Sumpahan Jerunei [Movie Review]

Sumpahan Jerunei [Movie Review] | Whenever I can, I will try my best to watch local movies. And I especially attracted to this one as it shares about the Melanau burial ritual, one of the many ethnics in Sarawak.

Sumpahan Jerunei (pronounced Je-ru-ney), also known as Curse of the Jerunei, just recently won 6 awards in France (5 in Florence Film Awards and 1 in Paris Film Awards). 

So, it should be good, right?

SYNOPSIS

Sumpahan Jerunei (2023) Trivia

• Starring: Bront Palarae, Uqasha Senrose, Syafie Naswip, Amerul Affendi, Daiyan Trisha, Tony Eusoff, Ruminah Sidek & Yuyun Hikmah
• Director: Jason Chong
• Producer: Nancy Foo and Wendy Wong
• Production Companies: Produksi Seni 2020 & Primeworks Studios
• Distributed by: GSC Movies
• Release date: July 27, 2023
• Running time: 100 minutes
• Rating: TV-MA
  
• Country: Malaysia
  
• Language: Malay
• Uqasha and Daiyan did their own stunts - including swimming in the river and the quicksand. 
• The movie was shot in Mukah, a town near my hometown, Sibu. 

The movie is inspired by the real sacrificial ceremony that follows the burial ritual of Melanau people. The producers researched about the ritual, upon approval from Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak for two years prior to production. 

The story starts when Dr Sani agrees to look for the missing expedition team while researching about Jerunei. Along with Bee, Hana, Tommy and Arjuna, the group meets with Ketua Kampung Dumai who agrees to assist them with the search and rescue (SAR). 

Upon arriving at the village, Bee wanders off and rescues a drowning girl, only that nobody sees the girl except her. The incident did not hinder her from continuing with the search and rescue mission.

The team was brought deep into the jungle and left by the villager to look for their own way to a run-down house, that will be their accommodation during the SAR mission. 

The mission starts and as they move deeper into the jungle, each member starts experiencing hallucinations and some even found themselves waking up in strange places.

When they find the missing team members, there were nothing could be done as all were dead. And bit by bit, the mystery behind Jerunei unveils.

And it is not what they thought it was.

What started all the supernatural disturbances?

MY REVIEW

Plot: 3.0/ 5.0 The plot is there. The history is fascinating. Even I myself learn new information about Melanau culture that I did not know before. 

Sadly, the movie does not peak. Almost there but not there - tidak kesampaian! 

As all of you already know by know, the CGI is poorly done. I thought I was watching clips from the 1970s when the CGI kicked in. 

Cast: 3.3/ 5.0 An opportunity missed as all actors were brilliant in delivering their parts. 

The cast manager did a great job in casting Tony Eusoff as Ketua Kampung, an authentic Sarawakian. Ruminah and Syafie uttered beautiful and fluent Melanau words. 

Will I Watch It Again: Sadly, no.

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

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