Munafik 2

Munafik = Hypocrite

The original installment made grossing history of collecting approximately RM 20 million which is a big leap at that time in Malaysia and its neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Singapore, two and a half years later comes the awaited sequel everyone has been longing for. It is as if you still haven't gotten the idea, Munafik 1 is known to have been the scariest, if not the best horror movie of 2016 in the continent of Asia. Will Munafik 2 live up to its success or will it fall down the dread hole eaten by its own hypocrisy of turning this into a cash-grab movie?

The sequel takes on a heavier and wider approach than the predecessor and that shows the maturity of the progress made for a better film and it pulls off successfully well.

Syamsul Yusof, the director, actor, editor and etc of Munafik 2 (Donald Glover's Malaysia, variety of talents) proves it again that he can break the tire and dire formula of horror films where the first act of the movie is the little to no scariness and lots of draggy parts for merely character developments while the audience thinks if they are watching a horror film or else but this guy... he does it by starting the movie with lots of scares that would make some of you at the edge of your seat not preparing for the demons to appear at all. He will leave you in the hall breathless since the very beginning.

The energy in this movie is so strong and vigorous that constitutes from one effective scene to another which consequently makes your adrenaline rush and sends shivers down your spine. It sends off electricity that gets you nerving and keeps your eyes peel on the big screen. You'll be excited to know more of what's gonna happen next.

How shocked was I when I saw how brilliantly they worked on the technical aspect. The cinematography and lighting are top-notch, I was in awe with the unique inclined camera angles, the blue-green eerie atmosphere and the precision that it takes to construct such creativity to make it sing with the territory of this being a horror film.

My hat tips off for the excellent use of sound effect because this is probably the first Malay movie I solemnly think that is qualified to compete its sound mixing and editing with Hollywood. Plus, the music is paralleled to how the scenes are emotionally portrayed, means that if a scene ought to make you terrified, then the music builds up to its terror.

Syamsul Yusof and Maya Karin have the spotlight for Munafik 2. Syamsul's acting is getting better and better each time, he now knows how to make those nuances of expressions on his face and he plays Ustaz Adam in a very believable way. Maya Karin was in hiatus for a long time in the filmmaking industry, she plays as Sakinah, a woman in distress of having to defend herself and her family from the hypocrite Abu Jar played by Nasir Bilal Khan, as he and his followers is trying to manipulate into seducing her to commit apostasy with his misguided religious teachings. She is good in playing the role except sometimes, I expected her to be better because she could be but she's a bit lacking this time unlike her acting in Pontianak: Harum Sundal Malam. The others also contributed great performances.

Believe it or not, I shed tears as the movie comes to a closed credit, it is so hard these days to find a horror film with true powerful good meanings being thrown at us all the time. I love the core values this movie has given us especially when I was sensing the plot is taken bits by bits from Islam's Prophets' ideal stories. Albeit the climax is quite similar to the first, but the message is sublime and the last minute wraps it as a perfect ending.

The negative thing is that there are a few of unintentionally funny moments emerge throughout as the messages do get transmitted to the audience smoothly like a bullseye however, a slight awkwardness comes along because they go over-the-top at achieving something new but bizarre attempts.

Furthermore, a lot of twists and turns happen which most of them are unexpected and great, but there is one particular twist that I totally did not see it coming which should be good in general but I hated it because of lack of rational explanations and of the same reason, the excessive and exaggerated degree of the twist itself.

Verdict: It's a rollercoaster ride from the starting point 'till the finishing line. This is the true definition of a horror movie and a rare one in a good way as it flood with a full spectrum of emotions. Simply crowns as the best Malay and horror movie of 2018 and possibly my top 10 movie this year!

92/100

A HUGE step from the first film, coupled with great cinematography, perfomances and scares, Munafik 2 is a must-watch for southeast-asian horror movies.

A story about a cult terrorizing the other side of a village led by Abuja (Nasir Bilal Khan) which gets Ustaz Adam (Syamsul Yusof) concerned about Sakinah (Maya Karin) and her father's safety. The movie opens up as a continuation from the last. Although, i do wish that they would incorporate much more of the first movie's plot into this one. Nonetheless this makes a terrifying adventure.

The performances and character build is so good that a lot of people in the theatre worry about the safety of our characters. I can't spoil much (since i want this to be spoiler free), but i'll have to say Syamsul Yusof is a genius filmmaker tackling issues in this film such as cults and extreme teachings as well as being patient and moderate during God's tests. I'd also like to mention that the scares really git me. This time it wasn't cheap false scares but genuinely scary jumpscares and tension/ suspense that comes after. The camerawork makes it really hard at times to predict the scare until the film has hinted the full thing. A lot of demons aren't just black-contact-lens-wearing-makeup-filled actors with voice changers in the audio, but legitimate beings that might haunt your dreams if you catch a glimpse fot too long. Also, the dramatic scenes might leave a tear in some viewers seeing how far our protagonists are holding on to their faith during the most stressful times (and scenes) throughout the movie

The ending of the movie might be a let-down for most, but it's actually quite the happy ending. By the end, the message sent is that Allah will test his believers, and that we should be patient and considerate as well as be appreciative of the good we have left before and during calamity strikes.

Over all it was a 9/10 experience with some minor flaws and plotholes that are somewhat answered subliminally. I'd say people overseas should give this movie a chance.

Well I don't really enjoy horror movies because of the faint heart. I don't even watch the prequel. This is really memorable movie for me. Can't wait for the third installation. I watched the Nun afterward, and it is mediciore at best.

I am sorry but this movie bored me to tears. I left midway because it was just unnecessarily loud and too ridiculous . I mean, who sleeps in a cave nowadays with a kid by all means? And Tok Adi with his Halloween costume? You must be kidding me.

Unless this is a malay version of LOTR, which explains the fantasy elements of this movie (like Maya running up trees to name a few) I thought it was just a noisy movie. Munafiq 1 was way better, at least I was pleasantly surprised at the ending. Sorry to say also, I didnt like the fact that verses of the Quran--not one or two, but many--were thrown about for entertainment purposes. I thought it was too much.

I give it 2 stars just because my husband seemed to enjoy it. Botton line: bad storyline, bad dialogue, bad sound editing. Sorry.

A sequel from the first Munafik (2016), this movie have a lot of positive feedbacks from viewers. I took my chance to watch this movie in cinema yesterday and I must admit that Munafik 2 is a good movie. The cinematography in this movie didn't dissapoint me, it's quite good for most of the scenes. For storyline, it does contain a lot of messages and references but there are 2 or 3 plot holes that make me questioning myself until today. At first you will confuse for a while about the timeline in this movie but you will understand the story better later on. I like the background music in this movie because it suits the movie very well and I hope in the future, Malaysian film will have a Malaysia version of "Hans Zimmer". I also like the horror elements and most of the horror elements is unpredictable. I suggest that you watch this movie and share your views with us.