Leák (1981)

Directed by H. Tjut Djalil [Other horror films: Batas Impian Ranjang Setan (1986), Ratu buaya putih (1988), Pembalasan Ratu Pantai Selatan (1989), Misteri Janda Kembang (1991), Dangerous Seductress (1992), Skandal Iblis (1992), Gaun Merah (1994)]

Eh, I don’t really know what to say about this one.

There were certainly some decent things in this Indonesian horror film, originally titled Leák (pronounced Le-ak, which is apparently some kind of black magic), but known far better as Mystics in Bali, such as an ominous and threatening atmosphere, some decent special effects, and a plot that’s played pretty seriously (despite how the final product ended up coming out).

But despite some interesting scenes, about thirty, forty minutes in, I was getting bored, and really much of the movie is just a young woman becoming unintentionally aligned with a dark practitioner of an evil magic, and becoming possessed, in a way. Some creepy scenes were present, such as throwing up what seems to be green slime and live mice, along with the initial appearance of the witch-like Leák Master, but it wasn’t enough to keep my interest alive.

I don’t have much experience with Indonesian horror. I do know that much of this film is taken from Balinese mythology and folklore, which is culturally sort of cool. But the movie didn’t really do much of anything for me, and though portions were probably decent for Indonesian films back in the 1980s, some of the effects look rather hokey now. Might be worth a watch if you want to see something a little different, but I wouldn’t expect to love it.

5/10