Satan's Slaves

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.

Indonesian cult filmmaker Joko Anwar's fourth directorial feature is a myriad of horror elements delightfully wrapped up in a neat little package, sure to please the occult horror audience. Rini (Tara Basro) is a young woman living with her father and terminally ill mother in the removed suburbs of Jakarta, along with her three younger brothers. Due to Mother's (Ayu Laksmi) lengthy treatment, the family has fallen on hard times, with much of the burden falling on Rini and Father (Bront Palarae). Upon the death of Mother, strange occurrences and apparitions appear in the family home, prompting a film noir style investigation into the family's history with the occult.

If this sounds like Ari Aster's recent effort "Hereditary" (2018), that's because it really is a similar movie. It also blends in a healthy dose of atmospheric suspense, brought to life by cinematographer Ical Tanjung, who expertly knows his way around lighting. To that end, "Satan's Slaves" will be very much enjoyed by those who liked "The Conjuring" (2013) and "The Woman in Black" (2011); the theme of a gothic-style maternal figure coming back to haunt the living is the film's principle set-up, and much of the film's true terror comes from the grotesque depiction of Mother's spirit. In addition, mysterious cult-like home invaders made me think of "You're Next" (2011) and -- far more obviously -- "The Void" (2016).

Despite the high production value of "Satan's Slaves," Anwar's direction falls short, never quite hitting the mark of enough originality to warrant close attention. The premise of the film is by no standards original, and much has been borrowed without giving the audience something fresh. I found the film to often trip up over its own influences and drag along often, with many scenes of dialogue losing the suspense momentum that the rest of the film steadily builds up. In addition, despite the overall strong acting from the entire cast, scenes where Rini and her brothers expressed fear seemed forced and awkward. Palarae's excellent performance as the protective father never disappoints, and is perhaps the strongest actor in the film.

While the film's North American distribution status remains to be seen, if it does make its way stateside, I'd recommend seeking it out for fans of the type of horror shown in the films mentioned in this review. It's far from an original effort, but it's made well, and there are a few scenes that will certainly cause your head to turn away from the screen.

*Screened at Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival 2018.

Usually if characters "act" in a certain way (meaning not really smart or favourable), I tend to dislike the movie and won't have really a good time watching it. This movie walks that fine line and also walks another very difficult line masterfully: combining horror and comedy (or light moments to be more specific).

There are certain moments, that really made my skin crawl. The ideas they had at some parts were really good. It may have the trappings of most horror movies, but you can either hold this against the movie or just roll with it. I can really recommend to do the latter, even if you are a bit of a cynic. The mood the cinematography captures is riveting ...

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.