Pengabdi Setan

THIS was a breakthrough for Indonesian horror? In that case they have a looooong way to go in terms of storytelling.

You've seen everything on display here. Without giving up any spoilers, suffice it to say, most of these scenes can be seen in "The Exorcist," "The Omen," "Zombie," and countless other horror films. In fact, "Satan's Slaves" is so derivative that it simply seems like an Indonesian version of countless other South Korean horror films.

The film had a slow build with a few jump scares, but the ending was a let down. Anyway, it is what it is. I suppose that coming from Indonesia, a religious country rife with censorship laws, "Satan's Slaves" would probably have been a breakthrough in that sense. Otherwise, meh. Nothing to see here, folks.

Actually this is a remake from a movie with the same title, "Pengabdi Setan", back in 1980. As the director, Joko Anwar successfully make this movie as a great breakthrough for Indonesia's horror movie industry. Great cinematography, great story line, great plot twist and Joko Anwar success in bringing back the 1980's atmospheres to the movie (because the movie setting is Indonesia at 1980's). Joko Anwar is not just rely on jump scares, but he's also managed this movie as creepy as hell.

The movie was begin with the mother who gets mysterious illness, so the entire family, the father, Rini, Toni, Bondi, and Ian was struggle and need more money for the medicine. After the mother's dead, their father decided to go to the city for a job to fulfill their needs and leaving the kids in the house. That's when the terror begins.

Rini, Toni, Bondi and Ian can be called as the main characters of this movie. But Rini, can be the leader, because she's the oldest daughter of the family and played a big parts of the movie.

The story is all about how the family stick together and tells their mother who haunted them for not to take one of their siblings, or not to take all of them.

Overall, this is the best Indonesia's horror movie of all time. And it can be one of "must watch" movie list for horror movie lovers. It will never disappoint you!

The family of Rini (Tara Basro) is financially broken and she lives with her father (Bront Palarae), her mother (Ayu Laksmi) that is ill, her grandmother (Elly D. Luthan) that is crippled, and her brothers Tony (Endy Arfian), Bondi (Nasar Annuz) and the mute six year-old Ian (M. Adhiyat) in an old house in the countryside nearby a cemetery. Her mother, who was a successful singer, is dying from a mysterious disease and her father does not have money to support the family. When her mother dies, her father needs to travel to the city to sell the house and weird things happen in the house. The skeptical Rini befriends Hendra (Dimas Aditya), son of the religious Ustadz (Arswendi Nasution), and they learn that her mother was infertile and joined a cult that worships Satan to have children. And now, when Ian will be seven, they will take the boy with them. What can they do to protect Ian?

"Pengabdi Setan", a.k.a. "Satan´s Slaves", is a scary and creepy Indonesian-South Korean horror film. The storyline of a cult of infertile women that worships Satan slightly recalls "Rosemary´s Baby" and has flaws, but the movie makes the viewer startle in many scenes. The acting is also reasonable and does not disappoint. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

This remake horror movie is fantastic. I like this kind of horror. Very spooky atmosphere. Good job to director. Jump scare everywhere. Good acting and storyline. Recommended. Well done looking for next sequel.

With many costume changes for Rini, must have had a big wardrobe or was prone to spillage. That said, a visit to Indonesia pays dividends in a genuinely jumpy Horror film with great special effects that pinches plots a plenty: only to be expected living next to a cemetery, but just about gets away with it.