Talbis Iblis reviewed – the horror hit mixes tradition with suspense
Starring Nasha Aziz and Zul Ariffin, among others, the horror film starts off strong before a predictable ending
TALBIS Iblis very literally translates to the deception and traps made by the devil to lead people astray from the path laid out by God.
Released into cinemas last weekend (October 20), Talbis Iblis – which has made RM2 million since – tells the story of a couple, one a heavily pregnant wife, Hajar (Azira Shafinaz), and the other a reluctant husband, Arshad (Amir Nafis).
They drive to a mansion far off in the woods in a swamp-laden area, where they are greeted by a midwife, affectionately called as ‘Mak Ju – Junaidah’ (Nasha Aziz), who has a dark history. She is assisted by the heavily scarred Nasir (Zul Ariffin), who is both her helper and lover.
Arshad, a reckless character, does not want anything to do with the unborn child, even questioning its paternity. We find out that the child was born out of wedlock and that Hajar’s mother has paid off Arshad to marry her daughter.
But all is not as it seems with Junaidah, as an extensive flashback sequence shows her history of trauma and abuse at the hands of her own family.
While there are jump scares, especially towards the end when the metaphysical becomes very much real, most of the scares come from the psychological aspect of the movie. Some of the more disturbing parts of the movie are more grounded in reality.
In terms of details, the movie gets a lot right as it showcased the traditional Malaysian practices such as the rites and ceremonies for pregnant mothers known as ‘melenggang perut’, ‘mandi bunga’. In addition, the outfits, jewellery worn, and embellishments in the mansion were vintage and unique.
The music was appropriately eerie, smoothing the audience’s entry into the story and setting.
The setting itself is reportedly in Pulau Carey, Klang, which looks spectacular. The estate known as Hatter’s Castle has a distinctly British colonial feel to it, with a very symbolic ‘Telaga Putih’ (white well) located just outside of the mansion.
Unfortunately, the ending of the movie was not what I expected. It in fact left dangling plot threads for a sequel to resolve at some point in the future.
The final ten minutes of Talbis Iblis were quite disappointing as (spoilers???) the ghost/devil/spirit looked too alien-like, in fact it looked too ‘Western’, straying away from the traditional folklore that had been its strength.
Outside of that, the cinematography was fantastic, and the script used simple and modern Malay language that made the movie easy and understandable to watch.
The casting was good, I had always been a Nasha Aziz fan since I was in primary school and still find her to be one of the most beautiful creatures that God has ever created, and she has yet to age a day on screen.
Astonishingly for me, Zul Ariffin was more than a pretty boy this time around as his acting was to perfection as a half deformed man that attracts my sympathy, as well his devotion for Nasha’s character over many years.
In the end, Talbis Iblis is a well made movie with an eerie atmosphere and fine performances that is let down by a predictable ending. The weaving of traditional Malaysian folklore with supernatural elements is always an exciting combination with many possibilities that the potential sequel should explore.
source – The Vibes
