Pintu Terlarang

A less horrific thriller than I would have expected, and so much the better, the film shines with its unusual themes and mystery.

Although some elements of the plot are predictable or even dont make sense even after the end of the movie, it is a real pleasure to see the evolution of the main character until the end screen, which even if it disappoints me slightly, remains an interesting point of view.

I recently watched the Indonesian film 🇮🇩 The Forbidden Door (2009) on Shudder. The storyline follows a doctor who is drawn to visions of an abused child and something horrible happening to his family. As he delves into determining if his dreams might be reality, he discovers he may only be able to help one-the boy or his family.

This film is directed by Joko Anwar (Impetigore) and stars Ario Bayu (Java Heat), Tio Pakusadewo (The Raid 2), Verdi Solaiman (Shackled), Fachry Albar (Dead Time), and Marsha Timothy (The Raid 2).

This is a long, methodical slow burn, and just as you're wondering why you watched it, there's a perfect conclusion to close the picture. The acting is solid and feels authentic, especially from the child actor. The kid's backstory is sad but very well done. The horror elements are very good, with solid stabbing, throat slashing, and blood splatter sequences. As I previously mentioned, the journey is slow, but the end is rewarding.

In conclusion, The Forbidden Door is a movie you spend the entire time wondering why you watched it, but in the end, you're glad you did. I would score this a 6.5/10 and recommend it to horror genre enthusiasts only.

I cannot stand any movie which shows violence towards kids.

I saw this only cos of its director Joko Anwar but this one is a big disappointment.

There is no tension, no suspense n no atmosphere but just an annoying actor with his annoying hair.

It has some killings but that too towards the end.

Inspite of the movie being a bit dark, there is zero nudity n zero sex scene.

Revisiting John Cusack's Identity is a better option than this.

Big fan of Joko Anwar but now i think he is more of a hit n miss kinda director.

I didn't enjoy The Queen of Black Magic which Anwar didn't direct but he is the writer.

I was generous with his Impetigore which has unnecessary gore n squirmy stuff.

Loved his Gundala.

Enjoyed his Satan's Slaves n found it to be creepy, scary n very atmospheric.

Waiting for Satan's Slaves part 2.

While the climactic twist delivers its intended impact, I find that the film, in its entirety, lacks the depth I desired, ended up providing me a rather bland experience, that is too vanilla for my taste.

And this sentiment specifically stems from its conflicting writing choices. Themes explored are undoubtedly serious and carry significant weight, yet the film's somewhat incongruous lightheartedness diminishes the potency of its thematic substances.

Not only that, the element of shock & surprise is less, and the emotional connection seemed nearly absent.

I feel, a more darker, melancholic approach would have been beneficial for the narrative.

Pintu Terlarang (aka the Forbidden Door) is a brilliant film, plain and simple. Joko Anwar, the director, did a fabulous job constructing the imagery of the psychological thriller with magnificent scoring, impressive casts and smart plot line. Though the film, itself came from the best-selling novel by Sekar Ayu, I found that it only took major plot from the novel. To be honest, I did not know about the ending until it was revealed. Quite a shock! Both Fachri Albar and Marsha Timothy gives one of the best performances of their career, the powerful performances with complex emotions. Some scene are quite disturbing but it helps the film to build intense in beautiful cinematography, the Joko Anwar's style. You may go and see this film again to realize why the end is such a surprise, or so many twists that you want to get them clearly…or you could rush out to watch it again purely because it's an almost perfect example of it's genre, as I did it three times. Brilliant.