Timo Tjahjanto - known for martial arts bloodbath "The Night Comes For Us" - delves into the horror genre here, and it's evidently inspired by the likes of "The Evil Dead".
It's about a father who makes a pact with something evil in order to lead a prosperous life. But it isn't long before that evil seeks payment in blood and souls. When he slips into a coma, his family go to his old villa where unspeakable evil is patiently waiting... The story might not be its strong suit, but it does have a focus on character before the terror strikes.
And when it strikes, it hits hard. Fans of Tjahjanto know he has a flair for staging gruesome scenes, so it's no surprise this gets bloody fairly quickly; from limb-breaking, blood spewing, flesh-possessing carnage, there's enough here to quench gorehounds, but it's also worth noting there's enough substance to keep more demanding viewers engaged beside the bloodletting.
It may not be as scary as it intends to be, but 'May the Devil Take You' has an intensity typical of an Indonesian film, and for that alone it's worth a watch.
7/10
It's about a father who makes a pact with something evil in order to lead a prosperous life. But it isn't long before that evil seeks payment in blood and souls. When he slips into a coma, his family go to his old villa where unspeakable evil is patiently waiting... The story might not be its strong suit, but it does have a focus on character before the terror strikes.
And when it strikes, it hits hard. Fans of Tjahjanto know he has a flair for staging gruesome scenes, so it's no surprise this gets bloody fairly quickly; from limb-breaking, blood spewing, flesh-possessing carnage, there's enough here to quench gorehounds, but it's also worth noting there's enough substance to keep more demanding viewers engaged beside the bloodletting.
It may not be as scary as it intends to be, but 'May the Devil Take You' has an intensity typical of an Indonesian film, and for that alone it's worth a watch.
7/10