The Haunted Hotel (2023) distinguishes itself in the oversaturated genre of haunted-house horror by virtue of its psychological and emotional layers as well as its cultural context. While the film is a blend of psychological thriller and drama, the jump scares are substituted with sustained internalized horror, something deeply unsettling—and universal, directed by Guntur Soeharjanto, an Indonesian filmmaker.
The films offers a glimpse into trauma, guilt, and dark family secrets, led by Luna Maya and Bianca Hello. The unraveling story is set in and around a decaying hotel located on the outskirts of Semarang, revealing itself bit by bit, and with breathtakingly slow pacing as is the style of Soeharjanto, combining the past with the present.
🎬 Plot Overview
The narrative centers on two sisters, Maya and Dina. The former is the younger, softer, and more intuitive half of the duo while the latter is a logical, headstrong woman. Together, they travel to a family determined hotel that has been deserted for years. The hotel is located at the heart of a grand estate yet today stands dilapidated, alongside a grand mystery regarding the death of their estranged uncle.
Unbeknownst to Dina and Maya, the hidden secrets buried within the hotel’s decaying walls will forever change their lives as they attempt to renovate and sell it. In a peculiar way, the hotel appears to be quiet at first – albeit eerie – until it begins to reveal its dark personality. Shadows flicker just beyond the periphery, lights flicker at seemingly random intervals, and there are strange noises echoing throughout the hall. While Dina shrugs the occurrences off as mere building “settling,” Maya is plagued by haunting dreams and odd happenings.
Even so, the sisters still choose to overlook the incidents. However, Maya gradually begins to unveil old letters, photographs, and even a hidden journal from their late uncle, suggesting the hotel harbors dark secrets and was indeed the site of a grisly family tragedy that occurred generations ago, left unresolved.
Maya delves deeper, convinced there’s malevolence at the hotel’s core, while Dina strives to cling to what she considers reason and logic. This becomes increasingly difficult when the hotel seems to focus its peculiar energies on both of them, and the ghost of a pale, silent woman starts to surface. Whispers beneath doors become increasingly loud while CCTV footage and reflections capture locks turning by themselves.
The climax features the greatest revelation: the haunting is not fully paranormal. The “ghost” is revealed to be a living relative who, in the hotel where she had been hiding for years due to grief and feelings of betrayal, had been enacting a form of twisted vengeance on the family. Still, while this human monstrosity is unveiled, the film implies that something more malevolent lingers, fueled by the pain from many generations.
🎭 Characters and Performances
Luna Maya as Dina brings to life an emotion-filled character that is authentic and realistic. As the more practical sister, she aids the audience with a steady and relatable anchor. Her character’s transformation from a skeptic to a believer is one of the film’s highlights.
Bianca Hello as Maya portrays a character with deeper understanding of the hotel’s spiritual and emotional energies. Her performance captures the gradual descent into fear convincingly, and her determination to reveal the truth adds urgency to the film’s pacing.
Some supporting roles such as a local historian and a caretaker related to the place’s folk stories help to build the mystery by weaving in folklore, exposition, and dread.
🎥 Direction and Cinematography
As with many directors, Guntur Soeharjanto uses visual storytelling techniques to capture the attention of the viewers. The hotel as a location serves a dual purpose: both as a character and a setting, it is claustrophobic and crumbling while teeming with life. The antique furniture combined with flickering light fixtures evoke a sense of being frozen in time, further enhanced by the dusty corridors.
The psychological tension and suggestive horror is far more effective than outright gore, which this film steers clear of. This is especially true for close-ups, which are not only uncomfortable but also too prolonged. As with many directors, Guntur Soeharjanto uses visual storytelling techniques to capture the attention of the viewers.
The beauty of the hotel’s decaying grandeur is captured by Rendra Yusworo as the cinematographer. While close-up shots are often criticized for making the viewer uncomfortable, in this case, they effectively work to reinforce claustrophobia. On the other hand, sound design during moments of silence enhances fear, and clever use of both silence and sound can build great tension.
🎯 Themes And Symbolism
- Family And Inherited Guilt
The emotional baggage families carry and attempt to hide is the focus of The Haunted Hotel. The sins of the past are not just shackles for the property; they are shackles for the people who are drawn to it. Dina and Maya are confronted with not only ghosts, but also emotional wounds stemming from a broken lineage.
- Rationality vs. Belief
The two sisters represent different worldviews: one logical and the other intuitive. This relationship provides much of the film’s conflict, mirroring an internal battle most people grapple with when confronting trauma or the unfamiliar.
- The House as Memory
More than simply a building, the hotel is a storehouse of secrets, suffering, and repressed memories. The more the sisters seek to uncover these secrets, the closer they get to apprehending the family’s most profound truths—and the more deeply they are transformed by those truths.
- Human Monsters vs. Supernatural Evil
The last twist, which reveals that much of the terror stems from human actions, underscores a central idea: what is often perceived to be the most horrific horrors are not ghosts, but individuals deformed by grief and twisted by loss. Yet, the hotel’s lingering ambiguity suggests that not all evil can be so easily dismissed.
📊 Reception and Audience Reaction
The Haunted Hotel may not be a global blockbuster, but it has received accolades for effective pacing, atmosphere, and acting. Viewers praised the film for maintaining tension without the overuse of jump scares. Audiences also appreciated its cultural rootedness, with subtle nods to Javanese folklore, spiritual customs, and traditional ideas regarding hauntings.
Meeting the expectations of action enthusiasts may prove troublesome for this film, as it unfolds at a deliberately measured pace. However, audiences that appreciate the intricacies of psychological horror complemented with deep-rooted emotions will undoubtedly relish what it has to offer.
🔚 Conclusion
The Haunted Hotel stands out as a gripping film that resonates emotionally while exploring themes of the supernatural. Instead of relying purely on jump scares or gore to elicit fear, it strives to be truly unsettling by illustrating how trauma, regret, and unexpressed words can linger overshadowingly like spirits. The skillful use of suspense, hauntingly powerful performances, and the film’s rich cultural backdrop provide insight into what it means to be haunted: by places, people, and one’s own history.
In addition to allowing audiences to grapple with emotions during viewing, reflection, and catharsis, the film lingers long after the credits roll. It is aimed at fans who appreciate slow-burn horror paired with poignant emotional depth.
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