Like Kuntilanak, Wewe was determined to be a mother but denied this opportunity, creating a powerful dark entity who will stop at nothing for her chance at motherhood. The Indonesian chapter of HBO Asia’s Folklore series, entitled “A Mother’s Love”, humanizes another sinister ghost in Indonesian culture, Wewe Gombel. Kuntilanak is one of the more uplifting and hopeful Indonesian horror films. It also shows the bravery and strength any of us is capable of, especially when banding together and tapping into one's inner abilities. Much of Indonesian horror deals with children and Kuntilanak nails the childlike wonder and horror inherent in the chilling tale of loss and fighting for one's family.

His enthusiasm, insight, and youthful energy offer a fun, Monster Squad-esque feel. One of the orphaned children, Miko ( Ali Fikry), is an eccentric oddball with a fascination with classic horror stories and folklore. Kuntilanak’s tone and atmosphere is an intricate balance of fun childlike curiosity and grim terror, at times playful and vibrant and at other times disquieting and malevolent. Despite their differences, the kids must stick together to investigate and ultimately defeat this terrible force who seeks to break up their family and take the children for her own. They begin to see terrifying images of a woman who offers a striking resemblance to the legend of Kuntilanak after a cursed mirror is placed in their home. The film is told from the perspective of five adopted orphans who are caught between the absence of their deceased parents and embracing a new family. The 2018 film, Kuntilanak, dives into the familial and societal themes tied to the legend. The tale of Kuntilanak addresses not only what the horrors of losing a child can drive you to, but the importance of ensuring the children who do survive are wanted and loved. She will take misbehaving children, but she primarily takes children who go willingly or are unhappy within their own families. Kuntilanak is described to have sharp claws, piercing teeth, a deformed face, and red eyes. Her origins lie in losing her child and own life when giving childbirth, leaving her in a mournful, rage-filled existence that urged her to take back what she lost.

One major cultural monster explored heavily in the new wave of Indonesian horror films is Kuntilanak, a hideous and ferocious female ghost who masquerades as a beautiful woman, carrying soothing, floral tones to lure young children to her. These malicious spirits represent the mistreatment and inequality for women ranging from physical violence to poor healthcare, including increasingly high mortality rates for infants. There are many tales of vengeful feminine spirits who haunt and seek revenge for the wrongs done to them. Indonesian horror is very folklore-focused, tapping into childhood fears, forewarnings, and problems within society that need to be addressed.

Indonesian horror movies