Sumala

Given my love of both horror movies and Asian cinema, then of course I would sit down and watch the 2024 Indonesian horror movie "Sumala", as I had the opportunity to do so here in 2025. I didn't need any persuasion to do so. Nor did I know what the movie was about, or what I was getting into, but I assumed that it was probably a subpar horror movie, as the Indonesian horror genre has been rather stale for the last year or two.

But color me impressed. I was genuinely and wholeheartedly entertained throughout the course of the 112 minutes that the movie ran for, as writers Betz Illustration and Riheam Junianti put together a great script and storyline. It was a rather compelling script that encompasses the audience in the narrative. It was a nicely, and well-told, story, with interesting and detailed characters.

The only cast ensemble I was familiar with in the movie was Luna Maya. I will say, though, that the acting performances in the movie were good, by all of the actors and actresses. Child actress Makayla Rose Hilli really put on a great performance.

While the movie definitely started out interestingly enough, it was sort of a sleeper movie, but at around 1 hour into the playtime, it really kicks off and gets into a proper gear. And "Sumala" is not a movie for faint of heart. Nay, "Sumala" was Indonesian horror done right, and that was a most welcomed thing for me, as I have found the Indonesian horror genre to have been in a stale slump for the past couple of years.

"Sumala" is a pretty brutal movie, especially when Kumala runs amok about an hour into the movie. But there is something oddly liberating about her getting revenge on those tormenting her, but be warned, it is not scenes that are suitable for everyone in the general audience.

It was really refreshing to sit down and watch "Sumala", because this was the most proper Indonesian horror movie released in recent years. And it is well-worth sitting down and spending 112 minutes on watching.

Visually then the movie was good. There are some scenes which may not be suitable for sensitive viewers; just a heads up, as there are some pretty gruesome scenes in the movie. I liked the special effects in the movie, I will say that, and the effects looked good and realistic, and really added something grand to the overall enjoyment of the movie.

My rating of director Rizal Mantovani's 2024 horror movie "Sumala" lands on a well-deserved seven out of ten stars.

This movie is a horror film inspired by a real urban legend from a village in Semarang, Indonesia. The story of Sumala has been widely discussed in local podcasts, and the village is known for its strict rule prohibiting people from going outside after Maghrib. According to witnesses, a boy was killed by Sumala while retrieving a lost ball, and his body was later found in a river. These chilling accounts have contributed to the legend's eerie reputation.

However, the film takes a different approach. Instead of focusing on the firsthand ghostly encounters reported by multiple visitors to the village, it chooses to dive into the backstory of Sumala, a narrative that may or may not be true. This decision weakens the horror aspect, as the film leans more into action-gore territory, resembling movies like *Chucky* and *Saw*, rather than delivering the eerie suspense expected from a ghost story.

One of the biggest letdowns is the acting. Darius Sinathrya, who plays the father, gives an unconvincing very poor performance, while Luna Maya, playing the mother, delivers a passable but uninspired role. The supporting cast is a mixed bag, some performances are solid, but others fall flat. Despite its tense atmosphere, the weak acting and misplaced focus on gore over mystery make the film less compelling than it could have been.

Overall, Sumala had the potential to be a gripping horror film, especially with the terrifying real-life accounts behind it. But instead of exploring the unsettling experiences of those who have visited the village of Sumala, it prioritizes an exaggerated origin story, making it feel more like an action-gore thriller than a true horror mystery.

Watching at the beginning, I had a bad feeling about this movie. As I go along, my feeling was confirmed. The background of this movie is colonial Java, where people speak Javanese. Unfortunately, none of the actors speaks fluent Javanese but a very few supporting characters that seemed to be played by native Javanese speakers. Although this movie was supposedly spoken in Bahasa, but sprinkles of Javanese was poorly spoken throughout the movie. As a nativr Javanese, this is very annoying!

Special effect seemed too budget oriented. Many of the scenes using special effect failed to create a believable scene.

The only thing good about this movie is the adapted story. Hence, this movie have a good story, but ruined by poor execution.

Sumala is a drama that explores the tragic life of Kumala, a young woman who faces relentless hardship. The film effectively portrays her suffering, from being constantly bullied for her body to enduring abuse from her own parents. Her life is a downward spiral of pain, making her story deeply emotional and heartbreaking. The cinematography captures her despair well, and the performances feel raw and authentic. While the film is heavy and difficult to watch, it successfully conveys the harsh realities of Kumala's ruined life, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

Overall, I would suggest that the movie is not that good.

Evidently it's based on real-life reports of a demonic presence in an Indonesian community. Instead of exploring these alleged encounters the movie focuses on the origin of the titular antagonist. There's some decent gore but very little horror because none of the characters are likeable enough to engender any sympathy. There are also no surprises or reveals because the story is completely straightforward. It's competently directed, edited and acted but the overall experience is never more than middling because the script doesn't take any interesting risks or deviate from the expected narrative.