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Satan's Slaves
Pengabdi Setan
2017 106 min Indonesia, South Korea 18+
★6.8
Horror, Mystery
Director: Joko Anwar
🎭 Based on
«Pengabdi Setan»
Trailers
EN
EN
Teaser
Teaser
EN
Description
After dying from a strange illness that she suffered for three years, a mother returns home to pick up her children.
Budget:
$120,000
Worldwide:
$9.03M
Starring
Tara Basro
Actor
Bront Palarae
Actor
Dimas Aditya
Actor
Awards
12 wins & 22 nominations total
Key opinion
Pengabdi Setan is widely recognized as a visceral and atmospheric horror experience that succeeds in terrifying audiences through its tense, grounded direction. While supporters praise its effective jump scares and mastery of genre tropes, critics argue that the film relies too heavily on clichéd imagery and lacks the psychological depth or originality of the 1982 original.
| Direction | The film excels at creating a deeply unsettling and high-stakes atmosphere that remains consistently creepy throughout the runtime. | |
| Acting | Young cast members deliver performances that feel authentic and grounded, adding an emotional weight that goes beyond mere fear. | |
| Originality | Opinions on the scare tactics are divided: some find the jump scares and creature pacing to be masterfully executed, while others dismiss them as routine and overly reliant on generic tropes. | |
| Adaptation | Critics are split on the narrative structure; proponents applaud its cohesive blend of traditional folklore and horror elements, whereas detractors view the plot as a derivative imitation of the 1982 predecessor. | |
| Screenplay | Evaluations of the script's substance differ, with some appreciating the intense, dark storytelling and others finding the psychological depth and cult motifs to be hollow or clumsily handled. |