Kafir: Gerbang Sukma [Movie Review]

Kafir: Gerbang Sukma [Movie Review] | Intrigued by the glowing reviews online, I finally decided to dive in and see what the hype was about. 

Was that a brilliant discovery or a step into a trap I can’t escape?

SYNOPSIS

Kafir: Gerbang Sukma (2026) Trivia

• Starring: Putri Ayudya, Rangga Azof, Nadya Arina, Indah Permatasari, Asha Assuncao, Arswendy Bening Swara & Sujiwo Tejo
• Director: Azhar Kinoi Lubis
• Producer: Chand Parvez Servia
• Production Company: Starvision Plus
• Distributed by: Starvision (Indonesia) & TGV Pictures (Malaysia/International)
• Release date: April 23, 2026
• Running time: 108 minutes
• Rating: MA
• Country: Indonesia
• Language: Indonesian
• IMDb: 6.4/ 10
• Tomatometer: NA
• Metascore: NA
• The team used authentic ritual scrolls and totems sourced from Javanese occult practitioners instead of props. 
• Beyond acting, Sujiwo Tejo served as a cultural consultant, using his expertise in Javanese mysticism to refine the ritual dialogue. He ensured the incantations matched ancient chants, making them sound far more authentic—and unsettling—to the local ear.

Sri would do anything to keep her family safe, including building a 'fortress' around her house so that no black magic could come for her family. After losing her husband, Herman, to a gruesome and soul-shattering curse of santet, she didn’t just mourn; she rebuilt. She moved forward for her children, Dina and Andi, weaving a new tapestry of normalcy and routine.  Her routine of checking for any sign of black magic around the house slowly irritates her family members. With Andi now married to Rani, the family portrait looked complete, serene and safe.

The silence was shattered by a single phone call from Sri’s father. Her mother was gravely ill. Before receiving the call, she had a premonition that something bad had befallen her parents. Driven by duty and a daughter’s love, Sri returned to the very place she once fled, along with her children. 

The parents were there, happy to welcome them. But as the grandmother was preparing the food, Sri and her family realised that the grandparents were not of sound minds. Sri shrugged off all the weird actions of her parents as them being old and dementia.

Soon, the kids realised that their grandparents were really not themselves. On a few occasions, the kids encountered the grandparents walked out of the house at night and did weird things inside an old shack outside the house. On one instance, Dina followed her grandfather into the wood where she saw her killing something. Or someone. 

Sri was convinced that black magic was on the play and she returned to the Ki, a religious person who helped her family before. 

What or who is behind all the attacks?

MY REVIEW

What I Like:  

• Stunning visuals and cinematography.
• Wonderful performances by the cast. 
• I learnt that this is a sequel to Kafir: Bersekutu Dengan Setan that was aired in 2018.

What I Don't Like:

• No ghost or jumpscare - just gory sights.

Will I Watch It Again: Yes, I don't mind watching it again. 

Overall: 4.5/ 5.0

The pictures are taken from multiple sources on the Internet. Thank you.

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