The makers sure did try all the elements they could find for the plot to make it desperately work, but sadly, too many cooks spoil the broth. Based on Indonesian folklore, the film follows the life of Suzzana, a young woman whose life is shattered after she unfortunately witnesses the brutal murder of her father at the hands of the ruthless village ruler called Bisman. With the help of powerful black magic, Bisman eliminates anyone who dares to oppose him. This leaves Suzzanna with only one purpose: to avenge her father’s death. Consumed by grief and anger, she embarks on a dangerous journey to study and understand black magic herself. As per her, the only way to defeat Bisman is by embracing the same forbidden forces that he has, which have made him powerful and almost invincible. But doing so isn’t as easy as it sounds. Each spell she learns pulls her further into darkness. This transforms not only her powers but also her humanity. If you think that the theme is just revenge that a daughter takes from her father, then you are wrong.
When you analyze the plot closely, you will realize that the makers are trying to tell us that vengeance can, in itself, become a prison, especially when it demands abandoning morality. The plot then moves further to show us her love interest and how that too gets embroiled in the chaos she is in. This throws her into a moral dilemma, one that she finds hard to choose between. The main characters in the film, apart from the leads, also have to be in the background. The makers have tried their best to create and develop an atmosphere of horror. With the help of haunting music playing in the background as well as supernatural effects, the plot looks impressive at first glance.
However, even with all this, full justice has not been given to the overall story of Suzzana: Witchcraft. Sometimes, the plot feels undeveloped and lopsided. Not only this, many scenes lack subtle clarity. It feels as if there is no continuity in what is being shown to us. I wish the makers had focused on having some sort of connection between the scenes. Also, there are so many elements involved that it becomes slightly difficult to grasp what is happening right from the start to the very end.
Another issue I found was with the pacing. The plot is quite slow-paced. Horror or thriller movies require a well-paced plot. That is missing in Suzzana: Witchcraft. And even though this is based on folklore, most of the elements used to make the movie are quite old and stale. It is like we have seen such things before, and yet here we are again, watching the whole thing. I was hoping for some new touch to come, but sadly that doesn’t really come along. So horror and thriller fans, Suzzana: Witchcraft might prove to be slightly disappointing for you. But if you wish to watch it nonetheless for the folklore, then yes, go ahead.
Final Score - [4/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Choudhuri
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times