In 2025, audiences have developed a refined taste for horror movies, with many productions achieving impressive storytelling, innovative scares, and cultural depth. Against this backdrop, poorly executed horror films feel almost unforgivable. “Take Me to Hell,” an Indonesian horror movie, exemplifies this failure.
Despite its suggestive title, which evokes the cult classic “Drag Me to Hell,” the film falters at every level. The writing, acting, direction, and suspense all collapse under its weight. Dissecting its narrative and climax exposes the careless approach to a genre that has reached new heights globally.
The movie begins at the Astri boarding house, introducing Bobby, a resident who appears terrified without a clear explanation. He urges his friend Min to leave, but she refuses, dismissing his fear. Bobby experiences a prophetic nightmare in which he finds his own dead body buried in a banana plantation.
When the vision comes true, the film fails to explain Bobby’s supposed precognitive abilities, leaving the audience confused rather than intrigued. Even without this opening scene, the story would remain largely unchanged, demonstrating the movie’s inability to craft a compelling or coherent beginning.
Lena Arrives, Ghosts Appear, and Dark Secrets Behind the Boarding House Emerge
The narrative then shifts focus to Lena, a student arriving in Malang who plans to stay at the boarding house. Lena’s brother, Benhur or Ben, has already lived there for years, though their sibling bond is underdeveloped and unconvincing. Lena quickly befriends Bobby, Min, and another resident, Rina, as well as Rian, the boarding house owner’s son.
Despite these introductions, character dynamics remain shallow, leaving audiences uninvested. The film attempts to create tension with Bobby’s recurring panic and ghost sightings, but these moments feel disjointed and fail to build a sense of dread.
Take Me to Hell (Hitmaker Studios)Bobby’s warnings about a grotesque ghost with its head exposed and burning eyes are ignored by the boarding house owners, Astri and Wiryo. Soon, Rian falls seriously ill, showing symptoms of infection. Lena and Rina begin to witness the same ghost, confirming its presence, yet Ben remains indifferent.
Rina’s curiosity leads her to confront the ghost in the boarding house’s storage, resulting in her gruesome death. This sequence attempts to echo supernatural thrillers like “Stranger Things,” but the execution is derivative and lacks originality, leaving viewers frustrated rather than scared.
Eventually, the film explains that Astri and Wiryo made a pact with a bodybag devil years ago, producing Rian as part of the deal. The boarding house must always host ten residents; otherwise, Rian becomes sick and the devil demands four human sacrifices to sustain him.
Astri feeds the devil via unwashed dishes, a bizarre mechanism that is never fully justified. The narrative’s convoluted rules feel arbitrary, with long stretches of the film circling around the mystery without providing clarity or tension. This lack of coherent mythology undermines any potential horror impact.
Residents Face Death, Chaos Ensues, and the Devil Confrontation Reaches Its Climax
As the story progresses, residents begin to die or face imminent danger. Bobby attempts to rescue his friends but is swiftly overpowered and killed by the devil. Astri captures the remaining trio, Lena, Ben, and Min, intending to sacrifice them.
The tension briefly rises as the characters navigate the boarding house, seeking escape tools and confronting the antagonist. Unfortunately, these moments are undermined by the film’s inconsistent logic and poorly staged sequences, making suspense more frustrating than frightening.
The climax involves Lena, Ben, and Min confronting Astri and the bodybag devil. Rian heroically sacrifices himself to eliminate the devil, prompting Astri to commit suicide. This resolution is abrupt and relies on convenient character actions rather than clever plotting or organic escalation.
While the protagonists survive, the film’s attempts at suspense and horror feel hollow. The narrative leaves multiple unexplained elements, such as the existence of multiple bodybag ghosts, requiring viewers to suspend disbelief far beyond reasonable limits.
“Take Me to Hell” illustrates how horror cinema has evolved beyond tolerance for poorly executed films. Its derivative scares, incoherent plot, and underdeveloped characters make it a frustrating watch.
The movie attempts to weave premonitions, supernatural pacts, and sacrificial horror into a cohesive story but fails at every turn. For audiences in 2025, where international horror has raised expectations, films like this feel almost blasphemous, as they squander the potential of the genre with careless storytelling and unimaginative execution.
