As Malaysians, there are a few things that we constantly love and desire for more: food and ghost stories.

As much as we love food, today, we’re going to talk about the latter.

It's undeniable; our love for ghost stories is so strong, we either go out and actively seek them out, or we stay at home and re-watch the classic horror flicks, especially if it features local hantus.


We’ve had countless local and international horror films that feature popular hantus like the pocong, toyol, pontianak and the hantu raya, but how often do you hear about 'saka'?

ALSO READ:
Malaysian Supernatural Beings: What Exactly Is A 'Saka', And Do You Have One?

A movie based on the natural being, called 'Pusaka', is now showing in cinemas nationwide, and it has been dubbed as one of this year's scariest horror movies.

We were recently invited for the screening of the movie, which stars Syafiq Kyle, Mimi Lana, Hafidz Roshdi, and Sweet Qismina.


The film centers around Inspector Nuar, tasked to investigate the death of a girl who was left in an abandoned house for a year with her twin.

The circumstances surrounding the girl’s death is very peculiar and as the case progresses, a lot of unexplainable, supernatural things take place.

Got your attention yet? Here’s what we think of the film directed by Razaisyam Rashid.

#1 Spine-Chilling Experience

If you’ve seen the trailer, we’re pretty sure you noticed the sinister drawings plastered all over the walls. A lot of demonic illustrations can be found in the abandoned house which looks exactly like a satanic cult lair, which, to be honestly, really gave us the creeps.

The drawings and the eerie abandoned house as a backdrop helped set the mood and tone of the film right off the bat.

But nothing compares to the feeling of getting goosebumps just by listening to the mantras and chants read in a language not familiar to us. It felt as if we were in a middle of a ghost-summoning ritual and thankfully, no actual ghost showed up or else we won’t be here to write this review.

To be honest, we felt like running away at that point, and reading the subtitles also made us felt uneasy – as if we were calling upon the undead too.

#2 Mind-Blowing Plot Twist

We know, some of you might be skeptical of local horror flicks and you’re thinking if it’ll be as cliché as the ones you’ve seen before.

Well, you’re in for a wild ride because a mind-bending plot twist awaits you towards the very end of the film, one that you’ll never see coming.

Initially, we thought 'Pusaka' was a linear, straight-to-the-point horror movie, until that plot twist blew everything out of the water.


But here's the thing about the unexpected turn towards the end: we felt that the twist was cleverly written, and you’ll be on the edge of your seat just thinking how all that was even possible.

We can't tell you much, because we don't want to spoil the movie for you. You just need to go watch it yourself and trust us, it’s worth the wait!

#3 Heart-Pounding Storyline

Since it’s an investigative/horror flick, just like the inspector, you’ll be equally eager to find the answers to every peculiar incident.

The storyline is definitely one that gets your curiosity piqued and the horror elements in it will either make you close your eyes or squirm in disgust (read: clumps of long hair and blood coming out from someone’s mouth who’s having a seizure). But fret not, there are some light and funny moments to lighten up the mood in the film.

You’ll also get a chance to learn a lot of interesting (and disturbing) things about 'saka' – a supernatural being that is passed on from generation to generation. Who knew you could inherit it through an object, touch, or - gasp! - even verbally?!

Perhaps we should think twice about talking to shady characters around us.

#4 Family First

In reality, not everyone wants to inherit the 'saka'. Nowadays, you rarely hear about anyone who’s willing to inherit one, let alone voluntarily wants one to ‘stay’ with them throughout their whole life.

This is why some people take desperate measures, even if it may put their lives in danger, in order to protect themselves and their loved ones from the wrath of the 'saka'.

The strong family values in ‘Pusaka’ will remind you that no matter what happens, at the end of the day, family always comes first. You can always find a new job or new ways to make money, but you can’t find anyone like your family members.

Some characters sacrificed a lot to keep their family members safe, some even kept secrets for a lifetime so that the lesser their loved ones know, the better. We know it's a little bit weird to say this for a horror film, but you can learn a lot about the importance of family in 'Pusaka'.

VERDICT

Overall, ‘Pusaka’ offers a fresh new take on local horror flicks tackling family inheritance issues – one that no one is willing to inherit (read: 'saka').

It takes a while to get to the point where you'll be sitting on the edge of your seat, but trust us, it’s worth the wait because you’ll be left searching for answers.

Just like every other scary movie, there’s bound to be jump scares but it’s the actor's and actress’ excellent creepy portrayals that sold us, so kudos to them.

So, is 'Pusaka' the scariest local horror flick of this year? We have to say yes, but do let us know what you think of the movie.

'Pusaka' is now showing in cienemas all around Malaysia.