Movie Review: Abadi Nan Jaya

Indonesia has been dominating the horror scene for quite some time now, mostly with its signature black magic and supernatural stories. So when I heard that Kimo Stamboel, one of Indonesia’s most consistent horror directors released a zombie movie titled Abadi Nan Jaya, I was instantly intrigued. A zombie flick from Indonesia? Sign me up.

The movie begins in a small village, where a man creates an elixir for eternal youth and decides to test it on himself before releasing it to the public. At first, it seems to work, he looks younger, stronger, and healthier. But as with every “too good to be true” scenario, things go downhill fast. The elixir turns him into a zombie, and soon, the infection spreads to his house helpers, gardeners, drivers, and eventually, the entire village.

Now, the plot itself? Pretty typical for a zombie film. I can forgive that, not every movie needs to reinvent the wheel. But what did frustrate me was the lack of survival instinct from the villagers. I get it, maybe the story wanted to stay true to the setting, a rural area where the concept of “zombies” isn’t common knowledge. Still, when you see people biting each other’s necks, standing still isn’t exactly the best idea.

That said, I have to give major credit where it’s due: the production quality is top-notch. The CGI, makeup, and cinematography are on par with Hollywood zombie films, something I rarely get to say about Southeast Asian productions. It’s visually stunning, the action sequences are tight, and overall, it feels polished and well-executed.

While Abadi Nan Jaya doesn’t break new ground story-wise, it’s a refreshing break from the usual black magic horror we’re used to seeing from Indonesia. It’s fun, gory, and beautifully shot, definitely worth a watch if you’re into zombie flicks.

I’m giving Abadi Nan Jaya a 6/10.