Curse of the Seven Seas dives headfirst into the supernatural from its very first scene, but unfortunately, it never quite learns how to swim in its own sea of spirits and curses. The film introduces us to Ardi and his family, who seem to have an uncontrollable urge to touch every strange object lying on the road — a trait that quickly gets them entangled in a series of bizarre and dangerous events.
Given the rich backdrop of Indonesian folklore, where curses, spirits, and the supernatural are well-known elements, one might expect the characters to be at least somewhat aware of the dangers surrounding them. However, logic is nowhere to be found as Ardi’s father, Sucipto, repeatedly makes poor choices, including picking up a mysterious object twice, despite clear signs of trouble. Ardi himself, for no apparent reason, finds his "third eye" opening to the spirit world, but instead of adding depth to his character, this sudden development feels random and forced.
The real curse of this film, though, is its over-reliance on poorly executed CGI. Instead of conjuring up fear or tension, the digital monsters are so awkward and cartoonish that they end up more laughable than terrifying. The supposed antagonist — a sea monster or spirit meant to haunt and terrorize the family — looks so absurd that any sense of dread quickly dissolves into disbelief. The creature's design lacks detail and originality, making it impossible for viewers to take it seriously. It’s almost as if the monster wandered in from a children’s cartoon and decided to stay.
Moreover, Curse of the Seven Seas seems to be obsessed with throwing as many spirits and ghostly figures on screen as possible. Almost every scene has some sort of floating figure or shadowy presence, but none of them are fleshed out enough to create real suspense. Instead of focusing on one well-crafted monster to deliver consistent scares, the film bombards us with random spirits — making it feel like a never-ending loop of disconnected hauntings. The movie’s insistence on quantity over quality stretches the audience’s patience, especially as none of these entities are truly memorable or frightening.
Another disappointment is the storyline itself, which meanders without a clear sense of purpose or direction. The characters lack emotional depth and development, making it hard for viewers to care about their fate. Even when the plot tries to be serious, the laughable visuals and illogical decisions by the characters undermine any tension it tries to build.
In the end, Curse of the Seven Seas feels like a missed opportunity — a film that had the potential to explore rich Indonesian folklore but instead got lost in a storm of bad CGI and pointless scares. What could have been a gripping supernatural thriller ends up being a confusing, occasionally funny, but mostly frustrating watch.
Final Score- [5/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Choudhuri
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times