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Hello fear, goodbye jump scare: Terror -- the new buzz in Indonesian horror film
The dominance of the horror genre in Indonesian filmmaking looks set to last as movie makers appeal to a deeper sense of terror in a discerning audience.
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New dawn: Joko Anwar's latest film, 'Perempuan Tanah Jahanam' (Impetigore), introduces thrilling psychological horror. (Courtesy of Base Entertainment/IMDb)
I
ndonesian horror is primarily known for its plethora of ghastly ghosts and supernatural mysticism, mirroring old beliefs deeply rooted in people until today – hence the high viewership despite lukewarm appraisal from critics over flaws in the storytelling department or poor execution.
But Joko Anwar’s latest scare-fest, Perempuan Tanah Jahanam (Impetigore), switches it up a bit.
In the setting of a remote Javanese village, Maya (Tara Basro) and her friend Dini (Marissa Anita) search for fragments of the former’s past after a near-death experience in the big city. Little do they know that the village holds a terrible affliction and its denizens will stop at nothing to lift the curse.
At first glance, Perempuan Tanah Jahanam – which was envisioned a decade ago – bears the hallmarks of traditional Indonesian horror: a cursed protagonist, an eerie village in the middle of nowhere and some creepy little girls whose existence hints at a bigger evil.
But as the minutes roll, the typical jump scares never arrive, and the stringy-haired ghostly women are kept at a minimum. Instead, the general atmosphere is made more ominous and disturbing, something Joko intended right from the beginning.
