Jalan Pulang

Jalan Pulang Review by flexarts

Why is it GOOD?

1) Overall the acting is okay; Luna Maya and Shareefa Daanish are clearly the ones who shine the most here.

2) The frequent use of snorricam techniques to frame the actresses' expressions contributes significantly to the film's tension.

3) In my opinion, the scene where Arum and Rama play on the spinning bowl is the most terrifying moment in the entire film.

Why is it BAD?

1] Like most Indonesian horror films, this one also has a lot of cheap jumpscares that have no impact on the story or on me.

2] It fails to build strong family chemistry due to its messy pace; even Lia and Arum don't have any meaningful interaction at all.

3] Rama is given too much screen time, considering his acting is the weakest compared to the others; his character becomes somewhat annoying.

4] Since he only appears in the third act, Subagir becomes a one-dimensional character who ends up being completely useless. Somehow Subagir reTURNED...

5] Why did the credits appear so suddenly before the ending? I almost thought the film had forgotten about Lia and Rama, who were still locked up. They both did nothing btw.

In conclusion: As JeroPoint's directorial debut, Jalan Pulang is certainly full of flaws that will hopefully be fixed in future projects. 4.2/10 :\.

Jalan Pulang tells the story of a mother's struggle to cure her child's illness, who grows closer to death with each birthday.

I was personally very interested in how Jalan Pulang explores traditional rituals from various regions to combat the terror of the ghost Marsinah, using four different rituals.

The 3 Queens of Horror label also feels justified. Luna Maya gives a solid performance as Lastini, as does Taskya Namya. Meanwhile, Shareefa Daanish delivers a creepy performance. The jump scares aren't excessive, but they're intense. What really hits home is the mother's desperation, which makes the horror feel more human.

In my opinion, Jalan Pulang deserves a solid 9/10 because it has a distinct horror style that goes beyond cheap jump scares or typical ghost stories. From the very beginning, the eerie atmosphere is palpable especially when the story leads into the home of a Balinese shaman, which radiates a deeply haunting vibe. One of the film's biggest strengths lies in its bold use of GORE elements, like a severed finger or a chilling scene of a Balinese dancer dying in a gruesome state. These moments are graphic yet still hold a sense of artistry. The story isn't shallow either; beneath the terror and brutal visuals lies a deeper message about old wounds, guilt, and the journey to return both physically and emotionally. The film dares to blend cultural horror with emotional conflict, making the audience not just scared, but also reflective. There's a slight downside in the lighting some scenes are too dark, which can make it hard to catch important details. But beyond that, this is easily one of the most solid and memorable local horror films I've ever seen. Definitely worth watching in theaters, especially if you're into horror that dares to be different and carries meaning beneath the fear.

The plot of the film is easy to guess. Too many jumpskare. Not so interesting in my personal opinion who has watched many films of the same genre. The ending is also too annoying, especially in the main character, really boring. Luna maya as a mother actually looks very selfish and does not care about her other children. Many scenes look too forced to be done when they are not necessary. Many parts of the shooting are also not right, so it doesn't look natural. From the beginning to the end all I saw was crying and crying, instead of looking for a solution they were just making drama. In the future maybe it can be better.

Jalan Pulang tells the story of a mother's struggle to cure her child from an illness that brings her closer to 'death' every time her birthday comes. Personally, I'm really intrigued by how Jalan Pulang explores various traditional rituals from different regions to fight off the terror of the ghost, Marsinah. Four different rituals crazy. The 3 Raru Horror label feels totally justified. Luna Maya delivers a solid performance as Lastini, and so does Taskya Namya. Meanwhile, Shareefa Daanish successfully comes off as truly creepy. The jump scares aren't excessive, but they're intense. What hits the hardest, though, is the mother's feeling of desperation it makes the horror feel much more human.