Dukun (2018) Reviews

• True Mona Fandey Witchcraft Remake

  countessdaniellevondelus2011-10-17

  This movie explores story about Malaysian black magic practicing. Dukun is a 2007 Malaysian horror film. The film is loosely based on the true story of the murder of a Malaysian politician, Datuk Mazlan Idris, by Mona Fandey, a once mildly popular Malaysian singer in 1993. The film was originally slated to be released in December 2006 but as of today there were doubts as to whether the film will ever be released for public screening due to the controversial nature of the film. The word dukun is a Malay word meaning "witch doctor" or "shaman". Another term for this word is bomoh. In 1993, Datuk Mazlan Idris, who was also a parliamentary assemblyman at that time, had apparently sought the services of Mona Fandey, her husband Affandi, and another helper Juraimi, to help him boost his political career. Mona Fandey and her partners claim to possess supernatural powers as bomohs. The assemblyman had apparently brought a substantial amount of money for this service and ritual. During their appointment Mazlan was murdered. His decapitated and dismembered body was found nearby Mona Fandey's residence. Mona and her accomplices were arrested and a highly publicized and sensational trial for Mazlan's murder ensued in 1994. They would eventually be convicted of murder and sentenced to death. They were hanged in 2001 in Kajang Prison. It was believed that Mona Fandey had uttered the words "aku takkan mati" ("I will never die") with her infamous grin just before her execution. The phrase also became the tagline for this film. The film plot is loosely based on the true events above. In the film, the murderer and main character is Diana Dahlan, played by Umie Aida. The victim was Datuk Jefri played by Adlin Aman Ramlie. The film is narrated by Diana's lawyer, Karim, played by Faizal Hussein. The family of Mona Fandey have voiced their dissatisfaction over the content and basis of the movie after announcement of the film release. The producers have since then denied that the film is wholly based on the true events, but that it was merely inspired by those events. Overall, I would definitely recommend this movie to the indie horror fans out there. Dukun is 100% disturbing, blood-lusty and satanic. Enjoy!

• Surprisingly good

  lazarus_grd2018-04-07

  Coming from a country where anything branded unislamic is banned ( as this movie was for 11 years) I was pleasantly surprised when I found the acting and directing extremely good . The plot has a few loopholes and unexplained characters but overall the loosely based storyline and acting held the movie together.

• Does Dukun Receive a Welcome Invitation after 12 Years of Hiatus?

  tomholland20162018-04-13

  After a long wait, 12 years to be exact, Dain Said's first feature movie "Dukun" is finally showing in Malaysian cinemas. "Dukun" centers on Karim (Faizal Hussein), a lawyer who is in a desperate search for his lost daughter who went missing after an argument. While searching, he is assigned to defend an alleged murderer, the seductive yet sinister Diana Dahlan (Umie Aida), in court. As the two meet to discuss about Diana's trial, she reveals that she practices black magic and offers a deal to help search for Karim's daughter using illegal mystical methods. Umie Aida, who plays the titular role of "Dukun", which means shaman, stole the show completely with her outstanding performance. She perfectly balances Diana's bipolar characteristics, switching from being seductive to lure her victims, to showing her evil possessed-like manner when she holds her ritual. Every scene involving Umie Aida is fun to watch because of her character's unexpected personality. Not forgetting Faizal Hussein who also did a great job in portraying two different personas, one as a desperate father seeking for help to find his daughter, the other as a confident lawyer who shows no mercy when in the middle of a court battle. It is easy to sympathise with his character, knowing that his confident pose is just a façade hiding his despair. Knowing that "Dukun" is essentially a 2006 movie, one must praise Dain Said's efforts in creating something different for the local movie industry, by making a movie with such a challenging concept that not only has an excellent social commentary but also separates itself from the typical Malaysian genre, which is primarily comedy and horror. He also purposely tells "Dukun" in a non-linear way, keeping the audiences on their toes so that they do not miss out on any important details. The director successfully captured the underground world of black magic and portrayed it in a form that is easy to understand and accessible to the audience. Overall, "Dukun" is worth -to-not-worth the 12-year wait solely for Umie Aida's fantastic performance. Even if some dialogues seem outdated at times, you can't really blame the movie because it was made more than a decade ago. But with all the troubles "Dukun" faced, this is one movie that is sure to become the talk of Malaysians for years to come, whether it is about the movie itself or the making of it.

• Underrated horror gem

  blackzinnanthemum2018-04-10

  One of the few horror flicks that have come out of Malaysia I can say I actually enjoyed. Though the movie feels a little choppy and disjointed at first, everything eventually fleshens out to an eerie, unforgettable finale. The film has a distinct David Lynch feel throughout, especially in the scenes involving Diana Dahlan's nightclub which just screams of Twin Peaks and the Black Lodge. It also has the awkward, unintentionally comedic dialogue that has become central to Lynch's style. However, I feel like the director has cut the movie way too short. Many of the characters and elements of the story have been left undeveloped and leaves the viewers with more questions than answers. I know many movies purposely do this to inspire discussion and dread within the audience, but somehow it did not work for me in this particular movie. Overall, a firm 8/10 with strong leads from Umie Aida, Faizal Hussein, Ramli Hassan and Elyana.

• Entertaining!

  revolutionatic2018-04-17

  I was pleasantly surprised that this movie was not bad. It was a fun and entertaining movie. I could not recall any jump scares but the show kept me interested due to its creep factor and mysterious plot. The story is nothing ground-breaking but it was coherent. I understood what was going on throughout the movie. As cheap entertainment, it did its job. The movie is not truly a horror movie in my opinion. It is more of a court room drama and a crime mystery with demons added on. I would liken it to the Exorcism of Emily Rose. Although horror does play a major part, it did not feel important. If the movie had kept the paranormal element vague and open-ended, I think the movie would have fared better. As for the acting, the main character did a great job and her performance was utterly stellar. So, if anyone wants to give this movie a try, I would recommend it if you have nothing better to do and need a quick movie to spend some time during your leisure. Be that as it may, there are better movies you could watch.