Para Perasuk Review: Wregas Bhanuteja's Trance Drama for Bold Viewers

This Para Perasuk review starts with a simple point: few recent Indonesian dramas feel as strange or as ambitious as this one. Director Wregas Bhanuteja builds a whole world around spirit possession and treats it as a party, a livelihood and a source of pleasure. It also played in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at Sundance, where it was shown internationally as "Levitating".

Para Perasuk Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Para Perasuk plot is set in a village in the Latas area, where pleasure and possession go hand in hand. People attend trance parties to be taken over by spiritual beings, and the shaman running the night holds real power. Bayu, played by Angga Yunanda, wants that role.

His reason is practical, not mystical. An eviction is looming, and a successful trance party could raise the money to stop it. A sacred spring also hangs over the community, so the stakes are personal and communal at once.

That setup is clear and easy to follow, even if you know nothing about the traditions that inspire it. One audience review on TMDB says the film draws on Wregas's experiences with his younger sibling, which would explain its personal edge. We can't verify that beyond the review itself, so treat it as a viewer's comment.

What Works in Para Perasuk

The strongest asset is atmosphere. One Indonesian reviewer notes that the film doesn't build fear through shocks, but through a familiar feeling that slowly turns strange. That is a good description of the tone: the everyday gradually tilts into something uncanny.

The music is a clear highlight. FilmInk praises Yennu Ariendra's score, which mixes traditional gamelan with modern electronica, flutes, harmonicas and an electric guitar. Anggun's mesmerising vocals add to the mix, and the sound design suits a story about bodies and rhythms taking over.

The world-building is the other draw. Viewers describe it as creative and absurd in a way that feels deliberate. For anyone who likes a drama that takes risks, that alone justifies a ticket.

• A distinctive premise that treats possession as culture, not just horror

• A genre-blending score of gamelan, electronica and live instruments

• A confident, personal vision from Wregas Bhanuteja

Para Perasuk Cast and Performances

The Para Perasuk cast is led by Angga Yunanda as Bayu Laksana, a young man whose ambition is tied to a real money problem. That gives the performance a grounded centre while everything around him turns surreal.

Maudy Ayunda plays Laksmi, and Anggun appears as Guru Asri, a name that suggests spiritual authority. Chicco Kurniawan is Pawit Arifin, Bryan Domani plays Ananto and Indra Birowo plays Bayu's Father. Anggun also contributes vocals to the soundtrack, per FilmInk.

The research available to us doesn't go into detail about individual performances, so we won't invent any. The ensemble is a notable one for Indonesian drama, and the material clearly asks for physical, rhythmic acting that suits the trance setting.

Where Para Perasuk Stumbles

The main complaint is the writing. The Display's review argues that the film shows great ambition but isn't built on a cohesive plot structure, nor on strong backgrounds for each character. An IMDb user also calls it a shame that the incredible aspects are overshadowed by a predictable story.

That tension matters. A film this bold in sound and concept needs a story that matches it, and here the eviction plot is the familiar part. If you come for the drama, you may find the characters thinner than the world around them.

Visually, one reviewer says it doesn't offer extraordinary cinematography or effects. Don't expect a showpiece. The film's power is in rhythm, music and mood.

Is Para Perasuk Worth Watching?

Yes, if you want an unusual Indonesian drama and can accept an uneven plot. The film is at its best when it lets the trance parties, the music and the village's odd logic take over. Audience scores are positive: IMDb users give it 7.8/10, while TMDB shows 7.6/10 from a small number of votes.

It is not a conventional crowd-pleaser, and its story may feel predictable once the stakes are clear. But the ambition is real, and a director with a strong point of view is always worth a look. The film opens in Indonesia on 23 April 2026, which is the Para Perasuk release date in our records.

If you enjoy character-driven stories, our drama movie reviews have more picks. For another recent Indonesian title with a very different mood, see our take on Kado untuk Ibu. You can also check the film's IMDb page for more details.

Who Will Enjoy Para Perasuk

• Viewers who like Wregas Bhanuteja's inventive, personal filmmaking

• Fans of folk-spiritual drama who prefer slow-building unease to jump scares

• Music lovers curious about a score that blends gamelan with electronica