The Doll

I picked this movie for the a long weekend's choice as it's said that the 3rd sequel will be released this year. I believe I've watched it few years ago but not sure it was memorable enough to make me intentionally re-watch it in 2022. The Doll (2016) is one of those cheesy creation by Indonesian that finally caught my full attention in the last 10 mins (at least) after the appearance of Sara Wijayanto, tbh. I decided to grasp the entire lame conversation and plot in the first 20 mins but still can't help dozing off because its raw execution of scenarios, irrational bridging, or even the poor roles. So, I jumped the cursor to the last 20 mins and finally, a fruitful stories to witness.

I usually don't count the stars I gave to rate a film but as a proud Indonesian, I felt obliged to address my reviews for a better execution of horror movies in the future, especially in collaboration with the best production house and movie stars like this one.

1st star = for the actors choice and location 2nd star = for the adopted and adapted scenes from conjuring series. Yes it was smooth anyways, but I love horror genres and conjuring universe is one of a hail series deserved to re-watch, thus I recognized "that" parts you used and re-created 3rd star = for the special effects and logical impact during the thrilling scenes only 4th star = for a light moral value by Mrs. Sara as usual. I love DMS, might this be a biased comment but her narratives were virtuous for us who still alive.

I previously planned to watch the 2nd sequel, The Doll 2, but seeing the first one was kinda like this, I might re-think first.

After moving into a new house, a man and his wife looking to settle down in a new neighborhood after his promotion finds themselves continually coming upon a strange doll from his job, and when they discover the strange secret behind it calls upon a spiritual healer to save themselves.

This one might be somewhat formulaic but still has some enjoyable elements. The film does really well with the idea of building up what is really wrong with the doll and whether it's alive or not. The opening scene of the children recounting their history with the doll and how it continually reappeared around the house before attempting to injure the son sets the stage for the later scenes of the couple encountering the object. Based on the intriguing idea of coming into their lives through his job when he destroys the sacred tree, the supernatural action that results from this setup offers some fine chills here. From her continually being spooked by strange noises or the wind manipulating doors around them to the devilishly creepy game of hide-and-seek it continually seems to want to play, these scenes manage to offer up some genuinely thrilling moments. The thrills are no less intense once the film brings in the spiritual healer. There are some great scenes here that rightfully encourage her into the story, as the spirit attacking her while taking a bath or during their attempt to sleep at night despite both instances having found nothing attacking her while checking up on what's happening are given genuine and logical cause for concern. The rituals that are performed during the communication session provides a great starter for the occur later on at the house where there's the introduction of the possession angle. Targeting the mediums' young daughter as a playmate or coercing friends to commit harm to themselves signals the start of the more terrifying actions in the house such as the bats attacking the couple to the spirit targeting and then possessing the wife in order to launch several gruesome actions all in the name of revenge. The exorcism that follows is just as enjoyable and has a lot to like about it, which along with the fine gore in the bloody kills gives the film plenty of positive points. There are some pretty big flaws with the film. Among its main issues is that most of the scares here, while generating a fine horror atmosphere and come off well in concept, just seem wholly familiar and routine in execution. The idea of the cursed doll creating terror by opening locked doors, slamming windows or breathlessly whispering in the darkness do manage to provide some fantastic horror ideas only because that's how the majority of the genre's films work. Also not helping these scenes is the absolutely awful and laughably bad CGI work, which reduce many supposedly chilling scenes into obvious CGI-rendered sequences. These issues are rather problematic and troublesome overall. Still, the biggest problem in the film is the overall lagging story. This rambles on far longer than it really should, introducing plot-points that either doesn't need to be there or just rambles on way too much in the finale. Overall, there are a few flaws that do hold this one back.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Language.

Yes, there were Puppet Horror movies well before Annabelle and there will be more in the future. But this seems to be quite inspired by that universe (string of movies). Horror movies will be horror movies and either you like some of them no matter how much cliche is thrown into the mix or you will be utterly annoyed by watching.

Hide and seek is one thing, when your doll is playing that game with you, you should consider consulting someone who knows what is up. And while there are western influences as I already said, you can also see that it does have its own mythology when it comes to ghosts, respect for the dead and the other/under-world. There have been worse movies out there, but there have been way better horror movies too (and no that is not a pun for the sequel)

I liked this movie. Yes, The Doll is scary. Valeria Lukyanova is great in this movie, but honestly so is Anthony del Negro. The outwardly cold psychopath that Natasha turns out to be, in the movie is placed into the context of two ordinary kids who live together. Anthony goes through a breakup, gets dumped, and Natasha is pretty much terrifying. This movie is sort of like a serious attempt at making the Movie 43, with Emily Rose, into a horror film, if the lead actress was'The Human Barbie'. I think that The Doll might be the beginning of something wonderful! I'll tell you how I take my coffee, with Valeria Lukyanova in it.

I recently viewed the Indonesian 🇮🇩 film The Doll (2016) on Netflix. The plot revolves around a construction worker who, after finding a doll, unwittingly brings it home to his doll maker wife. However, his mistake becomes apparent when he discovers the doll's dark past-once owned by a little girl brutally murdered with her family. Now, the doll possesses a sinister mind of its own.

Directed by Rocky Soraya (Indigo), the film features Shandy Aulia (Tarot), Sara Wijayanto (Tarot), Denny Sumargo (A Man Called Ahok), and Demian Aditya (Sabrina).

Despite its potential, the movie has more misses than hits. The dialogue and character interactions feel cheesy, resembling a made-for-television production. The horror elements lack the intended intensity, with underwhelming scratches, uncreepy messages behind the doll, and disappointing CGI vomit. However, the transformation of the doll into a ghost is incredibly well done, showcasing scenes that, with better use of the effect, could have elevated the movie to gem status. Despite its flaws, I plan to watch the sequels.

In conclusion, The Doll falls short of its potential, earning a score of 4/10. Still, if you're seeking something different, it's worth watching once.