Introduction
Once you get a sense of what Joko Anwar’s Ghost in the Cell is about, it’s easy to get on board. It may start as a supernatural gorefest, but the film shifts into a goofy comedy. The result is a genre mix that will please a multitude of audiences.
Synopsis
Taking place primarily in Labuhan Angsana prison in Indonesia, a group of prisoners attempts to survive constant threats of violence, corrupt officers, and harsh conditions. Anggoro (Abimana Aryasatya) is the de facto leader of a group of prisoners including Six (Yoga Pratama), who claims to see ghosts, the devout Muslim Wildan (Mike Lucock), former professor Pendi (Lukman Sardi), and Irfan (Danang Suryonegoro). The arrival of journalist Dimas (Endy Arfian), who is accused of murdering his boss, precedes a string of violent deaths among the most unwieldy inmates.
Six can sense the auras of all the prisoners, and sees the reddest auras foretell the deaths by an unseen force. While the group attempts to navigate the accusations from other prisoners, they also turn to whatever they can in order to avoid the red aura. At the same time, Anggoro hopes to get back to his children outside of prison while Dimas wants to solve these murders to clear his name.
Horror and Comedy
When it comes to the violent staging of these murders, it’s about as gross and gnarly as you can imagine. Each body is destroyed and mutilated in ways reminiscent of Hannibal. One prisoner’s death rips him to pieces following a series of stabbings, and then he is made into an ornate shower piece. The film spares no disgusting and bloody detail when it comes to these deaths.
That being said, the film turns to utter hilarity in the middle acts. The prisoners realize they need to adjust their attitudes away from pure anger and fury in order to avoid being a victim. As a result, they randomly pray, sing, or dance in the heat of a furious battle. The filmmakers clearly draw influence from the rubber-faced action comedy of Stephen Chow, combining action and slapstick comedy.
Political Themes/Cast
Anwar isn’t content just focusing on blood or laughs. The director adds continuous not-so-subtle jabs at the bureaucracy and politics of Indonesian society. While some prisoners very obviously need to be in jail, most prisoners are incarcerated due to corruption or standing up to powerful people. Even the most powerful prisoners are put in a separate wing and allowed to leave whenever they please. While it might be specific to Indonesia, this message extends to a multitude of other countries.
The entire cast sinks into the ensemble, without attempting to outdo each other. Aryasatya might be the “star” of the film, but he is mostly the head of the group without acting like the leader. The entire prison group is excellent at carving out their own little characterization. Yuhang Ho gives the most memorable performance as a particularly disgusting and creepy prisoner. No one actor doesn’t give their absolute all for what the film asks of them.
Conclusion
Ghost in the Cell carves out a unique niche as a combination of gross-out horror, slapstick comedy, prison drama, and political intrigue. It’s like nothing else in cinemas today.
