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Remaking a successful horror film comes with a particular challenge. Audiences who remember the original will inevitably look for something new, while fans of the first film will expect the elements that made it memorable to remain intact.
With Munafik Melawan Iblis, Indonesian director Guntur Soeharjanto largely sticks to the established formula, delivering a version that feels less like a reinvention and more like a cinematic reworking of Syamsul Yusof’s 2016 Malaysian horror film.
The similarities are difficult to miss, from the religious themes and spiritual healing to the disturbing manifestations of possession. While the Indonesian production brings its own visual style and atmosphere to the material, viewers familiar with the original may find that the story offers few surprises.
What distinguishes this version is its presentation. The film leans into a more cinematic style, with carefully composed shots, atmospheric lighting and a polished approach to its horror sequences that gives the familiar story a larger sense of scale.
The question is whether that visual treatment is enough to make the remake worthwhile.
Familiar territory, bigger presentation
The story follows Ustaz Adam (Arya Saloka), a religious healer who retreats from his work after losing his wife in a tragic accident. Struggling with grief and his faith, Adam becomes increasingly withdrawn until Ustaz Anwar (Dimas Aditya) asks for his help with Fitri (Acha Septriasa), a nurse experiencing disturbing supernatural manifestations.
What begins as an attempt to help Fitri gradually develops into a frightening investigation that forces Adam to confront both the presence tormenting her and the unresolved pain within himself.
The premise will be familiar to anyone who has watched the Malaysian original, and the remake does not stray particularly far from its narrative structure. Its central conflicts, religious undertones and approach to possession remain recognisable, making the experience feel more like revisiting an established story than discovering a new one.
However, the Indonesian adaptation gives the material a visual treatment that feels more cinematic. The framing, lighting and use of the surrounding environment help create a sustained sense of unease, while the sound design adds weight to the more disturbing encounters.
The result is a film that often feels visually polished, even when its storytelling follows familiar ground. Rather than radically changing the source material, it relies on presentation to make the experience feel more immersive.
The horror still gets under your skin
The possession sequences remain among the film’s strongest elements, particularly when Fitri’s behaviour becomes increasingly unpredictable. Acha delivers a physically demanding performance, using changes in her expression, posture and voice to convey a disturbing loss of control.
Her performance helps give the supernatural elements their intensity, especially during scenes involving ruqyah, or Islamic spiritual healing. The combination of physical performance, sound and mounting tension creates several genuinely uncomfortable moments without depending entirely on sudden noises and jump scares.
Arya also brings restraint to Adam, portraying him as a man whose professional faith does not necessarily protect him from personal suffering. His grief gives the character an emotional foundation, although the film could have spent more time exploring how his loss affects his relationship with religion.
This remains one of the more interesting aspects of the story because the horror is not simply about identifying and confronting an evil presence. It also involves a man attempting to help others while struggling to find his own way through grief.
Unfortunately, the familiar narrative leaves limited room for these themes to develop beyond what audiences might expect from the original. The film has the ingredients for a more layered exploration of faith and emotional vulnerability, but it often returns to the mechanics of supernatural horror instead.
A polished remake that plays it safe
The film’s biggest limitation is that its cinematic treatment does not always translate into a more compelling story. While the visuals and atmosphere help elevate the experience, the narrative offers relatively little that feels genuinely different from the original.
As the mystery unfolds, additional revelations aim to sustain the suspense, but the familiar storytelling can make some developments feel predictable. The film also occasionally prioritises dramatic scares over the quieter character moments that could have given its central conflict greater emotional depth.
That does not mean the remake lacks entertainment value. Horror fans who enjoy possession stories and religious themes will find plenty to appreciate, particularly in its unsettling sequences and Acha’s committed performance. Those who are less familiar with the original may also find it an effective supernatural thriller in its own right.
For viewers who know the Malaysian film well, however, the experience is likely to be less about discovering a different interpretation and more about seeing a familiar story presented through a different cinematic lens.
Munafik Melawan Iblis succeeds most when it uses its visual polish and sound design to intensify the horror but it is less persuasive as a remake that offers a fresh perspective on the material. It looks and feels cinematic, yet its close adherence to the original ultimately limits how much it can distinguish itself.
The result is a competent and atmospheric horror film that delivers its scares, even if it rarely gives the story a reason to be told again.
Director: Guntur Soeharjanto
Cast: Arya Saloka, Acha Septriasa, Dimas Aditya, Muhammad Faqih Alaydrus, Donny Damara
E-value: 6/10
Plot: 5/10
Acting: 6/10
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