Movie Review: Kitab Sijjin & Illiyyin

Kitab Sijjin & Illiyyin is the sequel to the 2023 remake of the Turkish horror film Siccin. Unlike its predecessor, this installment is not a remake of the original franchise. It follows Yuli, a kind-hearted woman who, after years of abuse and betrayal by Ambar’s family, seeks revenge through black magic. Guided by a shaman, she must insert the names of her targets into a freshly corpse within a week or face terrifying consequences if she fails.

Honestly, this is one of the better Indonesian horror movies I’ve seen this year, definitely a step up from last week’s Labinak. The movie doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table, though. And while the old saying goes, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” I don’t think that’s a formula Indonesian horror should cling to. For a country that has produced some of the most iconic horror films, sticking to predictable beats feels a bit uninspired.

That said, the goriness works, the jumpscares are effective, and the plot flows smoothly. The downside is that I found myself anticipating nearly every scare, which made the experience less thrilling. Still, the storyline is easy to follow, and it raises some interesting questions. Who’s really the bad guy here? Was everything that happened justified? In some ways, yes, but also no. At its core, this is a story about the fragility of human faith. When consumed by hate and revenge, the cycle never ends, and that’s a reminder of why it’s important not to act when you’re upset, but instead take space and avoid doing something you’ll regret.

Overall, Kitab Sijjin & Illiyyin is a solid watch, far from groundbreaking but well executed compared to many recent Indonesian horror films. I’m giving this one a 6/10.