Hi5teria (2012) Review: Five Indonesian Horror Stories Turn Local Legends Into Unsettling Mysteries

 

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.

What happens when five different directors are given the freedom to tell their own horror stories—and each one brings a different kind of fear?

That is what makes Hi5teria (2012) interesting to me. Instead of giving us one continuous horror story, the film brings together five separate stories directed by five different filmmakers. The stories are not connected to each other, but they share something important: Indonesian supernatural legends and situations that feel close to everyday life.

The first story, Pasar Setan, follows Sari (Tara Basro), who becomes separated from her boyfriend, Jaka, while walking through a forest. She keeps searching for him until she reaches a mysterious place known as the ghost market. After entering the place, she suddenly wakes up somewhere else.

Meanwhile, Zul (Dion Wiyoko) is hiking with two friends but becomes separated from the group. While trying to find them, he meets Sari and decides to help her find Jaka. When they approach the ghost market, Zul seems strangely drawn toward it even though Sari warns him not to go. Eventually, the two are separated.

I gave this story 8/10, and for me, it is the strongest of the five. The idea is interesting, the acting is quite good, and the story manages to create both horror and sadness within a limited amount of time. The music, cinematography, camera movement, and color composition also support the atmosphere well.

My main criticism is that the ghost market itself is not shown in enough detail. The place appears only briefly, while more of the story focuses on the characters wandering around and trying to find a way out of the mountain. I think the film could have made the story more memorable if the ghost market had been explored visually in greater depth.

The ending also feels less satisfying to me because of the appearance of Zul at the end. It changes the feeling of the story without giving me a conclusion that feels completely satisfying.

The second story, Wajang Koelit, follows Nichole (Maya Otos), a tourist who is interested in Indonesian culture. She watches a wayang kulit performance with Oding (Totos Rasiti), her guide, and becomes curious about Muni, one of the performers. Nichole tries to interview Muni, but something about her behavior feels suspicious.

When Nichole accidentally finds Muni's hairpin, strange things begin happening to her, even leaving her physically injured. When she tries to return the hairpin, she discovers a horrifying secret that puts her in danger.

I gave this story 7/10. I actually like the idea because it is closely connected to Indonesian culture. Unfortunately, the horror itself does not feel strong enough to me. Some of the acting is slightly stiff and unnatural, making it harder for me to feel the emotions the scenes are trying to create.

The third story, Kotak Musik, follows Farah (Luna Maya), a scientist who does not believe in ghosts. She has even published a book explaining the existence of ghosts from a scientific perspective. While investigating a mysterious case with her colleague Teddy, she finds a strange music box and takes it home.

Soon, strange events and frightening experiences begin happening to her. Farah continues convincing herself that everything is simply a shadow or an illusion—until she finally sees the ghost of a child.

I gave this story 8/10 because I find the basic idea quite relatable. There are certainly people who do not believe in ghosts or supernatural phenomena, and the film takes that skepticism as its starting point.

Luna Maya's performance is also a strong point for me. However, some supporting performances feel stiff, especially the actors portraying the ghosts. Because of that, the horror does not always feel as frightening as it should. The music, on the other hand, is used well and helps support the atmosphere.

The fourth story, Palasik, follows Vita (Imelda Therinne), a pregnant woman expecting her first child. She is married to a widower whose daughter, Novi, is not much younger than Vita, making their relationship somewhat complicated.

The family takes a vacation to a house outside the city, where Vita is supposed to rest and enjoy the better air. But she soon begins experiencing disturbances from a Palasik, a supernatural creature depicted as a floating head without a body that is after her unborn child.

The problem is that nobody believes the danger Vita is experiencing.

I gave this story 6/10. The concept is interesting, but I feel the execution could have been much stronger. The acting is fairly ordinary, and several parts of the story do not make much sense to me.

For example, Vita already knows that the house is dangerous, yet she still decides to enter a room that she has previously been warned about. That decision feels difficult to understand.

Still, I think the twist ending is interesting. This story clearly had potential and could have been developed much better.

The fifth story, Loket, follows a woman working alone at a ticket booth during the night. Strange things begin happening around her. The automatic gate refuses to open, she seems to see another version of herself, and a mysterious woman suddenly appears.

The ticket booth attendant tries to ignore everything and continue working as usual, but the mysterious woman eventually becomes something far more frightening. She begins investigating what is happening and discovers a disturbing truth about the place.

I also gave this story 6/10. Like the previous one, I think the basic idea is interesting, but the execution is not as strong as it could be. Because the story is presented without dialogue, some scenes are difficult to understand, especially when the film is trying to communicate its message.

The storytelling could have been built more clearly, although I do think the twist is interesting. The acting is also fairly ordinary.

What I find interesting about Hi5teria as a whole is the decision to let five directors create five separate horror stories within one film. Even though they all use horror as their foundation, their styles are noticeably different.

Some are more focused on atmosphere. Others depend more on mystery or supernatural legends. I actually enjoy being able to compare them because each story offers something different.

At the same time, that also makes the weaknesses easier to notice.

For me, the first story is the strongest in terms of execution. It does not rely heavily on sudden scares, but the message and emotional atmosphere come through quite clearly. I also appreciate that the horror is accompanied by sadness, which gives the story another layer beyond simply frightening the audience.

The other stories are interesting in their own ways, but several could have benefited from stronger execution and deeper development. Most of them also end in a similarly open-ended way, which may leave some viewers wanting more explanation.

One scene that stayed with me comes from the first story, when Sari realizes that Jaka is there even though the two of them cannot actually see each other.

I find the scene quite sad because both characters are aware of each other, yet they cannot properly reach one another. Their expressions and performances communicate the sadness effectively, and for me, it is one of the moments where the horror becomes emotional rather than simply frightening.

That scene also shows something I appreciate about anthology horror: sometimes a short story does not need to explain everything to leave an emotional impression.

Overall, I think Hi5teria (2012) is still an interesting horror anthology, especially for viewers who enjoy Indonesian supernatural legends and different approaches to horror. Not every segment is equally strong, and several stories could have been developed further, but the concept of bringing five directors together is still interesting.

For me, the film is most successful when the horror is not only about a ghost appearing, but also about the emotions connected to the characters' situations.

Perhaps that is what stayed with me after watching all five stories: when a story leaves some things unexplained, do we remember it because it was incomplete—or because our minds continue creating the ending long after the film has finished?

(Aluna Uwie)

Previously published on Alunauwie.com.

"This article was originally written in Indonesian and has been adapted into English for international readers."