking the time, a cardinal sin for a horror film meant to grip you. The characters, while competently acted, are thinly drawn. Luna Maya, as Raina, brings a quiet intensity, and Egy Fedly shines as the spiritualist Ki Danang, but their roles lack depth. Christian Sugiono's journalist Ardo feels like an afterthought, his investigative thread fizzling out without impact. The film hints at a richer backstory involving the ghost's origins, but these glimpses are too brief to add emotional weight.

What frustrates most is the missed potential. The film claims inspiration from a real haunted hotel in Semarang, yet it barely taps into the cultural specificity that could have made it stand out. A flashback to the ghost's past offers a fleeting glimpse of something compelling, set in the 1980s with period-appropriate costumes and a tragic tale of betrayal. But this thread is rushed, leaving the spirit's motivations murky. Compare this to something like The Shining, where the hotel's history seeps into every frame, and you see what's lacking. The dialogue, often stilted and overly formal, further undercuts the tension; it's jarring to hear characters speak like textbooks in a supposedly casual setting.

On the technical side, the production values are solid for an Indonesian horror flick. The hotel set, with its peeling paint and creaky floors, feels lived-in, and the lighting choices enhance the eerie mood. But these strengths can't mask the narrative's shortcomings. The film's reliance on gore over psychological depth makes it feel like a one-trick pony, entertaining in bursts but forgettable overall. It's not a bad movie; newcomers to horror might find it a decent thrill ride. For seasoned viewers, though, it's a reminder of how hard it is to craft something truly haunting. I enjoyed the visceral shocks and the cast's effort, but I left wishing for a tighter edit and a bolder vision. One viewing is enough.

The settings and scenery in Indonesian horror films always go hard.

They really make me want to visit their beautiful country!

The storylines on which they are based, however, are kind of mid.

As far as haunted house films go...this one honestly isn't that bad.

But it's certainly not great, either.

The introduction actually got me kind of into it.

Enough, at least, to render me engaged.

Especially considering there are some really cool parts...like the gore.

The gore is quite well done.

Interspersed between the good bits, however, is some questionably dumb stuff.

Some of which hinders the flow.

And there are several times it looked like things were going to wrap up...only for the film to be drawn out longer and longer.

In what seems like an attempt to make this into a series.

The special effects in it are excellent though.

There is some really solid gorey bits.

So, I'd say it's worth a watch for that alone.

But it probably should have been shorter.

5 out of 10.