Synopsis
“Ronggeng Kematian” is an Indonesian supernatural horror film set to release in 2024. The film is directed by Verdi Solaiman integrates his fascination for Javanese culture in Indonesian film. The movie depicts haunting images of an old tradition which is the art of ronggeng, a dance which serves ritualistic purposes. The cast includes Aulia Sarah as Sekar.
The film showcases the life of a young girl Sekar who resides in an isolated village in the jungle with its own beliefs and practices. Sekar wishes to be a renowned ronggeng dancer as portrayed by her mother. Being the village ronggeng is regarded highly. A ronggeng was believed to communicate with the spirit world and a dancer was treated as a high priestess.
In the wake of the scary death of the previous dancer, something disastrous appears to be taking place. Sekar, always eager to fulfill her wishes is cursed now. The village elder Mbah Surya explicitly warns her against pursuing that dream and fulfilling that role, fearing what she may awaken with ancient pacts made with dark forces.
Violent and supernatural phenomena start afflicting the village around the same time Sekar starts her training. The crops are barren; livestock are mysteriously dead in the fields, and villagers have started disappearing into nearby forests. Unfortunately, later attempts to rescue these villagers reveal them in grotesque, life-less poses, as if frozen mid-dance.
By practicing the ronggeng dance, Sekar learns about a custom that is more sinister than anything she could imagine. There has always been a guardian spirit, but now Sekar learns the village elders centuries ago forged a contract with this spirit, Nyai Puspa in a blood pact. Every generation, they offered the soul of the ronggeng in return for prosperity and protection. Now, as the dancer chosen for the role, Sekar is doomed to die; her dances simply sustain the spirit’s strength.
Sekar, with the aid of Rangga (Bio One), an anthropologist and self described ‘cultural skeptic,’ tries to undo the curse within a limited time frame, previously set to be completed by ‘The Great Harvest Ceremony’ – a festival celebrated for Sekar’s final dance.
When confronted with betrayal, fear, and the pull of supernatural phenomena, Sekar must determine if she will save herself or sacrifice her life in order to save the village. As the final ceremony nears, Sekar’s unyielding courage and will is put to the test as she surrenders to the blurring lines of the reality world and the afterlife.
Cast & Crew
Aulia Sarah as Sekar
The character Sekar, who is both an ambitious young lady and a victim of terrible supernatural forces, had to be brought to life by Aulia Sarah and she did it wonderfully. The emotional core of the movie lies helpless and determined to survive with a hope of dancer she becomes.
Bio One as Rangga
A pragmatist, Bio One plays zv. simatupang as Rangga bringing surprising charm and depth to the character. He slowly loosens up to the horrors he witnesses. Auli Sarah’s Sekar also encounters softness beneath the horror that marks the film in their moments together.
Landung Simatupang as Mbah Surya
Simatupang lends the archetype of a village elder with the weight of knowing ancient pacts which stirs the mysticism of the narrative. Hence the role is paints brings deep conflict between traditions and morality.
Director: Verdi Solaiman
In his venture into horror, Verdi Solaiman masterfully considers the Indonesian setting. He places significance on establishing atmosphere and builds dread throughout the film, rather than relying on gratuitous jump scares. With his direction, the village in the film feels alive instead of merely serving as a set; it is secretive, decaying, and haunted.
Screenplay: Tumpal Tampubolon
Marrying elements of traditional Javanese folklore and modern horror tropes, the screenplay innovatively anchors itself in a culture that remains evergreen in horror. The story itself is packed with tension and fear.
Cinematography: Ical Tanjung
Tanjung’s cinematography captures the mist-shrouded forests and decaying temples with haunting beauty. Slow and sustained framing characterizes the dance sequences as ritualistic in nature. Moreover, lingered shots add to the film’s overwhelming and tense sluggish buildups.
Music: Aghi Narottama
The score features Javanese gamelan music, albeit in shadows and using chilling rhythms. The film’s atmosphere hinges on otherworldly sensations – Aghi Narottama enhances them through music.
IMDb Ratings
”Ronggeng Kematian” currently holds an almost 7.1/10 rating on IMDb, which reflects positive reception from both audiences and critics, especially in South East Asia.
Fans of the movie lauded the cultural portrayal, remarking that the film remains fresh amongst a sea of mediocrity in modern horror due to its lack of heavy genre tropes. Many admire the portrayal of Javanese dance and spirituality, noting the attention to detail that persists even when the narrative shifts to supernatural horror.
Critics have praised Aulia Sarah’s performance as a blend of fear, determination, and remarkable vulnerability. This focus on character dread and atmosphere without jump scares has received mixed reactions. Audience members who expect fast-paced horror may perceive the initial half of the film as slow.
However, most viewers agree the film’s carefully mulled emotional thematic payoff outweighs any perceived slowness. The third act is especially captivating, described as breathtakingly eerie, combining tragic elements with cathartic release.
Final Thoughts
Ronggeng Kematian is one of the most well done horror films to date, striking a beautiful balance between authentic culture and universal fear. It taps into the rich depths of Indonesian mythology, presenting global audiences with a new lens of horror storytelling that is fresh yet deeply familiar.
The film primarily explores the perils of uncritical tradition or unquestioned ritual veneration and its consequences of violence and suffering. Sekar’s journey represents the wider conflict between legacy and attempting to claim a personal future free from the destructive heritage roots.
Aulia Sarah’s depiction of Sekar is amazing. Her juxtaposition of innocence with defiance captures the heart of the audience. As a result of curse after curse, Sekar slowly descends from a hopeful dreamer into a horrific tragic figure, leaving heartbreaking tensions for Sarah to synthesize.
Solaiman Verdi deserves praise for not leaning on cheap scares. Unlike most directors, Solaiman derives horror from culture and psychology, drowning the audience in a sense of unavoidable doom through isolation and stillness. The film’s imagery, from fog-laced forests to withering temples, is accompanied by eerie torch-bearing dances throughout the film, resulting in a sense of discomfort that remains long after the last credits appear onscreen.
Incorporating traditional Javanese gamelan music into the constituents of the film serve to deepen engagement. The sinister, jarring tones introduced make beauty, like a dance sequence, grotesquely menacing.
“Ronggeng Kematian”, and its complex thematism, is equally impressive. It makes stunning commentaries on gender subjugation along with vicious communal sacrifice ideals; posing questions surrounding a so-called “good.” Sekar faces Nyai Puspa not as a tormented ghost, but a culmination of exploitation masquerading as culture.
“Ronggeng Kematian” culminates to tell a deep and beautifully horrifying tale that remains true to its culture while simultaneously casting its relevance to humanity. The film particularly stands out in horror cinema, not due to its overwhelming violence or gore, but for its nuanced understanding of the traditions that we inherit and navigate through in life.
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