Ghost in the Cell - Movie Review

The Movie: Ghost in the Cell

The Director: Joko Anwar

The Cast: Abimana Aryasatya, Almanzo Konoralma, Aming Sugandhi, Arswendy Bening Swara, Bront Palarae, Dimas Danang Suryonegoro

The Story: In a notorious prison, an invisible force starts killing inmates brutally, compelling enemy gangs and corrupt guards to work together as they try to survive the mounting bloodshed.

The Rating: 7 / 10

The Review:

Joko Anwar's latest movie is categorized as an action, comedy, horror, thriller and that really defines the director's overall body of work as well. He is a master at blending genres and creating stylized realities that always seem to contain unexpected twists and sudden left turns into various genres. I loved the fact that this movie can go from a comedic dance class straight into a gory, blood-soaked mutilation without missing a beat and with neither feeling out of place. All that being said, I was actually a little surprised at how genuinely funny and comedic this movie is, I was just expecting more of a straight horror movie with bits of humor thrown in.

Anwar also does a great job of exploring the lore behind what is going on without spending too much time digging into the history and details of what and why and how. Horror movies often get lost when they try to explain too much and the director really just says, here's what's happening, here's all the people, and now let's unload buckets of blood all over the prison. And yes, this movie is bloody. The kills are very theatric and creative and some of the coolest I've seen in a horror movie for quite some time. 

If blood and body horror isn't your thing, this movie, or at least parts of it, may not be for you. There are some really graphic scenes where bodies of various victims have been turned into intestinally integrated art installations. The level of creativity in these scenes is off the charts but it's also pretty sick and twisted so keep that in mind. Fans of these types of movies shouldn't be too put off and especially people who are used to the director's wild penchant for stylization when it comes to gore and violence.

One drawback to the story that didn't bother me too much but was still something that stuck with me is that there are just so many characters, it doesn't allow any of them to receive the proper amount of attention and development they might have deserved. There's also not one focused main character, the story trades off here and there between a couple different men in the prison which also wasn't a big deal and it actually kept me wondering who might survive to the end and who might get turned into a splattering of blood and guts.

I was trying to think of other movies I might compare this to but there really isn't anything like it. Parts of it reminded me of the campiness and comedy of Shin'ichirô Ueda's One Cut of the Dead and other parts were more like the darker and creepier types of horror movies that we normally get from Indonesia and Thailand. Overall, it was a really well balanced and unexpectedly entertaining movie and even the one-hour and 45 minutes run time felt just about right.

Thank you as always for reading this review. Genre fans, you're definitely going to enjoy this one for everything it has to offer and honestly, it might be a bit much for someone who is just dipping their toes into these kinds of movies. Still, I would say it's worth giving it a shot. As you know, I'm always a fan of exploring cinema and creating opportunities for all kinds of indie films from all over the world.