Community Rating
Satan's Servant
Compatibility with Children
- Horror and violent content: This Film contains creepy scenes such as ghost sightings, undead, poltergeist, and tragic deaths (for example, Hendra was hit by a truck, grandma fell into a well, Ustaz was stabbed). Scenes such as Ian being pulled by Grandma's spirit into a well or a possessed Bondi can trigger excessive fear or trauma in the child, who is not yet able to fully distinguish fiction and reality.
- Heavy Theme: Stories about Satanic cults, child sacrifice and covenants with the devil have a complex and dark psychological charge. This theme is difficult for the child to understand and can generate confusion or anxiety, especially because it involves family issues and betrayals (for example, parental involvement with a sect).
- Nudity and language: Although not explicit, there are emotionally stressful scenes, such as Mawarni in a weak condition in bed or creepy apparitions. The language in the film is relatively safe, but dialogues about cults and rituals may not be appropriate for a child.
- Psychological Impact: 11-year-olds, who are usually still in the emotional development stage, are vulnerable to the negative impact of horror content. Research shows exposure to scary content can cause nightmares, anxiety, or excessive fear in children. In addition, the characters Ian (7 years old) and Bondi (10 years old) who face terror head-on can make children their age feel connected and more scared.
- Guide for parentsTip: If the child wants to watch, parents should accompany and explain that this is fiction. However, it is safer to choose light horror films with a rating of 13+ or more child-friendly content, such as animation with adventure elements (for example, Coco or Coraline, although it still needs supervision). The alternative, Servant Of Satan 2: Communion it has a 13+ rating in Indonesia, but it still contains intense terror that may not be suitable for an 11-year-old without strict accompaniment.
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Full Synopsis Of Pengabdi Setan (2017)
Setting and beginning of the story
Film Satan's Servant (2017), directed by Joko Anwar, is set in 1981 on the outskirts of Jakarta. The story focuses on the Suwono family who live in an old house owned by their grandmother, Rahma Saidah (Elly D. Luthan). The family consists of Bahri Suwono (Bront Palarae), his wife Mawarni Suwono (Ayu Laksmi), and their four children: Rini (Tara Basro, 22 years old), Tony (Endy Arfian, 16 years old), Bondi (Nasar Anuz, 10 years old), and Ian (Muhammad Adhiyat,6 years old, mute). The family is facing a financial crisis due to a mysterious illness suffered by Mawarni, a famous former singer, for three and a half years. Mawarni can only be bedridden, using Bells to call family when in need of help. To pay for treatment, they were forced to sell their house in the city and move to their grandmother's house in the village, but their savings were still exhausted.
The death of Mawarni and the beginning of terror
Mawarni's condition worsened, and she eventually died without the exact cause of her illness being known. After her death, Bahri decides to go to the city to find a job, leaving Rini as the eldest child to take care of her younger siblings and grandmother. Shortly after the funeral, mystical events begin to haunt the family. Rini and her sisters often see a mysterious figure resembling Mawarni at home. Bondi, traumatized, discovers grandma's drowned body in a well behind the House, compounding the tense atmosphere. Ian, the youngest of the mute children, also begins to be haunted by the spirit of the grandmother, who is seen trying to approach him through a game of hide and seek.
The Mystery Of The Devil's Servant Sect
Rini finds a letter from grandma addressed to Budiman Syailendra (Egi Fedly), an acquaintance of grandma. Together with Hendra (Dimas Aditya), the son of a local Ustaz (Arswendi Nasution), Rini visits Budiman in an apartment. Budiman revealed that Grandma did not approve of Bahri and Mawarni's marriage because Mawarni, an artist, was considered unable to have children. To obtain offspring, Mawarni allegedly joined a satanic cult that made a Dark Pact: her last child would be taken by the sect when she was 7 years old. Ian, who is about to turn 7, becomes the target of the sect. At first, Rini is skeptical of this story, but Tony finds a magazine with an article about the Satanic devotee sect, which reinforces the suspicion that their mother is involved.
Escalation Of Terror
The terror is getting intense. Bondi, visibly possessed after grandma's death, tries to harm Ian. Their house experiences a poltergeist phenomenon, with objects moving on their own. When Rini is about to confront her father, who has just returned from the city, about her mother's past, Ian is suddenly pulled by Grandma's spirit into the well. Bahri manages to save Ian, but their house is surrounded by a group of demon servants who scatter saga seeds in the yard, creating a tense atmosphere. Rini, Tony, and Bahri are trapped in the stairwell, while Bahri begs forgiveness from his late mother and Mawarni. Bondi, who eventually recovers from the influence of the possessed, helps to save Ian, thwarting the efforts of the grandmother's spirit.
Peak and cover
After the sect attacks subsided, the House regained its calm. Suwono's family plans to move to an apartment to start a new life. However, the car that was supposed to pick them up never arrived. Ustaz came to apologize for not being able to help further and accompanied them to wait while celebrating Ian's 7th birthday at midnight. In the middle of the night, as Rini and Tony discuss Budiman's latest article, Ian suddenly faces a window and speaks in a foreign language, hinting that he may not just be a victim of a cult, but has a darker role-as an incarnation of the devil. The Film ends on an ambiguous note, opening up space for a sequel.
Additional Notes
Satan's Servant (2017) is a reboot of the classic 1980 Indonesian horror film of the same name. The Film was a huge success, watched by more than 4.2 million viewers in Indonesia, becoming the second highest-grossing horror film of all time in Indonesia at the time. The Film also received 7 awards from 13 nominations at the 2017 Indonesian Film Festival, including Best Film and Best Director. With a gripping horror atmosphere, effective jump scares, and alluring mysteries, this film managed to revive the Indonesian horror genre.
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