I recently watched Kang Mak, the Indonesian remake of the Thai horror-comedy Pee Mak, and while it had some good moments, it didn’t quite live up to the original. As someone who loved Pee Mak mainly for the comedy, I went into this remake hoping for the same experience, but I found myself feeling a bit underwhelmed.
Comedy vs. Horror:
One of the things that made Pee Mak so fun to watch was how naturally the comedy flowed. In Kang Mak, the humor felt a little forced at times. The jokes were there, but they didn’t land as smoothly, and some moments felt unnecessary. It’s like they were trying too hard to replicate the charm of the original, but the magic wasn’t quite there. Don’t get me wrong, there were still funny moments, but the comedy didn’t hit the same highs.
As for the horror, like the original, it wasn’t all that scary, but that’s okay because I wasn’t really watching it for the horror. The balance between the two genres was decent, but the scares felt like more of an afterthought. There’s something funny about being scared when you know it’s not serious, but this time the horror didn’t play a big role in the overall tone.
Cultural Localization:
What struck me the most was the lack of originality when it came to localizing the story. I understand that this is a remake, but it almost felt like a frame-by-frame copy of Pee Mak without much effort to adapt it to Indonesian culture. The riverside village setting, which was so iconic in the Thai version, doesn’t quite fit as seamlessly in the Indonesian context. I’m sure Indonesia has rural areas by rivers, but it just didn’t feel as natural here. The film missed an opportunity to add more local flavor, and that’s a shame because it could have made the remake stand out more.
Emotional Depth:
Despite its shortcomings, Kang Mak did surprise me emotionally. I wasn’t expecting to cry, but I did. There were some really touching moments that hit hard, especially the themes of love and friendship. Those were the moments that stood out to me the most. The film had a lot of heart, and that’s something I didn’t expect from a horror-comedy. It added an extra layer that I really appreciated, even if the comedy didn’t always land.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I’d give Kang Mak a 6/10. It wasn’t as fun as Pee Mak, and some of the comedy felt a little forced. The cultural adaptation could have been handled better, too. But I can’t deny that there were moments that tugged at my heartstrings and made me go “awww.” For what it’s worth, it’s still an enjoyable watch, especially if you’re a fan of the original, but it just doesn’t capture the same effortless charm or fun.
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