Hi5teria
| 2012 | 1h 34m
Genre: Horror/Mystery | Country: Indonesia
Directors & Writers: Adrianto Dewo, Chairun Nissa, Billy Christian,
Nicholas Yudifar, Harvan Agustriansyah
Cast: Tara Basro, Luna Maya, Imelda Therinne, etc.
IMDb: 5.9
My Rating: 7/10
Five
directors collaborate to create five different horror stories, each presenting
unique elements, Indonesian myths, and legends that are closely connected to
everyday life.
Warning:
Contains strobe effects, violence, and strong language.
Synopsis of Hi5teria
Hi5teria
consists of five separate horror stories, each directed by a different
filmmaker. Although the stories are not connected, they share a common theme:
exploring supernatural fears rooted in Indonesian culture.
Story 1: Pasar Setan (Devil’s Market) — 8/10
Sari
(Tara Basro) gets separated from her boyfriend, Jaka, while exploring a forest.
She continues searching for him until she arrives at a mysterious place known
as the Devil’s Market. After entering the strange location, she suddenly wakes
up somewhere completely different.
Meanwhile,
Zul (Dion Wiyoko), who is hiking with two friends, becomes separated from his
group. While searching for them, he encounters Sari and decides to help her
find Jaka.
When
they get close to the Devil’s Market, Zul feels strangely drawn to enter,
despite Sari’s warning. Eventually, they become separated.
Will
they be able to find their way home?
Story
2: Wajang Koelit (Shadow Puppet) — 7/10
Nichole
(Maya Otos), a tourist interested in Indonesian culture, watches a traditional
shadow puppet performance accompanied by Oding (Totos Rasiti), the local guide.
Her curiosity leads her to approach Muni, one of the singers performing at the
show.
However,
Muni’s behavior seems unusual. After Nichole accidentally finds Muni’s hair
comb, strange incidents begin to happen. She experiences mysterious
disturbances and even gets injured.
When
Nichole attempts to return the comb to Muni, she discovers a terrifying secret
that puts her in danger.
Who
is Muni really?
Story 3: Kotak Musik (Music Box) — 8/10
Farah
(Luna Maya) is a scientist who does not believe in ghosts. She even writes a
book explaining supernatural phenomena from a scientific perspective.
While
investigating with her colleague Teddy, Farah discovers a mysterious music box
and decides to bring it home.
Soon
after, strange events and terrifying disturbances begin to happen. However,
Farah continues to believe that everything has a logical explanation—until she
encounters the ghost of a child.
Will
Farah finally change her beliefs?
Story
4: Palasik — 6/10
Vita
(Imelda Therinne) is pregnant with her first child. She is married to a widower
who already has a daughter named Novi. Their relationship is complicated
because Novi is not much younger than Vita herself.
The
family travels to a house outside the city so Vita can rest and enjoy a quieter
environment. However, strange disturbances begin to occur when Vita encounters
Palasik, a mythical headless spirit that appears to be targeting her unborn
child.
Despite
the danger, nobody believes Vita’s warnings.
Will
Vita survive the spirit that is hunting her?
Story
5: Loket (Ticket Booth) — 6/10
A
female ticket booth attendant working alone at night begins experiencing
strange events. It starts with an automatic gate that refuses to open, a vision
of herself, and the appearance of a mysterious woman.
Trying
to ignore everything, she continues working as usual. However, the mysterious
woman eventually transforms into a terrifying figure.
The
ticket attendant begins investigating what happened at the location, leading
her toward a frightening truth.
What
really happened there?
Review of Hi5teria
Hi5teria
presents a unique concept by bringing together five horror stories from five
different directors. Each segment introduces different ideas, including
Indonesian mystical legends and supernatural beliefs that are familiar within
local culture.
Unfortunately,
while the concepts are interesting, the execution of several stories still
feels less developed. Many ideas have strong potential but could have been
explored further to make them more memorable.
In
the first story, Pasar Setan, the concept itself is fascinating.
However, viewers do not receive enough details about the mysterious market. The
Devil’s Market only appears briefly, while most of the story focuses on the
characters wandering through the forest trying to escape. Expanding the
depiction of the market could have made the story more impactful.
Despite
this, the story remains engaging. The acting is convincing, the conflict
develops well within the limited runtime, and the cinematography, camera
movement, music, and color composition support the atmosphere effectively.
Unfortunately, Zul’s appearance at the end slightly weakens the overall impact
of the conclusion.
The
second story, Wajang Koelit, has an interesting concept, especially
because it is closely connected to Indonesian culture. However, the horror
elements feel less effective. The performances sometimes feel unnatural, making
it difficult for viewers to connect emotionally with the characters and the
tension being created.
The
third story, Kotak Musik, also has a strong premise. It reflects a
common social perspective: some people refuse to believe in supernatural things
because they rely only on logic and science. Luna Maya delivers a strong
performance, but some supporting actors, especially those portraying ghosts,
feel less convincing. This reduces the intended horror atmosphere. However, the
music successfully strengthens the mood of each scene.
The
fourth story, Palasik, has an intriguing idea but suffers from weaker
execution. Some scenes feel difficult to understand logically, such as Vita
entering a room that she already knows is dangerous. The acting also feels less
memorable. However, the twist ending is interesting and shows that the story
had potential to be developed further.
The
fifth story, Loket, has a similar problem. The concept is promising, but
many details are not explained clearly. Since the story relies heavily on
visual storytelling without dialogue, some scenes become confusing. The
development of the conflict feels weaker, although the plot twist itself is
quite interesting.
Overall,
among the five stories, Pasar Setan stands out as the strongest segment.
Although it does not rely on excessive horror elements, it successfully
delivers its message and creates not only fear but also sadness. All five
stories share a similar style of open endings, leaving viewers with room for
interpretation.
For
horror fans interested in Indonesian myths and local supernatural stories, Hi5teria
is still an entertaining watch that offers a different perspective on horror
storytelling.
Memorable Scene
The
most memorable scene comes from the first story, Pasar Setan, when Sari
realizes that Jaka is present even though they cannot see each other.
The
scene beautifully captures the sadness and emotional connection between the two
characters. The performances successfully portray the feeling of longing and
helplessness, leaving a lasting impression.
Memorable Dialogue
—
Ending
Cliffhanger
Ending
Recommendation
Worth
Watching
(Aluna
Uwie)
Had
been published in Alunauwie.com
"This article was originally written in Indonesian and has been adapted
into English for international readers."
 Review: Five Indonesian Horror Stories Based on Local Legends){kind=link}
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