Movie Review: Kuyank
Kuyank Review: Mid Storyline, Zero Scares, But Interesting Cultural Lore
Let’s just cut straight to the point: this movie simply didn't do it for me.
When it comes to Indonesian horror, we’ve gotten some absolute masterpieces in recent years, so my expectations are always reasonably high. But Kuyank completely missed the mark as a scary movie.
The story was mid at best, and the main motivation driving the plot felt completely pointless. I mean, why on earth would you willingly practice dark magic or agree to transform into a floating head with dangling organs, a penanggalan / kuyang just to win your husband back?! You really chose to become a terrifying, blood-drinking night monster for that?! The logic just wasn't logicing.
Movie Overview (Without Spoilers)
Directed by Johansyah Jumberan and set in the swampy river villages of Kalimantan, Kuyank (2026) explores the tragic origin lore behind the legendary Banjar folklore.
The story follows Badri (Rio Dewanto) and his wife, Rusmiati (Putri Intan Kasela). Driven by desperation and fear of losing her husband's love to someone else, Rusmiati makes a dark pact and practices the taboo black magic of Kuyank. By night, her head detaches from her body, trailing her internal organs as she hunts. When her horrifying secret is eventually uncovered by the villagers, Badri is forced to choose between defending the woman he loves or giving in to the enraged local community.
Where Is the Horror? (Family Drama > Ghost Sightings)
If you're buying a ticket or turning on a movie titled Kuyank, you expect a heavy dose of creature-feature terror, night-time hunts, and relentless suspense.
Unfortunately, the actual horror in this film was almost non-existent. You could literally count the number of times the ghost/kuyang actually appears on screen with just one hand.
Instead of building claustrophobic dread, the vast majority of this movie was just bloated with family drama that I honestly didn't really care for at all. It drags out the pacing so much that by the time any supernatural elements kick in, you've already lost interest.
The One Silver Lining: Banjar Culture & Underwater Graves
If I have to give credit where credit is due, I do appreciate how the movie showcases the unique culture and people of Banjar.
It was genuinely fascinating to learn something new from the film specifically seeing their traditional underwater graves (pemakaman bawah air) portrayed on screen. Discovering those unique cultural practices and local customs was easily the most interesting part of the entire runtime.
Is It Worth Watching?
Unless you are a die-hard completionist of Southeast Asian folklore movies, 2026's Kuyank is a skip. It trades genuine scares for uninspired melodrama, leaving us with a creature feature that forgets to be scary.
RATING 2/10: A weak, drama-heavy horror film with baffling character motivations and virtually no scares, saved only by its interesting showcase of traditional Banjar culture.
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