10 Interesting Indonesian Horror Movies – Ranked

Welcome to Ranking Horror. We looked at 10 More Thai Horror Movies yesterday. Today, we are off to Indonesia to look at 10 Interesting Indonesian Horror Movies.

South East Asia is one of the most important areas on earth when it comes to horror. Few places can boast so many brilliant horror film making nations. It’s kind of astounding, really, all things considered. Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and, of course, the place we are looking at today, Indonesia, are all incredible at scaring the hell out of viewers.

Before I start, I have to emphasise that this list is, by no means, exhaustive. In fact, Indonesia is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to the horror genre. I could, probably, make ten of these lists so you may as well count this as part 1 of many. There is so much great horror originating from there that it’s almost impossible to collate complete lists. Without further ado, let’s take a look at 10 Interesting Indonesian Horror Movies.

10. Wewe (2015) – The Grandma Who Steals Children

Why it Ranked: Rizal Mantovani is an extremely prolific Indonesian horror director, meaning it is quite easy for some of these titles to get a bit lost in the shuffle. I really like the idea behind Wewe, though. It’s always interesting to delve into another country’s folklore and the legend of the Wewe Gombel is a pretty neat one. The movie feels a bit long and it is obviously fairly low budget but it definitely has its moments and absolutely nobody ever talks about it.

Synopsis: Wewe follows the story of a family who move into a new home that seems to be hiding some dark secrets. Stuck in a constant loop of arguing, the parents are shocked when their daughter vanishes in the midst of one of their spats. It is said by the locals that a spirit known as the Wewe has taken their child, resulting in the couple doing everything they can to confront the secrets inside their home and get her back.

Where to Watch: BiliBili

9. The Devil’s Bride (2025) – A Toxic Spiritual Union

Why it Ranked: The Devil’s Bride (Pengantin Setan) is the most recent movie on this list, having only just released in January of 2025. It is, also, one of 4 horror movies that director Azhar Kinoi Lubis is making this year alone. The Devil’s Bride goes pretty heavy on the messages regarding relationship maintenance and the importance of working through things. All while setting the domestic drama against a backdrop of supernatural horror scares. It works pretty well but there is no escaping just how formulaic the movie can be.

Synopsis: The story follows a newly married couple whose relationship begins to breakdown when the woman is haunted by a spirit intent on eroding their relationship.

Where to Watch: Netflix

8. Danur (2017) – The Girl Who Befriended Ghosts

Why it Ranked: Danur was shot in under two weeks on a tiny budget. It went on to have tremendous success, becoming the highest grossing movie in Indonesian history. I suppose, in that respect, it is something of an Indonesian equivalent to Paranormal Activity. It’s a pretty standard ghost horror flick and it’s hard to shake the feeling that it is aimed towards younger viewers. Some people absolutely hate the Danur series but you should give it a go and decide for yourself.

Synopsis: Danur, otherwise known as Danur: I Can See Ghosts, is a 2017 horror movie that follows the story of a young girl who can see ghosts. Neglected by her family, she befriends three ghosts in her home. Only for things to go terribly wrong when her sister is kidnapped and she is forced to fight to get her back. Danur was based on a novel that, supposedly, recounts the author’s own experiences with seeing, and befriending, ghosts.

Where to Watch: Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar

7. Ivanna (2022) – Headless Revenge

Why it Ranked: This movie is a spin off from the Danur movie series which we just talked about in this list. For some people, that’s a good thing. For others, that fact will, probably, make them avoid the movie flat out. Such is the split view on Danur and its derivatives. Ivanna is fairly formulaic but there are fantastic visuals to support some of the scares. Well worth checking out but don’t expect anything ground breaking.

Synopsis: Directed by Kimo Stamboel, Ivanna follows the story of a pair of sisters who live in a nursing home. One of the sisters has suffered impaired vision after a surgery, resulting in her seeing mystical visions of a Dutch woman who was tortured by Japanese soldiers. Haunted by what she has seen, things get even worse when strange, violent events take place that seem to have a curious link to what she has been seeing.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

6. Ritual (2012) – Lost in the Woods

Why it Ranked: I absolutely love the premise of Joko Anwar’s Ritual (Modus Anomali) from 2012. Anwar took a little bit of flack for Ritual as he chose to film the movie using English rather than Indonesian. The reason for this was due to the ambiguous nature of where the movie takes place. The interesting mystery element that plays centre stage, early on, eventually gives way to a cat and mouse horror that works pretty damn well. The ending is going to split some people but I really enjoyed Ritual.

Synopsis: The story follows a man who wakes up in the middle of the woods buried in a coffin. Having no recollection of who he is or where he came from, he heads to a cabin to try and piece together the fragmented parts of his mind, little realising the harrowing truth of how he found himself there in the first place.

Where to Watch: Netflix

5. May the Devil Take You (2018) – Satanic Debt Collection

Why it Ranked: Timo Tjahjanto is a huge fan of cabin in the woods horror movies like The Evil Dead. Meaning May The Devil Take You (Sebelum Iblis Menjemput) is something of a tribute to those types of films. Expect to see a ton of nods to those movies throughout. This film starts off slow but, once it gets going, it’s really a lot of fun. Gory, ridiculous, and steeped in Indonesian folklore. This is a damn good time and well worth checking out. It may even still be on Netflix.

Synopsis: After a woman gets a call about her estranged father’s ill health, she heads to the hospital to find out he is in a coma. Realising that she may be about to inherit some property, she heads to her father’s rural home to investigate the property but finds out much more about her father than she ever bargained for.

Where to Watch: Netflix

4. Satan’s Slaves (2017) – The Bell Tolls for Mother

Why it Ranked: The highest grossing Indonesian horror film of 2017. Satan’s Slaves retains its 80’s setting and dips into themes of the occult. The slow burning drama elements provide a solid foundation for some legitimately great scares later on. This is a movie that does a hell of a lot right and acts as an interesting take on themes of Satanism and the occult for people who are unfamiliar with Indonesian horror.

Synopsis: Satan’s Slaves (Pengabdi Setan) is just one of a number of horror movies directed by Joko Anwar on this list. The story follows a family who are suddenly haunted by something sinister after the death of their mother after a long illness. Satan’s Slaves is a remake of a 1980 movie, with director Joko Anwar taking it on after being terrified by the original as a child.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

3. Impetigore (2019) – Skinless Curse of the Village

Why it Ranked: Potentially the most well known movie on this list, at least in the west. Impetigore saw a very troubled production with it taking well over a decade to even materialise. Director Joko Anwar even found himself in hospital with dengue fever while filming the movie. There is a tantalising mystery at the heart of this movie that, eventually, gives way to some seriously nasty gore. Awesome stuff and another great example of how brilliant Joko Anwar is when it comes to horror. Shudder picked this movie up for streaming in the West.

Synopsis: The story follows a young woman who, upon realising that she may be about to inherit property from her rich family, heads back to her ancestral village, little realising the danger that awaits her there.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

2. The Queen of Black Magic (2019) – Orphanage of Pain

Why it Ranked: The Queen of Black Magic is director Kimo Stamboel’s re-imagining of the 1981 movie of the same name. Stamboel teams up with another familiar name on this list, Joko Anwar, for this one, with Anwar taking writing credits. As far as Indonesian horror goes, this is an absolute powerhouse movie making team. What seems, initially, like a really simple ghost story quickly turns into a gore fest full of torture and violence. Tons of fun though I do have to shake my head a bit at some of the CGI.

Synopsis: The plot differs fairly significantly from the original, as the story here follows a group of childhood friends heading back the remote orphanage where they grew up to spend some time together. Only to start uncovering harrowing things about the facility’s history.

Where to Watch: Shudder, AMC+

1. Dead Time: Kala (2007) – Noir Meets Javanese Mythology

Why it Ranked: Joko Anwar is back with 2007’s Dead Time (Dead Time: Kala). This movie is incredibly slick and stylish as well as being, visually, pretty damn fantastic to look at. Obviously wearing its inspirations on its sleeves. There is a melding of a few different genres and styles, here, that, somehow, all comes together in one cohesive package. There is a decent amount of Indonesia folklore to get your teeth into which only adds to the enjoyment, in my opinion. Fantastic stuff!

Synopsis: Set in an alternate version of Indonesia. This is a Neo-Noir horror thriller that follows a policeman and a narcoleptic journalist who find themselves tangled up in the middle of a series of murders and the mystery that surrounds it. Dead Time feels, very much, like Anwar paying homage to Tarantino.

Where to Watch: Netflix

Indonesia’s Dark Legacy

And that wraps up our first dive into the rich world of Indonesian horror. From the atmospheric noir of Dead Time to the relentless gore of The Queen of Black Magic, Indonesia offers a unique blend of folklore and terror that is hard to beat. We have barely scratched the surface here, so expect to see many more titles from this region in the future.

We are constantly exploring new horrors from around the globe, so be sure to check back for more lists. If you enjoyed this, why not take a look at some more of our Asian horror rankings? I’ll be back soon with more lists. Stay spooky.

🇮🇩 Quick Picks: Indonesian Horror Essentials

• 🏆 The Masterpiece: Dead Time: Kala (2007)
• 🩸 The Gore Fest: The Queen of Black Magic (2019)
• 👻 The Modern Classic: Satan’s Slaves (2017)
• 👹 The Folk Horror: Impetigore (2019)
• 🏚️ The Evil Dead Tribute: May the Devil Take You (2018)