Taut Indonesian Thriller Hits the Spot: Film Review1 min read
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRecent Indonesian horror films have not been satisfying. Despite that, the genre, which is awash with ghosts and erotica, is winning over fans who used to opt for thrillers.
Desperate for viewers, some horror films have opted for strange titles – think “Dancing Ghost,” “Crawling Nurse” and “Menstruating Ghost.” Yet thrillers have been scarce – only two have been released this year: “Skandal” (“Scandal”) by Jose Poernomo and “Tebus” (“Revenge”) by Muhammad Yusuf.
So “The Perfect House” deserves a warm welcome for enriching the genre. This new dramatic thriller is the fourth film from Indonesian director Affandi Abdul Rachman and a debut for actress and editor Veronica Maria Lasut as producer. The story flows nicely, with slow-paced suspense and the right dose of drama. It’s thoughtful and well-executed.
The movie’s promotional poster may lead people to think it’s a slasher film, especially because it’s set in a house, which may remind us of Indonesia’s breakthrough gory film, “Rumah Dara” (“Macabre”). There will be blood, but, compared to Rumah Dara, only in small amounts.
