Imagine a world where the line between reality and the supernatural blurs, set against the haunting backdrop of a remote jungle village.
Other-worldly beings popping up unannounced on leaf-covered walkways, their ethereal forms bringing a spine-tingling chill that creeps up on you as you try to decipher whether they are of the living, or an unnatural entity.
The air is thick with the pulsating beats of gamelan instruments, creating a rhythm that resonates with primal fear, folklore and fright intertwining.
Such is the premise of the latest cinematic venture that combines the raw, untamed beauty of a jungle locale with a chilling narrative in the Dancing Village: The Curse Begins, also known as Badarawuhi di Desa Penari.
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Prepare yourself for a spine-chilling journey into the heart of darkness with Dancing Village:
The Curse Begins, the latest entry in the Indonesian supernatural horror scene that’s available to watch on Netflix.
This 2024 film, an adaptation of the acclaimed novel KKN di Desa Penari by SimpleMan, promises to send shivers down your spine with its eerie folklore and haunting visuals.
Produced by MD Pictures, the film features a stellar cast, including Aulia Sarah, Maudy Effrosina, and Jourdy Pranata, who bring this chilling tale to life.
As a prequel to the 2022 sensation KKN di Desa Penari, Dancing Village plunges viewers into a new chapter of the chilling saga, offering fresh insights and deeper frights. Released in Indonesian cinemas on April 11, it faced fierce competition with the unsettling Grave Torture (Siksa Kubur), setting the stage for a riveting showdown in the horror genre.
MYSTICAL MISSION MEETS DARK VILLAGE
Fair warning, there may be some spoilers in this review if you have yet to watch the movie.
The film kicks off with a spine-tingling scene straight out of a nightmare. A dimly lit dance hall where an old woman’s haunting Javanese chants set the stage for a group of young women swaying in a trance.
One by one, they collapse, their bodies swathed in white cloth, with blood seeping through, leaving only one woman dancing amidst the macabre spectacle.
As the old woman, now holding a mysterious wooden box containing a bracelet, dashes out of the hall, she urgently hands the box to a young woman, instructing her to flee and never look back.
This eerie prologue seamlessly transitions into the main story, where we meet Mila, the film’s protagonist. Seated on a bus, Mila is unaware that her journey is about to lead her into a dark and treacherous odyssey.
Later on during the film, we find out MIla is tasked by a shaman to return a mystical bracelet known as the Kawaturih to a secluded village on the remote eastern tip of Java Island after her mother mysterious fell ill with an unknown sickness (of course).
Accompanied by her cousin Yuda and his friends Jito and Arya, Mila arrives at the eerie village only to find it in disarray – the village elder has mysteriously died, and the new guardian, Mbah Buyut, is nowhere to be found.
As the group waits for Mbah Buyut’s arrival, they befriend a villager named Ratih who Mila stays with while at the village. Unsettling and otherworldly occurrences begin to plague them.
Mila also finds out that Ratih’s mother is suffering the same illness as her own.
Mila is haunted by Badarawuhi, a mythical ruler of the village, who brings with her an air of palpable menace. Driven by mounting tension and an urge to complete her task, Mila decides to return the Kawaturih without the Mbah Buyut’s aid.
Her decision sets off a chain of events that jeopardises the village’s safety, leading her to participate in a haunting ritual where she faces the terrifying prospect of becoming the new ‘Dawuh’ – a cursed soul condemned to dance eternally in the village’s macabre legacy for Badarawuhi.
SCARE SCALE
Diving into Dancing Village is like stepping into a perfectly orchestrated nightmare, where every frame and every actor’s performance aligns seamlessly to conjure an eerie, immersive experience.
The film’s cinematography excels in creating a chilling atmosphere that grips you from the opening scene, and the acting is refreshingly understated – far from the over-the-top theatrics often seen in horror-thrillers.
Each scene unfolds with a precision that avoids unnecessary plot twists, making it easy to remain captivated.
For me, watching Dancing Village was like scratching a long-standing itch. My family had already seen it and their relentless screams had me wondering just how terrifying it really was.
With my seasoned horror palate, I’d rate the film a solid six out of 10 on the scare scale.
However, judging by my family’s terrified reactions, which had them pushing their own rating up to an eight or nine, it’s clear this film packs a punch for those less accustomed to the genre. – Izah Azahari
