Soul Reaper, Another Strong Horror Film from Indonesia

It is bad enough being in your own nightmare. Finding yourself trapped in someone else’s is even worse. Teenaged Respati discovers he has the power to travel to the dream dimension to witness other people’s nightmares—and their murders, whether he likes it or not. Unfortunately, he does not enjoy it anymore than the Nightmare Detective from the Japanese horror franchise. However, the new girl at school might have some helpful insight for him in Sidharta Tata’s Soul Reaper, which releases today on VOD.

Ever since the accidental death of his parents, Respati has suffered from vivid nightmares. Often, he witnesses their cruel final moments, but lately, he has also dreamed of murders before (or maybe as) they happened. Consequently, his health has suffered from what his guardian grandfather assumes is insomnia. Much to his shock, his recently transferred classmate Wulan seems to understand when he experiences a waking dream. She also has a capacity to consciously explore the dream realm, but it is much more limited compared to his.

Respati’s best bud Tirta makes an alarming connection between the victims he saw killed in his dreams. They all originally hailed from the same village. Ominously, it is the same village that was home to his grandfather for twenty years. According to legend, the villagers had elevated psychic receptivity thanks to the local flora. They also a had a murderous witch, until the villagers turned against her.

Soul Reaper follows in the tradition of Nightmare Detective (and to an extent, Nightmare on Elm Street), because it is the kind of horror movie that derives its terrors from the landscapes of the subconscious and nightmares. In fact, it does so quite successfully. Tata creates an atmosphere of dread that grows steadily heavier as the film progresses.

The young primary trio develop nice rapport together, which goes a long way towards selling the sinister premise. Devano Denandra looks convincingly exhausted and freaked out as the nightmare-plagued Respati, while Keisya Levronka and Mikha Hernan nicely compliment him, with Wulan’s acutely sensitivity and Tirta’s nervous energy. Arguably, their working chemistry ought to appeal to fans of teen supernatural TV shows, like Riverdale.

Soul Reaper is another prime example of why Indonesia is becoming one of the world’s leading exporters of horror movies. Tata shows a facility for mining folk horror subject matter in ways that hold universal appeal. The vibe is creepy and the young cast is strong. Enthusiastically recommended for genre fans, Soul Reaper releases today (6/17) on digital VOD.