Movie Review: Maryam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTMGGd9I3pg

So apparently, the internet decided that Maryam is the “scariest Indonesian horror movie ever made.”

That’s what TikTok told me, anyway.

For weeks, my FYP was filled with lifestyle content creators — who have never reviewed a horror movie a day in their lives — warning people not to watch this alone, not to watch it at night, and to mentally prepare themselves. And I was just sitting there like… girl, be serious. Go watch more horror movies. This cannot be the scariest thing you’ve ever seen.

I actually saw the poster for Maryam in cinemas months ago, and it didn’t intrigue me at all. I even watched the trailer and still felt nothing. But when it started going viral, I had a tiny moment of doubt. Did I make a mistake skipping this in theatres?

After watching it on Netflix, I can confidently say: no, I did not.

The movie is painfully predictable and somehow still manages to drag. It takes its time, but not in a tension-building way — more in a “why are we still here?” kind of way. The pacing feels off, and the emotional weight just isn’t there. For a film that allegedly draws inspiration from a true story, it doesn’t feel grounded or disturbing enough to leave any lasting impact.

One thing that really took me out of it was the effects. They looked cartoonish at times, which is the worst thing that can happen in a horror movie. If I’m noticing the CGI instead of feeling fear, we have a problem. There’s no real dread, no atmosphere that lingers, no scene that made me feel genuinely uncomfortable.

And I’m still not entirely sure if the movie properly explains the “why” behind everything. Why was she the chosen one? Why did any of this happen? Maybe they addressed it and I was on the verge of falling asleep — which honestly says enough.

The biggest crime here isn’t that it’s bad. It’s that it’s overhyped. When something is marketed as “the scariest movie ever,” expectations skyrocket. And Maryam simply doesn’t have the substance to back that up.

I’m giving this movie a 1/10 — and that one point is just because I need to put a number there.

Very glad I didn’t spend cinema money on this one.