Netflixable? Demented Indonesian Bloodbath — “Para Betina Pengikut Iblis”

A demon makes mischief in an Indonesian village and the result is a bloodbath, with feuding locals under that demon’s influence and a little cannibalism thrown in for um, flavor.

That’s “Para Betina Pengikut Iblis,” whose title appears to translate to “Devil’s Disciples” in English, if Google is to be believed.

Say this for Rako Prijanto’s demented slaughterhouse of a movie. It’s out there.

Mawar Eva de Johgh stars as Sumi, a downtrodden daughter of a sickly, sole-breadwinner father (Derry Oktami). When that infected leg of his has to come off, Sumi is unduly interested in assisting the Catholic Dr. Freedman (Hans de Kraker).

She’s also fascinating by goat gutting that’s going on at the home of the richest boss of their village. But no, he won’t “lend” her a goat to butcher and sell in her father’s gulai stall. Whatever her cooking skills, boss Mimin (Agus Mahesa) more lecherous things on his mind.

She’s missed her window to flee this place with boyfriend Saber (Ravil Prasetya). So she’ll probably never get to the city to look for her mother and brother, who fled years before.

Trapped with a one-legged man who is sure their family/house is cursed and insists she bury his sawn-off leg, unable to feed him with no money coming in, Sumi is in despair and ripe for believing in hallucinations.

A pale demon (Adipati Dolken) appears, with long fingernails and answers. “The only way out of your troubles,” he assures her (in Indonesian, with subtitles), is to listen to her new “friend.”

Let’s start with “Feed your father his LEG,” and let the carnage begin.

But she’s not the only one with the Devil in her ear. Witchy Aish (Sara Fajira) and just-lost-her-sister-and-furious Sari (Hanggini) also seem to have blood in their eyes and demonic intent. And considering the recent deaths, they may have other rivals.

Saber realizes, too late, that “too many strange things happen in this village.” They can’t escape what’s coming.

Ms. de Jongh works up a fine lather as a bitter, bloody-minded young woman who doesn’t take much of a push to turn cannibal, grave-robber and murderer. Hanggini and Fajira are similarly convincingly demented.

The slaughter scenes are as bloody as I’ve ever seen in an Indonesian film — not “House of a Thousand Corpses” gory, but gruesome enough.

The simple plot takes some ugly, semi-interesting third act turns, which explain the high bodycount and perhaps this village’s eagerness to listen to demons.

It’s not really my genre, not a thrill-a-minute thriller, and there’s a disappointing “To Be Continued” finale, just when things have turned towards inescapably dire.

But for those who like their blood rare and their red meat flesh, this dance with the “Iblis” might fill the bill.

Rating: TV-MA, graphic violence, lots of blood and body parts.

Cast: Adipati Dolken, Mawar Eva de Jongh, Hanggini, Hans de Kraker,
Sara Fajira, Ravil Presetya and Derry Oktami.

Credits: Directed by Rako Prijanto, scripted by Anggoro Saronto and Rako Prijanto. A Netflix release.

Running time: 1:30

About Roger Moore

Movie Critic, formerly with McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Orlando Sentinel, published in Spin Magazine, The World and now published here, Orlando Magazine, Autoweek Magazine
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