Mangkujiwo

I cannot vent enough, how much I felt like leaving this movie in the cinema.

I do support archaic and traditional flairs to Indonesian horror movies - in fact, I'm quite a proponent to it. But this movie in specific, created mostly only one thing out of the wide-spectrum of background it has: nothingness.

This movie is just over-elongated build up of nothing. There's barely any sense of a climax to the movie, and I cannot stress enough how inconsistent it is with everything: Tone, Plot, Characters, Scriptwriting, you name it. Anything to do with the plot is in fact, garbage. Convictions and motives are usually just thrown out of the window to be replaced with even more baffling decisions.

There's also just, so much redundancy in this movie. Shots that have no effect to the overall experience and plot are everywhere- I don't get the point of watching three different torture scenarios when they end up practically the same; And with nothing to move the movie forward. Yeah I know that's a pretty taboo and old critique for a movie- there isn't an inherent need to move the movie forward with everything, pretty sure Tarantino is a great testament to that. This movie in particularly though made it awfully painful when you are fed with 7 different shots of a hunchback deciding whether he should enter a room or not.

At the very least, Performances, Editing, and Colouring, were tolerable. Sure they were still inconsistent, but the effort was made with some degree of competency.

That's about it I suppose. Got nothing much to say when this movie is exactly just that: Nothing.

Storyline is....horendous! the director is trying too hard to stitch the pieces together, and trying too hard to make twist; total flop!!

Rizal Mantovani started to build his version of Kuntilanak back then in 2006. Then he ruined it himself through his remake/reboot of 2018. Now I appreciate Azhar Kinoi Lubis in terms of his effort of the franchise with this remarkable spin-off/prequel vision. I found some plot holes indeed yet I don't mind to see the upcoming sequel if there's any for further explanation. I mean, not sure whether Mangkujiwo is more to 2006 or 2018 version one.

Another higher level for indonesian horror. Mangkujiwo shows us the origin of Kuntilanak, trying to answer all the question about 'what Mangkujiwo is' in the Kuntilanak universe from 2006 to 2019. Azhar Kinoi Lubis gives a story instead of a jumpscare-thing to a horror movie. This is what a real origin means.

Past to present to past and to present again. unfortunately, as an origin movie, Mangkujiwo failed to tell us about their world. There's lack of dramatical value, only torture everywhere. We have no feel to anybody, there's relationship between one character and another, the only we see is just hostilities, and rivalries.

Thats all.

You get the answer about 'what Mangkujiwo is'?

Mangkujiwo is an Indonesian horror film that serves as a prequel to the Kuntilanak series, diving into the origins of the legendary ghost through a dark tale of betrayal, revenge, and black magic. Directed by Azhar Kinoi Lubis, the film stars Sujiwo Tejo as Brotoseno, a loyal palace servant who is cast aside and seeks vengeance through supernatural means against his political rival, Tjokro Kusumo (Roy Marten).

One of the film's strongest elements lies in its eerie atmosphere, deeply rooted in Javanese culture and mysticism. The cinematography is rich with visuals of traditional rituals, ancient beliefs, and symbolic settings that give the film a unique identity compared to other horror flicks. Sujiwo Tejo brings depth and mystery to his character, while Asmara Abigail's portrayal of Kanti is both haunting and emotionally layered.

Despite its strengths, Mangkujiwo has some narrative issues. The story jumps between timelines and introduces several characters at once, which can make the plot hard to follow at times. Some scenes feel repetitive, and a few characters lack development, reducing the emotional impact of key moments. There's also an inconsistency in tone that affects the film's overall cohesion.

Still, Mangkujiwo stands out for its bold attempt to blend horror with traditional folklore. It's not a perfect film, but it offers a fresh and culturally rich take on the genre. For fans of horror who are interested in something beyond jump scares and typical ghost stories, Mangkujiwo is an intriguing and worthwhile experience.