Kuntilanak is an Indonesian word, which means chanting, a 2006 film directed by Rizal Mantovani The storyline was about a beautiful girl who was often molested by her stepfather. As a result, she decided to look for a boarding place where she can rest her weary heart and mind, She found a haunted house in an area believed to be infested by ghosts and spirits. This was where the Kuntilanak resides and continues to cause fear and terror among its tenants.
Her beau Aguing tried to warn her about the impeding danger, but she remained deaf and stayed on to that mysterious boarding house until the tragic incident happened when her boyfriend suddenly disappeared. Will she be able to escape that that haunted place alive?
The pacing of the movie was slow but in terms of presentation, it was plain and simple likewise it had maintained the standards of horror films making it humdrum in cinematic atmosphere. In addition, the language has no translation therefore; difficult to comprehend unless of course, the logical processes of the mind will be applied while watching the film in its entirety.
It gave away cheap thrills. As the first part of the movie progresses, it was very well understood that the house was an eerie one, Its fixtures were antiquated, the house had lots of cobwebs The movie’s mystery unfolds when a certain chant was sung and the girl was somewhat embraced by the spirit inside the haunted house. In fairness, the chant itself was really creepy and scary especially the background. As a whole, Kuntilanak was a mirror of a make believe ghost story which molded the culture and society make up Indonesia. Furthermore, this movie can be considered as an icon of horror especially for the younger generations who had grown up with old folklore. The chant used in the movie can be connected with girl’s identity in the movie which has to be found out by the viewer while watching the film.
Kuntilanak’s captivating story was packed in a very prolific and tremendous art direction brought to life by award winning performances by the main characters in the story. I can say that the movie was considered the best among Indonesian horror flicks due to its larger than life story telling presentation. Overall, it is the best therefore, highly recommended.
