Synopsis
Torture Grave (Siksa Kubur) is a bone chilling Indonesian psychological horror film written and directed by Joko Anwar. The film explores fundamentally disturbing themes regarding religion, belief, and punishment in the afterlife—specifically “siksa kubur”, a grave torture, or torment in the grave, which refers to a torment in Islamic belief inflicted on deceased sinners.
The plot revolves around Sita, a woman whose life is changed forever when her parents are murdered in a suicide bombing. The perpetrator, Wahyu, a deeply religious man who is petrified of punishment, has been deluded into believing his death—along with other’s—would save him from the horrors of grave torture. The aftermath of this harrowing incident shapes the psyche of Sita and her brother Adil, who are sent to a brutal Islamic boarding school afterwards.
While Adil becomes more religious and appreciates the teachings, Sita goes the other way. She begins questioning the very idea of divine justice and grapples with skepticism concerning the terrifying punishment of torment in the grave. As an adult, Sita works as a caregiver at a nursing home and sets out on a mission to scientifically prove the non-existence of siksa kubur. The execution of her plan is dark and chilling: she intends to use an inhaler and recording device to artificially breathe and observe the so-called foundational punishment while being temporarily buried next to an immoral palpable corpse.
Milad’s daughter initially appears a perfectly sane person. Sita actively constructs a peculiar reality for herself in her mind where supernatural events exist. She begins to imagine seeing disturbing visions of woman unearthing herself from the grave who performs ghostly bratan rituals while bearing disembodied skulls. Through it all, her rational thinking unravels like a fragile thread. Alongside her increasingly frantic state of mind, shattering her concept of what was formerly believable. The culmination of blurring reality makes them face bends between trauma, parasocial implausibilities of a post-mortem hell and the supernatural.
The peak of the story sizzles with intensity and ambiguity. Sita is experiencing the very nightmares she believed were fabricated, struggling to leave a casket enveloped in demonic voices and ghastly imagery. Is this truly siksa kubur, or is a tapestry of guilt, trauma, and fear fabricating the end? Undoubtedly, the film’s conclusion is haunting yet intriguingly profound as it permits self-analysis.
Cast & Crew
Director & Writer:
Joko Anwar – One of Indonesia’s most modern horror filmmakers, he superbly integrates local lore and human fears with fibers of social criticism under the mask of fantasy.
Main Cast:
Faradina Mufti as Sita – She emerges as the lead portraying a truth-seeker, a tenacious and severely traumatized woman, only to realize the cost of her quest is unimaginable –even a descent into hell.
Reza Rahadian as Adil – Sita’s sibling is a portrait of devotion, portraying the faith-based path versus Sita’s skepticism of the world around her.
Christine Hakim as Nani – A great supporting performance adding great emotion to the mix, anchoring it.
Slamet Rahardjo as Wahyu Sutama/Ilham Sutisna – The man whose suicide bombing catalyzes tragedy for us.
Widuri Puteri as Young Sita – In flashbacks, she adds more emotion which adds more depth to the character of Sita.
Muzakki Ramdhan as Young Adil: Provides a glimpse at the siblings’ early dynamic.
Fachri Albar and Happy Salma portray Sita and Adil’s parents: Sita and Adil’s parents are central to the traumatic events that shape the protagonists.
Jajang C. Noer, Niniek L. Karim, Arswendy Bening Swara, and the rest of the supporting cast give life to the unsettling realm that Sita inhabits.
Other Important Staff Contributors:
Executive Producer: Tia Hasibuan
Director of Photography: Ical Tanjung: Known for his atmospheric, ethereal, and bone-chilling visuals capturing both the spiritual and physical horrors.
Score: Aghi Narottama: His haunting compositions are paramount in creating an unnerving atmosphere.
Post Production Supervisor: Joko Anwar: Along with the rest of post production, he ensured tone, and pacing was consistent throughout.
IMDb Rating and Reviews
Torture At Grave has a 6.2/10 rating on IMDb due to both positive and negative reception. Both viewers and critics praised the film’s attempt at dealing with deep, theological and philosophical concepts, something rarely explored in mainstream horror. The film’s atmosphere which draws from Indonesian Islamic folklore also adds a multicultural dimension which distinguishes it from the West’s approach to horror.
The strengths of the film remain in its tone, performances, and the psychological unraveling of the character in the center of the narrative. Sita’s struggle with madness is a multi-layered performance and Faradina Mufti’s portrayal is widely regarded as an exceptional representation of strength and fragility. Anwar ensures that the build-up in his slow burn direction is worth in the gut-wrenching moments of the final sequence.
On the other hand, some reviewers took issue with some parts of the film having noticeably slower pacing compared to the rest, and also with the unresolved ending which is not likely to appeal to a lot of viewers. People who want things to be tied up neatly and with clear answers could end up disappointed. Other people, however, enjoy the loose ends as they respect the viewers’ intelligence and reflect on one of the main ideas of the film: the ambiguous reality that follows death.
To conclude
A consideration of everchanging faith and skepticism encapsulated in a thought provoking film, Grave Torture is unquestionably disturbing. Its horrifically nuanced performances that are specific to its culture are complemented with shrewd execution, making the film one of the most ambitious pieces of horror to emerge from Indonesia in recent years. Whether one becomes sutured to the concept of ‘siksa kubur’ or not, the journey is hauntingly unforgettable—and exceptionally dark, claustrophobic, and rich with underlying themes.
Though this film does contain some jump scares, it is more profound than that. It also deals with the lingering effects of deep-rooted trauma, the terror of the unknown, and the effects of blind faith or the absence of it.
Under Joko Anwar, these factors combine to ensure the viewer does not forget the experience, long after watching the movie.
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