DVD Macabre
Innocent friends getting lured into an isolated mansion inhabited by a deranged family guarding a dark, murderous secret is hardly treading new ground, but Macabre was a hit at Fantastic Fest three years ago, and is finally released in the UK courtesy of Scanbox. Written and directed by The Mo Brothers – Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto – and based on their short film Dara (2007), can they unearth anything to help reawaken a weary sub-genre?
Adjie (Ario Bayu) and Astrid (Sigi Wimala) – two newlyweds – and some of their friends decide to have a road trip as a last attempt to reconcile Adjie with his estranged little sister, Ladya (Julie Estelle). The trip is interrupted when they run into Maya (Imelda Therinne), a strange girl who wanders aimlessly into their path, claiming to have been robbed and begging for a ride home.
Thanking them for their kindness, Maya’s mother, Dara (Shareefa Daanish), cooks her guests a delicious banquet, poisoning them, before taking most of the hapless friends ‘downstairs’. Trapped by Dara and a family raised to eliminate unsuspecting passers-by for one detestable reason, the companions must put aside their differences in order to protect themselves and Astrid’s unborn child…
Don’t view Macabre expecting something original. It isn’t. So much so, it probably makes sense to point out its problems first. Inhale… Macabre is, for the most part, implausible. Why this group of friends would agree to offer a lift to a girl who refuses to give specific directions to her house is unforgiving. Why they then agree to meet her mother is ridiculous. Why Astrid insists on placing her head against a door when the slightly-rubbish but super-human Adam is prancing about with a large blade on the other side begs to be punished accordingly. The arrival of her child is dubious, at best, and the arrival of cops on what must be dress-as-you-please-day briefly hampers a film already handicapped with random bouts of overenthusiastic editing and a couple of fist fights that don’t quite hit their target. Sounds rubbish, doesn’t it? Exhale…
With a discernible similarity to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), the Mo Brothers Macabre is easily one of the most entertaining horror films released this year. Stamboel and Tjahjanto have impregnated proceedings with a relentless abundance of slippery, slushy shenanigans – admittedly seen a thousand times before – including a knife through the door, death by high-heel, a decapitation, a hairpin in the neck, lots of tendon-severing, crossbow-crucifying, chainsaw-churning, flesh-tearing scraps, gunfights, and a final scene which will have you shrieking with joy. Macabre steals the best bits from countless classics and serves them up unashamedly, and the film’s a sheer joy because of it.
As well as delivering in the gore department, the directors are savvy enough to invest enough time in establishing their likeable characters; there are no annoying jocks and blonde bimbos here. In fact, midway through proceedings, Dara utters the line, “A woman’s strength is one that few can imagine,” and the Mo Brothers back this up with a refreshing array of female characters that outthink the men and reap the benefits.
As well as delivering in the gore department, the directors are savvy enough to invest enough time in establishing their likeable characters.
Helped along by strong performances from the cast – particularly feisty Julie Estelle as the intelligent Ladya, but bolstered by the creepy Imelda Therinne as the mugged Maya, pregnant and put-upon Sigi Wimala, and a menacing performance by Shareefa Daanish (one of the most delightfully nasty mothers in the history of horror) – strengthened further with Dendy Subangil’s spasmodic but seducible Eko, Macabre is not as generic as it first seems. Arifin Putra’s character, Adam, borders on cartoonish; his supernatural strength would be forgivable if he was built like Michael Myers (he isn’t), so when the diminutive degenerate starts throwing his weight around, it’s all pretty preposterous, while other characters that grace us with their presence are mere fodder.
Some of which, the dim-witted police, have already been touched upon. At first their arrival is mystifying, but all will be quickly forgotten as an intriguing story is taken to another level; their clumsy arrival the trigger for a frenetic thrill-ride of blood-soaked pandemonium that will please both newcomers and seasoned horror buffs alike, merely because, at the end of the day, it delivers a truly satisfying evening in front of the gogglebox. Dara showing daughter Maya how to use a crossbow is one of the standout scenes, but with an atmospheric setting and a wonderfully creepy mansion to explore, the Mo Brothers have spoilt us with numerous nasty moments that are bound to test the tolerance of many who decide to watch it.
At times, oddly framed, if you wanted to pick faults with their debut, you could have a field day – it’s an easier target than Eko calling out to his killer in the woods. But why pick holes when Dara can do it for you with a chainsaw, hair fastener or crossbow? Regardless of any defects, this is a highly polished shocker, and if there’s any justice, it should allow its directors to go on to bigger and nastier things, if that’s at all possible – it’s hard to recall a movie with so much of the red stuff. Last but not least, there are some decent twists here, so nobody is safe, and the musical score, at one point, is so over-egged, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear. But you won’t be the only one.
Macabre is implausible, imitative and mightily impressive. Yes, you’ve seen most of it before, but never all at once; a relentless tour de force that will leave you exhausted and utterly elated. A predictable pleasure, this could be the most fun you have all year. Prepare the tools…
world cinema reviews, click here, and remember to join the discussion with fellow fans on our facebook page.
By Daryl Wing
Daryl Wing often struggles with a day job he has no
interest in, a degree in writing for film and…
Recent World Cinema Reviews
Martha. The debut feature from hotly tipped
Mexican director Marcelino Islas Hernández…
Drunken Master. Drunken Master was screened as part of Derby QUADR…
What Richard Did. Lenny Abrahamson’s latest effort is a…
Three Colours Blue. Three Colours Blue is the first film in…
The Saragossa Manuscript. Considered by many to be Wojciech…
Leave a Comment
No comments yet
