Pabrik Gula

Pabrik Gula may carry the look and feel of a horror film, but it's much more than that. With a slow-building tension and eerie visuals, the film still finds room to entertain - largely thanks to Franky and Dwi, the comedic duo who manage to steal scenes without disrupting the overall tone.

Their presence adds warmth and personality, giving the audience time to laugh and reset before diving back into the film's unsettling layers. It's a refreshing approach that adds depth rather than distraction.

In the end, Pabrik Gula is perfect for those who crave both thrills and light-hearted moments. It's not just about fear - it's about the ride, the balance, and the surprises along the way.

While the Indonesian horror movie industries rising through the year, one after another Javanese horror movies popped. Pabrik Gula wasn't a horror movie based on true story. Javanese local still believes in superstition, hence makes this movie filled with ritual and custom scenes. The visual effect wasn't that all out, but still makes the scenes better. Their ghost make up also good.

Honestly, I went in expecting just another horror movie full of cheap jumpscares and loud noises-but Pabrik Gula really surprised me in the best way. Yes, it's creepy, and yes, there are some tense moments, but the real horror lies beneath the surface. It's the kind of fear that lingers, not just because of what you see, but because of what the story makes you feel.

The atmosphere is incredibly well done-the abandoned sugar factory feels like a character on its own. The visuals are eerie without trying too hard, and there's this unsettling silence in some scenes that hits harder than any scream. The pacing is slow-burn but in a good way-it gives you time to absorb the emotions and the growing tension.

The mystery unfolds piece by piece, and I found myself genuinely curious about what happened in the past, not just waiting for the next scare. The emotional weight behind the story makes it feel more personal, like there's a hidden pain that's finally being revealed.

Arbani Yasiz and Ersya Aurelia deliver performances that feel grounded and believable-they're not just reacting to ghosts, they're dealing with fear, guilt, and things left unsaid. That made the experience feel much more human and real.

It's definitely more psychological and emotional than your usual horror flick. If you're looking for a horror film that does more than just make you jump, Pabrik Gula is worth your time. The ending left me chilled, thoughtful, and honestly... a little haunted. In a good way.

Arriving at a remote sugar mill, a group of workers tasked with going through the yearly crop harvest find the series of stories about the plantations' haunted nature coming true when demonic entities are let loose to attack and torment the workers, forcing them to stop the horrific events happening.

Overall, there's quite a lot to like about it. Among the better elements here is a rather strong central storyline that offers a chilling background factor to things while still allowing for a fun look at local culture. With the group arriving at the mill and splitting up to perform various tasks around the facility, the idea of them performing these tasks sets them up to explore the secrets within the plantation. The revelation that the site had multiple accidents in the past, including a catastrophic fire that killed multiple workers who were stuck inside a burning building and that their ghosts are now believed to haunt the grounds of the plantation which adds immensely to the environment of unease and uncertainty that everyone experiences leading into the revelations that come about in the final act. Unleashing hints of returning curses, black magic rituals, a special appeasement ceremony that must be completed so that demonic forces are unable to breach over into our world, and various other bits of supernatural influence, the interjection of this material offers a distinctly unique touch to the action. While initially giving off the idea of a haunting, there's something enticing about delving into something different, which gives this a strong start. That all provides a solid background for this one to delve into some strong supernatural sequences. Starting with the unease displayed once the group arrives at the plantation and is subjected to the conditions expected of them, there's a slow increase in tension as they stay there, which helps the atmosphere tremendously. Some of the cheaper scenes, such as the deformed spirits appearing next to victims out of nowhere or eerie voices in the distance whispering, are cheap, but it's the lengthier and more involved sequences that hold it up. A race to get back to the barracks house to avoid being stuck outside with ghosts is a great moment, as is the shamanistic appeasement ritual that goes wrong when the performers are unable to complete the process. This goes along nicely with the final act, where they turn to black magic ceremonies, offering encounters with demonic creatures of indiscriminate size that continually appear alongside more human-sized creations. The darkness of the location, the chaos of everything unfolding at once, and the frenetic action depicted provide plenty of enjoyable factors, giving the film quite a lot to enjoy. There are some issues here that hold it back. One of the main drawbacks is that there's way too much going on, which tends to draw out the running time more than necessary. While it's great to get to know the gang on the plantation, it takes way too much time before the one girl is revealed as the main target of the demons' wrath, since we're looking at these other storylines taking up the main running time. Learning that the extra work done to establish everyone, pounding on the idea of everything happening at the plantation as accidents no one can explain, is much too long to be as effective as it could've been at a shorter rate. That also extends to the finale, where the film has plenty of excessive elements for an extravagant scene, but creates a scattershot approach to possession, black magic, sacrificial rituals, and curses that it becomes hard to figure out what's happening. It has too much happening to make the kind of impression it wanted, causing it to be overlong and bloated. These are the few factors that bring this one down.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

"Pabrik Gula" is one of the latest local horror films that successfully proves that the horror genre does not always have to rely on cheap jump scares. Set in an old factory that has long been abandoned, this movie presents a consistent tense atmosphere, built slowly but effectively. From start to finish, "Pabrik Gula" provides a spine-tingling viewing experience, but at the same time offers a depth of story that we rarely find in other horror films.

Since the first minute, the gloomy atmosphere has begun to sink in. The camera moves slowly through the dusty old building, revealing rusty machines and long hallways that seem to hold dark secrets. The factory setting is not just a setting, but a character in itself-a living, threatening entity. The director smartly builds tension not with loud noises or sudden surprises, but with silence, with faint shadows in the corner of the eye, and with the feeling that something terrible is always lurking just out of sight.

The story of "Sugar Factory" centers on a group of characters who have an emotional connection to the factory-be it family, local history, or unresolved guilt. This makes the movie more than just an ordinary ghost story. There is a strong layer of emotion behind all the terror, giving added weight to every fear the characters feel. We're not just scared because there's something creepy on the screen; we're scared because we care about the fate of the characters.

The acting of the cast deserves great praise. They manage to bring their fears to the screen in such a natural way that we are dragged into it. When the main characters start experiencing strange occurrences - shadows that move on their own, whispers in empty hallways, and terrifying apparitions - their emotions feel very real. There is no overacting; all the fear, panic, and desperation are portrayed with the right intensity.

The cinematography in "Sugar Factory" is one of its most striking strengths. Every corner of the factory is captured beautifully yet eerily. The play of light and shadow is masterfully done, creating a constant sense of anxiety that never really subsides. The factory itself feels alive, as if it's breathing, lurking, and waiting for the right moment to pounce. The use of faded colors and dark filters further emphasizes the gloomy atmosphere that wraps the entire film.

The sound in this movie also deserves a thumbs up. Instead of using loud music and excessive sound effects, "Sugar Factory" chooses to play with silence, horrifying mechanical sounds, and faint whispers that make the audience feel uncomfortable. It's a clever form of sound design, which really adds an extra layer of suspense.

The story itself is also strong. It doesn't just rely on ghosts or creepy creatures as a source of fear, but also brings up themes about human greed, past sins, and the price to pay for betrayal. There is a moral message tucked away, but it is delivered subtly without feeling patronizing. The ending of the movie is also satisfying-open enough to let the audience think, but also clear enough to give a sense of completion.

Overall, "Sugar Factory" is an excellent example of how a horror movie can blend emotional storytelling, gripping atmosphere, and psychological terror into a memorable whole. It's a movie that not only makes us scream in fear, but also leaves us pondering long after the screen has gone dark.

For true horror lovers, "Sugar Factory" is an experience not to be missed. It is a movie that will stay in your mind long after you leave the theater. And for Indonesian cinema, it is proof that we are capable of producing quality, evocative, horror films that we can be proud of.