Kuntilanak

Kuntilanak (2018) delivers a horror story with a more teen-friendly approach, blending supernatural elements with adventure. The film successfully creates a spooky atmosphere with decent visual effects and effective jumpscares. The performances, especially from the child actors, are solid, though some dialogues feel unnatural. However, the storyline is quite predictable and lacks depth, making it less gripping for hardcore horror fans. Despite this, Kuntilanak remains an entertaining watch, especially for those looking for a light horror film without overly disturbing scenes or excessive violence.

Dear Rizal Mantovani, if you read this, and I hope you read this. Please stop making horror movie - especially the one with respected urban legend - stupid.

I know this movie came out before Pengabdi Setan, but now at least you can learn from it. Horror movie is NOT a music video. We don't need your pretty scene, we don't need a genius angle, we don't need beautiful cinematography. All we need is good storyline, good acting and script.

Seems you only depend on your shocking sound effect and spooky background music while there is nothing scary going on, on the scene. Are those your ultimate weapons? Well I'll tell you; Those kinds of jumpscare factors are sux. Doesn't work anymore. "Basi!"

Please be more creative with your storyline and don't underestimate your audience. This is for y'all Indonesian Horror Movie Director wannabe.

Hope your next one will be better. Thanks.

It hits a low level of suspense, makes out it'll pick up, and then you realise that it doesn't change gears. The story is too plodding, and the writing is not the best. As for the kids, they do well, but they really needed stronger supporting cast members. A lack of tension and suspense make it feel slow.

This has been my first experience with Indonesian horror, and while Kuntilanak is far from a masterpiece it made for quite an enjoyable watch. This is the sort of film for which one would have to lower their expectations and take the cultural differences into account. While obviously made for younger viewers (and yet containing certain features and scenes I personally wouldn't want my young ones to watch before their tweens) Kuntilanak has some pretty great qualities:

First, it feels like a nightmare, but an actual authentic one, "realistic", unlike many Hollywood attempts of portraying scenarios allegedly originating from nightmares that simply break immersion and suspense of disbelief.

Second, it takes normal everyday things from children's lives like a mischievous laughter and twists them, deforms them into a cacophony that combined with the dark eerie mood becomes truly terrifying.

Third, one would think the exaggerated comic reliefs presented by the children's infantile interactions with each other and with the other characters (made all the more apparent and dominant by changes in soundtrack and sound effects) would damage (if not completely ruin) the dark mood and fear factor, as well it should! But it somehow doesn't. On the contrary, it makes the following scary scenes that much more terrifying.

All in all, while I can't ignore the film's shortcomings (for instance, I went to sleep before the final 30 minutes and continues the next night, which isn't a very flattering thing to say about a film from the horror genre which is supposed to be suspenseful and compelling) I must admit that I enjoyed it quite a bit. Far from great, but definitely good (in my opinion) for anyone willing to momentarily change their standards and open their minds.

At the scary scenes there was jumpy music which was a little annoying, the film is quite suspensful throughout.

The music at the joke scenes was odd.

I thought the storyline was quite new and unique. So it is worth a watch, if you like horror movies.