(Seru: definition Malay - to cry out, to call out. In the context of Malay lore, it is to call out to spirits a practice normally undertaken by bomohs, or shamans.)
Its been a long while since I've been excited and enthusiastic about a Malaysian movie, especially a horror movie. To date, the horror scene in Malaysia have been hackneyed, copied, and repeated again and again until the parody has become a parody in itself. Not to mention its quite crap and uncreative. Until the emergence of this successful Blair Witch Project meets Rec meets Malaysian lore. And it works. It bloody hell works.
The Skinny: Film crew of a horror movie production in a remote jungle village gets relentless attacked by malevolent spirits, in the form of demonically possessed female production crew. One by one they are hunted down and brutally murdered.
The Helmer: Mohd Pierre Andre - Seru (2011), Be Silent (2009), I'm Not Single (2008), 9 September (2007).
The Helmer2: Woo Ming Jin - Seru (2011), The Tiger Factory (2010), 15Malaysia (documentary) (2008), Days of the Turquoise Sky (TV movie) (2008), Blue Roof (short) (2007), The Elephant and the Sea (2007), Salon (2005), Its Possible Your Heart Cannot be Broken (short) (2005), Monday Morning Glory (2005), Love for Dogs (short) (2004).
The Scribers: Mohd Pierre Andre and Woo Ming Jin.
The Casts: Sharnaaz, Nisha Dir, Cut Mutia, Mohd Pierre Andre, Awal Ashari, Nora Danish, Azan Hassan, Kat.
Release Date: 28th April 2011
The Verdict: An excellent and effective documentary style horror movie which takes smart lessons from existing horror movies. What comes to mind is of course the hand-held video camera low cost horror movie Blair Witch Project and the Spanish zombie handy-cam horror Rec. Both were referred to, but Seru does one up, by intelligently making use of the plot and storyline to its advantage, essentially pitting camera crew, with their access to video cameras and lighting, against demonically-possessed crew hands. What is striking about the movie is its excessive use of violence and the subsequent gore that comes from the violence. Its also clever by including a plot device which emerges unexpectedly later in the movie. Its refreshing and encouraging to see young writers and directors take on hollywood style film-making and come out scratch-free. I liked this movie alot. This works for me.
Trailer
Its been a long while since I've been excited and enthusiastic about a Malaysian movie, especially a horror movie. To date, the horror scene in Malaysia have been hackneyed, copied, and repeated again and again until the parody has become a parody in itself. Not to mention its quite crap and uncreative. Until the emergence of this successful Blair Witch Project meets Rec meets Malaysian lore. And it works. It bloody hell works.
The Skinny: Film crew of a horror movie production in a remote jungle village gets relentless attacked by malevolent spirits, in the form of demonically possessed female production crew. One by one they are hunted down and brutally murdered.
The Helmer: Mohd Pierre Andre - Seru (2011), Be Silent (2009), I'm Not Single (2008), 9 September (2007).
The Helmer2: Woo Ming Jin - Seru (2011), The Tiger Factory (2010), 15Malaysia (documentary) (2008), Days of the Turquoise Sky (TV movie) (2008), Blue Roof (short) (2007), The Elephant and the Sea (2007), Salon (2005), Its Possible Your Heart Cannot be Broken (short) (2005), Monday Morning Glory (2005), Love for Dogs (short) (2004).
The Scribers: Mohd Pierre Andre and Woo Ming Jin.
The Casts: Sharnaaz, Nisha Dir, Cut Mutia, Mohd Pierre Andre, Awal Ashari, Nora Danish, Azan Hassan, Kat.
Release Date: 28th April 2011
The Verdict: An excellent and effective documentary style horror movie which takes smart lessons from existing horror movies. What comes to mind is of course the hand-held video camera low cost horror movie Blair Witch Project and the Spanish zombie handy-cam horror Rec. Both were referred to, but Seru does one up, by intelligently making use of the plot and storyline to its advantage, essentially pitting camera crew, with their access to video cameras and lighting, against demonically-possessed crew hands. What is striking about the movie is its excessive use of violence and the subsequent gore that comes from the violence. Its also clever by including a plot device which emerges unexpectedly later in the movie. Its refreshing and encouraging to see young writers and directors take on hollywood style film-making and come out scratch-free. I liked this movie alot. This works for me.
Trailer
