Sewu Dino

Thanks to KKN Di Desa Penari as the highest-grossing Indonesian film of all time which opened up all possibilities for the Simpleman universe to be filmed, Sewu Dino was released with all the confidence it had. Kimo Stamboel can intelligently explore all aspects of the folk horror subgenre: mythology, witchcraft, possession, demons, the astral world, and the conflicts between powerful families. This film does not hesitate to show its full potential by raising the level of horror every minute and manages to maintain that atmosphere well and make it a gripping and satisfying spectacle. And if you have to choose, what are the best Indonesian horror films in 2023? Sewu Dino is an easy answer.

My expectations for this film were quite high, especially after knowing the line-up of actors involved. However, the execution of this film turned out to be less than satisfactory. The storyline feels very slow and less exciting, with almost no significant horror elements. The jumpscares shown are very few and less effective. The character development is also not in-depth, so the characters feel less strong and convincing. The inconsistencies in accent and character are also quite annoying. Apart from that, this film is also not able to convey emotions well, so that I as a viewer cannot feel an emotional attachment to the characters. The long duration of the film is also a problem because of the slow storyline and uninteresting pacing. As a result, this film feels very long and boring. I felt this film was not worth the time I spent watching it.

Sewu Dino is an Indonesian folk horror that sets up an intriguing premise: a desperate village girl named Sri gets hired to cleanse a corpse possessed by an evil spirit, trapped in a ritual that must be done for 1,000 nights. She's joined by two other women and a creepy driver in a remote Javanese village surrounded by forests and rice fields.

The opening scenes have potential - eerie atmosphere, traditional rituals, and a sense of old folklore horror that feels refreshing. The setting in 2003 makes sense, with cassette tapes guiding the ritual steps. But sadly, the good parts stop there for me.

The acting is where this film really collapses. Mikha Tambayong, who plays Sri, tries hard but her performance feels stiff and at times overacted. Rio Dewanto as Pak Sugik feels wasted, with barely any screentime or purpose. Supporting characters like Erna and Dini come off flat, and dramatic moments that should hit hard end up laughable - like the stabbing scene, which made me roll my eyes instead of gasp.

The cinematography starts strong but turns mediocre, especially during the dream sequences. The warm, yellowish filter is more annoying than haunting. The score is underwhelming too - I kept adjusting my volume just to catch the dialogues.

The film does try to deliver a lot of twists, but they don't land well because the performances feel so forced. The main antagonist isn't scary enough either. Jumpscares are cheap, the makeup looks fake, and the stakes never feel real.

Still, I appreciate Mikha's commitment - she really went all in, even crawling in fake blood in a grave scene. That dedication deserves respect. The folk horror vibe and SimpleMan's original story do have potential. Sadly, the execution ruins it.

In the end, Sewu Dino entertains a bit if you just want local horror folklore. But if you expect great acting, real scares, or strong direction, it might disappoint you.

Final Score: 1.5/5. 30/100.

Sewu Dino (2023) Thousand Days Indonesian Movie Review : It is best Indonesian Horror movie adapted from real life incident. The grand daughter of Karsa Atmojo (Karina Suwandi), who is unconscious because of Sewu Dino's (A Thousand Days) witchcraft curse. Sri (Mikha Tambayong) who is badly in need of money agrees to work for the Atmojo family for large amount along with Erna (Givina Lukita Dewi) and Dini (Agla Artalidia), they are taken to a hidden hut in the middle of the forest. In the hut, Sri, Erna and Dini have to take turns of washing Dela Atmojo (Gisellma Firmansyah) who is possessed with evil spirit. However, they strictly have to follow a process for doing the same. The instructions are recorded on an audio cassette that needs to be played on a tape recorder. The setting and atmosphere is well done. The cinematography takes one to a different atmosphere all together. Performances by all the three girls and one who is possessed by evil spirit is good. However, CGI isn't perfect or upto the mark, but it is okay as the plot and screenplay is done well. The movie has some jump scares here and there. Also it is creepy at times something like insidious concept. It is good one time watch. The movie is bit slow paced, but it is engrossing from start to end. My rating is 8/10. Recommended.

Streaming on Amazon Prime.

Dated on 2023, Sewu Dino is revolutionary to Indonesia's movie industry, adapted from a true-story situation. Probably personally one of the scariest movie ever since Insidious (2010). Gave me insane chills and goosebumps!

The plot has a great build-up which created tension that had me at the edge of my seat nearly the entire time. The movie greatly portrays how Indonesia is such a mythical country, accompanied with Indonesian instrument background music and sound effects that was made very disturbing and discomforting (almost pissed myself at the cinema).

As an Indonesian myself, I am very proud of this movie as the entire plot was arranged nicely, leaving me confused, curious and scared, but eventually got a clear explanation for everything towards the end. Sewu Dino has a mild plot twist that horror movies rarely have. It also somehow made me a bit scared of living in Indonesia thinking about such possibilities involving the concept of black magic, which is fairly common in the country.