Not gonna lie, what pulled me into Malam Terlarang at first was the trailer. The whole vibe, the way it’s edited, that one 80s style interview line saying,
“That night, our family was disturbed by something and it all started from there.”
You don’t hear stuff like that often in local horror trailers. It felt eerie and nostalgic. I went in expecting a slow burn horror with some emotional weight and that’s pretty much what I got.
Set in 1987 at Kampung Pasir Larung, the story follows Mawar, a girl whose dream of becoming a journalist comes to a halt after her sister Safar dies suddenly. From there, strange things start happening around her as she begins to uncover dark family secrets tied to forbidden rituals. It’s not your usual ghost story. It’s horror mixed with family drama, grief and Nusantara mysticism.
The horror here isn’t loud. It creeps up slowly. No cheap jumpscares every few minutes, just tension that builds naturally. The flashing camera scene and the lights on, lights off moment really stuck with me. Simple setup but done so well that it genuinely made my heart race. You’ll know what I mean when you see it.
Performance wise, the movie is strongest in the second half. Shasha Abedul as Mawar gives a solid performance, fragile but determined. The standout for me though is Zul Ariffin as Omar. Usually he’s the macho type but here he plays a father who’s just tired and lost. You can feel that internal struggle between his ambition as a politician and his duty as a father. It’s one of his better roles for sure. Oh also, welcome back to the horror scene, Sofia Jane. Great acting through and through from the family.
For a directorial debut, Nurhanisham Muhammad (Labu) really flexes his DOP background. The visuals are gorgeous. Less jump cuts, more breathing space and shots that actually feel like the 80s. There’s this texture to the film that makes it look authentic, not like it’s pretending to be retro.
Some might find the pacing too slow to the point it feels draggy, but hey, at least it’s show don’t tell, not tell don’t show. I’d rather have a movie that takes its time than one that overexplains everything.
The third act does get a bit heavy with exposition and might confuse a few viewers, but it still lands emotionally. The story also weaves in real cultural elements like the Puja Pantai ritual which gives it more depth and local grounding.
If I have one small nitpick, it’s the CGI. It didn’t bother me personally, but I can imagine some viewers might find it noticeable in certain scenes. Still, it doesn’t take away from the film’s impact.
With a runtime of 110 minutes, Malam Terlarang is the kind of horror we need more of. It doesn’t rely on noise or shock. It’s built on atmosphere, story and emotion. Horror with heart and heritage.
And yes, I would say this is the best local horror movie of the year. 9/10.
Trigger warning: blood, a bit of gore, flashing lights and a heavily implied sex scene (no nudity).
For viewers who’ve already watched this and want to read more about the rituals mentioned, you can look up Pamakbul and Puja Pantai.
