Siksa Kubur

So how did one of the most praised horror films of the year turn out? The film currently has a 7.1 rating with 1,000 reviews on IMDB and is directed by the acclaimed Joko Anwar, who is Indonesia's guarantee of quality. Even though he didn't make a blockbuster like Satan's Slaves 2: Communion for me, at least in terms of scariness, he still holds his standards high and made a solid spectacle. Anwar has tried to make a slightly more ambitious thing this time, a ghost story crossing the Islamic religion and themes of graves and life after death, which is definitely interesting and unconventional. The film establishes a pretty evil atmosphere from the start, where we witness a terrorist bombing where the parents of some children are killed (Anwar even shows a glimpse of mutilated bodies, which is not pleasant) and then we watch as the daughter tries to prove that religion and fanaticism, not ghosts and post-mortem torture, are to blame for their parents' deaths. The first hour is slow paced, but it doesn't get boring thanks to the interesting story. In the second half Anwar starts to work his magic and proves in a couple of scenes that he is an excellent craftsman and has a rightful place in the horror genre. There aren't many atmospheric or scary scenes, but when there is one, it's worth it. The washing machine scene! That was pretty bizarre for me, and then of course the highlight is the finale, the atmospheric uncomfortable walk through the tunnel and then the coffin with a cobra! The last five minutes are one of the most shocking things to see in horror this year. That was awesome, it wiped my vision clean. Overall, solid stuff, though I won't see it again due to the slower first half. 7.5/10 (16.09.2024)