Munafik: Melawan Iblis Review: A Remake Next to the Malaysian Original

This Munafik: Melawan Iblis review starts with a simple question: does a remake of a well-known Malaysian horror film still have fresh scares to offer? Director Guntur Soeharjanto moves the story to rural Indonesia and leans on atmosphere more than noise. The result is a decent, uneven spiritual chiller with a few strong ideas.

Munafik: Melawan Iblis Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The film follows Ustadz Adam, a religious teacher who stopped performing ruqyah, the Islamic practice of spiritual healing, after losing his wife. He is happy to keep that part of his life closed. Then a family asks him to save Fitri, a woman who is being terrorized by supernatural forces.

Adam hesitates, but he agrees to resume the work. As he does, he begins to suspect that something darker lies behind Fitri's suffering. The plot is set among local beliefs about spirits, and the first act builds its mystery steadily without rushing to explain it.

This is a remake of the 2016 Malaysian film Munafik. Writer M. Ali Ghifari adapts the premise for an Indonesian setting, and it is a mix of horror, mystery and thriller. If you know the original, you will spot the shape of the story, though the local flavor gives it its own identity.

What Works in Munafik: Melawan Iblis

The best thing here is the mood. Reviewers have noted that the tension comes from atmosphere, lighting and sound rather than relying only on jump scares. That restraint helps the film feel more serious than many genre peers.

• Cinematography: Enggar Budiono's camerawork earned praise, and dim interiors and shadowy village spaces give the film a properly uneasy look.

• Religious grounding: The ruqyah scenes treat the practice as a real part of the characters' world rather than a gimmick.

• A grieving hero: Adam's loss gives the story an emotional core beyond the haunting itself.

The mystery element also helps. The film wants you to ask what is really happening to Fitri, and that curiosity carries you through the slower stretches.

Munafik: Melawan Iblis Cast and Performances

The Munafik: Melawan Iblis cast is led by Arya Saloka as Ustadz Adam. He plays the role with a weary, guarded calm, which suits a man who has already lost one battle with grief. Acha Septriasa plays Fitri, the woman at the center of the haunting, and the part demands both fragile vulnerability and unsettling intensity.

The supporting cast fills out the community around them:

• Dimas Aditya as Ustadz Anwar

• Faqih Alaydrus as Amir

• Donny Damara as H. Mansyur

• Nova Eliza as Hj. Zulfa

Donny Damara brings welcome gravity to any scene he enters. The ensemble is generally solid, though some of the family drama around Fitri can feel contrived, which is more a script problem than an acting one.

Where Munafik: Melawan Iblis Stumbles

The film is not as fresh as its atmosphere suggests. Several critics found the scares predictable, and the editing can feel choppy, cutting away from tension before it fully lands. Some jump scares arrive exactly when you expect them.

The plot also widens toward the end, with more threads and ideas than the short 103-minute runtime can comfortably carry. I will not spoil where it goes, but the tighter, quieter first half is more effective than what follows.

Critical response has been mixed. One Indonesian outlet gave it 2.5 out of 5, while another gave it 3.5 out of 5, and Letterboxd users sit close to 3 out of 5 in the snapshots I could find. That spread feels fair.

Is Munafik: Melawan Iblis Worth Watching?

Yes, if you enjoy religious horror and slow-building dread, it is worth watching, though it is not essential. The atmosphere, cinematography and committed lead performances give it real value. Predictable scares and uneven pacing keep it from being a standout.

It also helps to know that the film is rated D17 in Indonesia, so it is aimed at older teens and adults. Fans of local supernatural stories may enjoy it alongside our other picks, such as the Kuyank review or the Kuasa Gelap: Perjanjian Darah review. If you want more genre options, browse our horror movie reviews.

Who Will Enjoy Munafik: Melawan Iblis

• Fans of Indonesian and Malaysian supernatural horror who like mood over gore.

• Viewers curious about how the 2016 Malaysian original translates to a new setting.

• Audiences who want a mystery with a grieving, reluctant hero at its center.

If you need constant, inventive scares, you may find it too familiar. For patient viewers, it offers a respectable, atmospheric night of spiritual horror.