Pemandi Jenazah

Watched this with a bunch of friends with no expectations coming into it, and it absolutely met those expectations. This film does nothing interesting to me and in times kinda drags on with the more yappy scenes. While I do appreciate it tries to add an aspect of mystery to the story it's attempts just ends up messing up the pacing of it a little and I do find it to be a bit out of nowhere at times. However, credit where credit's due I did enjoy the more graphic scenes towards the end as it was the least dull part about the horror of the film and, I do appreciate the message the film tries to send. Besides, I can't be too harsh on the film as I did find it to be decently watchable and not too bad in the end.

To be honest, I did not fear this movie at all and the story was also useless and I could not understand anything in the end. We can make a theory but it is a boring film. Only children of 5-9 years of age will dare to watch this film. So If you want, you can watch it and spend your money. Money is no big deal but it would not be a waste of our time. It is nothing very special but it seemed like a movie to me. I was useless, brother. If you look at it, it will be good and yes, some other scans in the background were good but also, if I felt like it was a low budget, I could have made them good but.

CORPSE WASHER = PEMANDI JENAZAH.

I read through few reviews here, (there was even a wrong movie review that came here, haha - from pemandi jenazah somehow one person reviewed for isteri penggali kubur? (gravediggers' wife) 😂) I'll try to review without giving spoilers.

For starters, any ghost movie, IF WATCHED WITH COMPANY, WILL NOT BE SCARY.

I watched this alone late at night. It gave me many goosebumps moments, for which i rate this movie positively. As for the plot, it is about a girl named Lela, whose mother (Siti) is a Pemandi Jenazah for their small village. Siti inherited the job from her own mother, and intend to pass the torch to her daughter Lela, as she takes pride in doing that job of: cleaning a person who just left this world, before the soul goes to meet God. Siti also seems to have some supernatural gifts that she can sense some unnatural forces. Lela doesnt want to become a corpse washer, however Siti insists, because there are no other corpse washer in that village. (for this part it sounds stupid tho, because in Islam, this is fardu kifayah, where the community has the responsibility to do that, not just putting the burden on one person and others just chill. So that itself, is misleading from what Islam teaches. Heck, even the son doesn't want to bathe the mother, thats really sad, even tho its just movie.) Story mystery starts with Siti being disturbed and as she expected, Ida dies in horrific way. What happens next is for you to go and watch in Netflix. As I've said, if you watch this with company, it'll not be scary. But sit alone, and watch at night, you'll sure be scared, CONFIRMED!

The problem with Indonesian and Hollywood horror is their over-dependence on ineffective, predictable jump scares. Atmospheric horror is something the Indonesian have always failed to execute, despite the country's rich cultural tradition and beautiful landscapes.

The lazy use of conventional camera angles is almost as disappointing as the wheat flour on the ghosts. It is almost as if the film-makers aren't horror fans at all.

Story-wise, from the get go it was a bit too obvious, with the nosey ladies bickering over widowhood. Lela being tasked with cleaning the corpse completely unaided also does not reflect the reality of a typical Southeast Asian village-what happened to fardhu kifayah and gotong-royong? There's always that one monosyllabic, antisocial guy/gal to inject a feeling of mystery, and I'm really really tired of seeing this.

The only fresh element is how the evil spirits were portrayed to seem unfazed by the quranic verses and loud chanting of the mourners; a trope more commonly seen in western horror films. I imagine this would create some form of controversy among the more conservative audiences in places like Malaysia.

At least Indonesia is moving away from softcore porno in their horror films.

Another disappointment, unfortunately.

"Pemandi Jenazah" (The Corpse Washer) is a deeply emotional and contemplative film that tackles themes of death, tradition, and the human condition. Set in a small Indonesian village, it explores the life of a young man who works as a body washer, preparing the dead for their final rites. Through his work, the film delves into the rituals and complexities of Indonesian Muslim culture, touching on personal grief, spiritual connection, and societal expectations.

The cinematography is beautiful, capturing the simplicity of rural life while juxtaposing it with the profound and often heavy subject matter. The performances are nuanced, particularly the lead actor, who brings a raw and authentic portrayal of a man struggling with his role in life and his personal loss.

While the film is slow-paced and reflective, it may not be for everyone due to its heavy, introspective nature. However, for viewers who appreciate films that explore life's deeper questions, "Pemandi Jenazah" offers a rewarding, thought-provoking experience.