Sumala

The movie "Sumala" presents a fairly conventional storyline, but is still able to keep the audience's interest. Unfortunately, this storyline lacks significant surprises or plot twists, so it feels a bit flat. Perhaps because this movie is trying to explain a myth that is still prevalent in an area in Indonesia, the execution of the movie is in a flashback model. The beginning, the conflict, the climax, and the denouement are just like that.

In terms of acting, the cast actually performed quite well. Darius and Luna, as the leads, are able to bring their characters to life well. However, there is a feeling that they have not fully immersed themselves in the role, so the emotions conveyed are not maximized.

The pacing of the movie is relatively fast, following the standard of Indonesian horror movies in general. However, for viewers who like slow-burn horror like me, this pacing may feel unsatisfying.

The cinematography of this film is fairly good, although the color grading used still follows the trend of Indonesian horror films, which I don't like. However, a thumbs up for the totality of the properties used, which adds a convincing impression to the movie.

One thing that is quite annoying is the inconsistent use of language. The movie mixes Javanese and Indonesian, which I find less effective. If the goal is to be understood by all audiences in Indonesia, the movie should have used Indonesian throughout.

Overall, the movie presents a fairly predictable ending. Sumala takes revenge on everyone who has hurt her. Nonetheless, it's a satisfying ending to the story.

Gave this movie a go since it was on Netflix. I had no problem with the movie if it didn't rely too much on the over-the-top gore (what is this, the Saw franchise?).

The jumpscares (if I could even call them that) weren't even that good and the overall plot progression was too straightforward, you could already tell how the story would end in the first few minutes of the gore.

The characters had nothing to offer emotionally (I couldn't even sympathize with Kumala) and were forgettable except for the titular antagonist.

The movie relied itself too much on how it was based off an urban legend and failed to expand or provide even a tidbit of twist. It tried to pass itself off as a supernatural horror but ended up becoming just a meh slasher film with a dash of demon possession.

The movie introduces us to a group of kids playing with a ball in a small village. After the ball is kicked into a field, one of the boys runs after it, and his friend soon follows. He finds the boy being repeatedly hit on the head with a stone by some kind of entity. Chaos erupts in the village when the father of the murdered boy assumes the friend is responsible until a man arrives and begins to tell the origin story of the local legend of Sumala.

From that point on, we travel back in time and learn about a woman named Sulastri, who made a pact with the devil so she could have children. She later gives birth to female twins, but one of the children is killed by her husband because it was deformed. The surviving child grows up with physical and mental disabilities. On her 8th birthday, her deceased twin's vengeful spirit possesses her to seek revenge on those who harmed her.

What follows is carnage, plenty of gore, and numerous jump scares. The movie is much more brutal than I anticipated, and I really enjoyed that aspect. Some of the effects looked great, but the occasional poor CGI gave the film a cheap appearance. The story itself is familiar, another tale of a vengeful spirit possessing a body to exact revenge-and it didn't bring much originality to the table.

The acting was mostly fine, though a few weak performances affected the immersion and reduced the tension in certain scenes. The entity itself was terrifying, with a deformed body, sharp teeth, and pale skin.

Overall, while the narrative could have been more unique or developed in a deeper way, some great gore scenes made up for it. It's a fairly decent watch that offers an entertaining two hours, but ultimately, it's not especially memorable. [5.6/10]

Watched this while on holiday in Malaysia. I didn't have high hopes as from the start the acting is wooden at best but the premise of the film kept me watching.

I did like Makayla Rose Hilli's performance as Sumala/Kumala as she gave it her all but by the end I was watching just to complete the film rather than enjoying it. Also knowing that it is based on legend in the forests of Indonesia made it more interesting.

There were some nods to other films of this genre. The Omen, The Ring etc and a couple of nice references to The Shining.

All in all a watchable horror to fill some time but I imagine there are better Indonesian movies out there.

Sumala is a drama that explores the tragic life of Kumala, a young woman who faces relentless hardship. The film effectively portrays her suffering, from being constantly bullied for her body to enduring abuse from her own parents. Her life is a downward spiral of pain, making her story deeply emotional and heartbreaking. The cinematography captures her despair well, and the performances feel raw and authentic. While the film is heavy and difficult to watch, it successfully conveys the harsh realities of Kumala's ruined life, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

Overall, I would suggest that the movie is not that good.