BERANAK DALAM KUBUR

EMG Production
Starring by: Julia Perez


Story began with the scene of young lady which had been pregnant crawls the stair with blood flooding her body. Scared fill her face as agony of the death came across. After the affection the lady hanged by some rope. Like many, the scene used to catch audience’s first impression for the movie, the strategies was fine with me. But to be honest that’s very old-school.

The stories of the ghost continued on hospital scene when two male nurses have to enclose with the body of these dead hung-lady which, oddly, rise from the braincase and killed those two by no reason, except that they are on the wrong place at the wrong time there. 

That’s make me confused. Try to keep up with the movie I found that the ghost, like any others, murdered a boy and a girl that mocking her when they found her at abandons dead-chamber and finally murdered a man that hung and make her killed. So there’s a reason but I didn’t see it on the beginning.

The way she played and killed the companion that mocked her was fine but sometimes I found it to much. Creepy face that came so many times, weird sound and appearance adorn this movie but only once with a baby cries. It happened when this childbirth-grave’s lady performed for the main personage. But there’s no baby after that.

Why? It came across my mind!

The story is about childbirth-grave lady but why the babies not shown up every time she act? Is it because the babies dead which illustrated by the raise of the lady upon the grave with the stiff baby beside it? Dunno…

Only, without the babies the creature had no difference between any other like Suster Ngesot, Suster N, or The Grudge that rely on long black hair that draped face with long white clothes for the horror performance. 

So, c’mon man! Shown the babies...it would be dramatic for the last scene when she killed her evil boyfriend by grapping him across the floor and threw him up the car. I think it make the man understand that what he has done not only killed the girl but also murdered the human inside her. And that’s not humanism.

I also don’t quite understand why the creature spent so many times to played and killed the mocking friends but less of it to kill her boyfriend. Perhaps, if she kills the guy at first place the movie will finished earlier…ha ha ha…

Again, why the childbirth-grave lady killed the antagonist after her body was buried on her village? Isn’t her strength vanished when the body buried because she finally got what she wants?

This movie left me with shallow impression. Unnecessary question, thin content, and the fact that there’s nothing new with the effect made Beranak Dalam Kubur just become a weak material that will be forgotten the next day. 

I also got dissapointed because when I enter the cinema, I wonder for the next agenda of the old movies – Beranak Dalam Kubur that starring by Suzana “The Indonesian Horror Queen” – but this movie only took the title not the contain, may be to repeat the success of the first, there’s no connection between these two movies, that’s why it’s difficult to understand why the topic had choose.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

Paramount Picture
Directed by: Oren Peli
Starring by: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat

First time I see the title, I thought this movie is something like ghost hunter, or TV’s serial in Indonesia like Kismis or Uka-uka. But then my brother told me that this movie is good. He said that this movie inspired base on the true story and that this movie is so scary. So I bought the film because its period on cinema 21 already finished watching it there.

Begun with young couple Katie and Micah (using their own name), who move to a new house on the neighborhood. Not only got a new house but also a new video camera, which made me think that this Micah guy could be some new rock star, who already blown the market with his new album, because he’s got nothing to do beside playing guitar all day he he.

His camera is the subject of all matters; Micah used it to tape the entire act on this movie. The camera is so important so Micah should grab it first when he heard his wife Katie yelling from bathroom. The scene is ridiculous, not just about cockroach for the reason Katie’s been yelling at – not ghost – but why he choose the camera instead run to Katie’s place for a rush.

This couple is haunted by spiritual creature on their new house. Like any other ghost movie, Paranormal Activity toward the ghost slowly. The frequent increase smoothly and the time it shown picks bedtime as a company. But I like this movie as the role goes; when I found out different angle and trick they’ve used to scary the audience. Tumbling steps, slamming door, shadow flash, blanket that move by unseen hand, and for the top idea your wife stand next to the bed and starred at you for about almost three hours, doing nothing…just stare…and that’s creepy man…

Horror doctrine told you that you should keep away from stranger or antagonist and mingle with friends, but you never know when protagonist turn to be antagonist and someone you know are not made you save but could harm you with odd. I like the idea, and true...sometimes, people that you know can scurry you most... especially your wife when she do something like Katie’s did.

Paranormal Activity was some movie that doesn’t need too much of ghost appearances or gloomy music to built the awkward atmosphere. 

Somehow, I enjoy about how this film establish the suspense by emerging the ghost on the last place…like give the best for last…and put the question of the mystery on Katie’s background and the stupidity of a man when they facing something that couldn’t be seen.

Man is a creature who always proud with their logic, they always think and see something with logic but my friend, he work for SAR (Search and Rescue) team, told me once that man could think illogical on certain condition. 

For example, man will think illogic when girl ask about their capability to choose direction on the wood, or when they are facing unknown location in the dark. Everything that spoils their ego will make man turn stupid. And like Micah, he was totally idiot when he thinks Ouija board could solve their demon’s problem.

I know Ouija board… because I’ve seen my friend play with that thing… and how they are haunted by the spirit that come from the invitation because we forgot to enclose the deal spell. 

Jisss… and guys…don’t ever think that you can solve the demonic problems with that thing, unless you’re to mad and choose a side with the demon itself.

And the story are good, my guess that the house are haunted are false. In fact, it was amaze that Katie brings the ghost on that house. She’s been followed by it, the shadow of her past, and no matter where she run it always haunted her down. There’s no escape for her.

 The thrill that the ghost tries to possessed Katie was so immerse, the scene when Katie throwing down to the floor and drag outside the bedroom also fools me to think that the ghost are the opposites. But the ending of the movie made the entire story clear. The ghost win Katie’s figure. And how Micah thrown to the camera… for me is the best ending ever…

From the beginning to end, I was stunned…there’s no space for me to critize the story because I want to know what next. The story is simple, the look is simple, the effect is simple, but the simplicity is not the barrier for a damn good movie like these one reach the box office. 

And don’t forget, this movie are not using popular artist. Comparing to Avatar, I think Paranormal Activity is a movie that most Producer love. Low budget but high profit…

WOLFMAN

Universal Picture
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Starring by: Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving

Don’t expect thrill to much coz you wouldn’t find it here. Wolfman built the suspense from dramas and used sudden appearance or unexpected incoming as a strategy to make your heart beat. The funniest thing about werewolf movie, like Jack Nicholson’s wolf on The Wolf or the latest wolf on New Moon, it never scares me much.

But I do like the performance of Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. As a player and producer, Benicio has become one of the magnificent talented star whose try to implement his many capability, which remind me of Mel Gibson, Steven Seagal, or Jackie Chan who’s able to play as a star and giving a direction on their movie. 

For Anthony Hopkins, his performance surprised me. I don’t recognize him. The changing from neat looks on Hanibal to a father that giving a miserable live for his boy on this movie was splendid, despite the same character, which cold and easy going, he brought to this movie.

Shock by disappearing of his brother, Ben, Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) return to his homeland, to his family estate, and try to investigate the case. 

His searches lead him to a gypsy’s village where he was attack there. The creature that attacked him is neither quite human nor animal, Lawrence is bitten but he survives. The injured recovered very quickly but since then the disease was inside his body. Lawrence Talbot became the monster that he’s been after, the monster which killed his mother and brother.

Although not frightening, I enjoy the transforming process when Talbot change from man to a werewolf, especially on the court that bring hysteria on people. Every detail is projected, such as hand that knuckled and turns big or the changing of his leg’s structure. 

I’ve seen another transforming like that on Underworld, but the Victorian era on Wolfman made me realize that it can’t be futuristic as that.

I’m not surprise that the monster which killed his mother and brother is Lawrence’s dad. Talbot Senior (Anthony Hopkins) was on his journey to find mysterious creature on the cave when he was bite and transform to werewolf. 

The creature was a combination of something that live in the deep world like monster on The Descent and funny boggart that transform by rings on Lord Of The Rings. Mad, long teeth, and long hair with short body.

His dad kill her mother then, and the circle of curse start to haunted the estate. It made me think about sin of a father will cause the sin for his son and his generation. Sadly, the sin also could kill the father through his son.

I have example from my life, I have friend that divorce which I knew her parents also have those experience. I know we can’t judge people who have bad experience would affect his kid, automatically, but the influence still there. When we experiencing divorce from our parents, mostly we will terrify and try very hard to make that thing wouldn’t happen or grab our mind strongly to break-up every time the conditions are not as we suspected.

Other example, I know a couple which start their family by accident, because the female already pregnant before they get married. They set-up everything by no time and finally get a funny baby boy. A year later they have another baby, a charming baby-girl. Time goes by but the happiness is not a final after all, especially when the father is not confessing his sin. 

The baby boy who become handsome prince turn out to be a playboy that won’t have commitment, not able to do so, and his sister suddenly pregnant and she doesn’t know who is her father’s baby because she work as an escort girl after school. 

So, guys…beware…the sin of yours could damage your family and your next generation!

In the end of this movie I don’t know why Lawrence had to kill his father to settle the whole thing. Perhaps to cut the curse, because killed the source wouldn’t cure him anyway. 

The gypsy women told that to Gwen, Ben’s fiancée, whose fallen love to Lawrence and try anything to release him from his pain. Maybe she shoot him for the same reason, releasing from pain, although he finally recognized her at his transforming shape.

But I agree that devil will look for another victim when you succeed cut his curse. The curse of the wolf vanished from Lawrence family but it move to police inspector when he’s bite by Lawrence at the incident of the burned house on Talbot’s manor.