Impetigore Review (2019)

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Impetigore film review
Impetigore is a 2019 Indonesian folk horror film directed by Joko Anwar, and the cast includes Tara Basro, Marissa Anita, Christine Hakim, Asmara Abigail, and Ario Bayu

Maya (Tara Basro) and Dini (Marissa Anita) are two best mates, both working night shifts at separate toll booths, which, let’s be honest, sounds like an absolute shithouse of a job, but they make it work, constantly on the phone, gossiping, keeping each other sane. 

And like all of us, they’ve got a dream, they want to get out of their dead-end jobs and open a clothing boutique, which sounds nice, right? 

Then one night, Maya gets a visitor at her booth, and this visit isn’t your standard “Do you take cash?” type of customer, as this bloke rocks up, looking all intense, starts calling her by the wrong name, asking about some father she’s never met, a village she’s never heard of, and generally acting like the kind of guy you cross the street to avoid. 

And just when you think maybe he’s just a confused old bloke, out comes a golok, and he goes full psycho, trying to kill her while crying about how his village can’t handle “what her family left behind.”  

Now, if that happened to me, I’d take it as a sign to move to another country, change my name, maybe join a cult, but Maya? 

Maya doubles down, and instead of treating it like the traumatic nightmare it is, she thinks maybe there’s something to this inheritance thing. like, yeah, she nearly got butchered, but what if there’s money involved? Priorities.  

Maya then remembers an old photo of a massive house, which is probably worth something, so, they pack their bags and head to this mysterious village, because what could possibly go wrong?  

Now, when they get there, you can tell straight away that this place is fucked, and it’s quiet, way too quiet, and the villagers aren’t openly aggressive, but they’re not exactly rolling out the red carpet either.
They’re just… off, like they’ve got a we don’t like strangers, but we’re also afraid of something worse vibe, but Maya and Dini don't turn back,  they double down, because of course they do.  

Because she’s got more balls than sense, Dini decides to tell the villagers that she is the long-lost daughter of the family who owned the house, and instead of calling bullshit, the locals buy it, and next thing we know, Dini vanishes. 

And this is where shit really kicks off, and I don't want to reveal too much more, as I have probably said too much already, and some things are best left not spoiled, but we have a lot more to the film still.

Impetigore feels and looks incredible, and visually it is superb, as director Joko Anwar (who released Grave Torture in 2024) knows how to make atmospheric cinematic horror, and the way the film plays with lighting, shadows, and eerie silence, is just chef’s kiss.

The whole village looks like it’s been pulled straight out of a ghost story, and you feel that unease creeping up on you the entire time, and the horror is real fear, and you know that sick feeling you get when you realize something is really wrong but you can’t quite put your finger on it yet? 

That’s this whole movie, and it plays out like your typical folk horror film in that sense, so if you want constant jump scares, this isn't the movie for you, but if you're familiar with folk horror, you should know what to expect and what not to, and Joko Anwar doesn't shy away from what he shows on screen.

I really liked the 2 main characters as well, and Maya and Dini do feel and act like actual people too, and they’re not horror movie idiots who make dumb decisions just to move the plot forward, they’re smart, funny, and when shit goes down, they react like normal people would, as we watch them panic, swear, and try to get the hell out. 

The gore effects are pretty impressive as well, and the film delivers everything a practical effects fan could hope for, with every gruesome detail crafted with care, and unlike many modern horror films that rely heavily on CGI, Impetigore keeps its visuals grounded in realism.

It's worth mentioning that the film is a bit of a slow burn with some deliberate slow pacing, which some people might take issue with, but I found it very engaging and never boring, but you do feel some of the set up could have easily had been cut out without any negative impact.

And the 3rd act did not land well with me, and after all the brilliant build up, I found it the weakest element of the film, while not terrible or anything and without spoiling too much, we have a long flashback sequence that within the context of the film, I don't think fit very well.

But, as a big fan of folk horror, Impetigore overall delivered for me, as it’s creepy and haunting, it’s violent without being mindless, and it’s got a unique story and mystery that is really interesting, and its a film I recommend that will leave a bitter aftertaste.

And a little fact that may or may not be an actual fact, but apparently Anwar wrote the film after a nightmare he had, which is a bit disturbing, maybe lay off the dairy, mate?