The Forbidden Door

Like I say in my title above, this isn't really quite my type of film. I DO though very much like the David Lynch touches and mood which are created very well throughout. Technically, everything is expertly executed, and all the acting is excellent. If you happen to like the intensity of movies like 'HOSTEL' or others of this nature, this will probably be right up your alley. For me personally, those kinds of films I just don't find entertaining, it's just not my thing. But, as I've stated in many of my reviews, just because I don't happen to find the story fully enjoyable, I can honestly say that for people that do like these kinds of movies, they will likely find it entertaining. It is made very well, AND truthfully, it is extremely effective in what the filmmakers are trying to do. There is absolutely NO doubt about that 😊 So, this is one of those very rare cases where, even though I didn't exactly 'enjoy' all aspects of it, I felt the film was conceived and made really well and most definitely created a very foreboding and disturbing atmosphere. For example, without giving anything away, when the main protagonist is feeling anguish and disgust, you most definitely will feel it too, which means the movie is accomplishing precisely what it is supposed to do. Just for me personally, I found it a tad too dark and disturbing in some areas and it just doesn't quite fit my idea of a 'Fun' movie. But, the film is so effectively made, for those who do like their intensity levels quite high, this will probably be the kind of movie for you.

Joko Anwar you are amazing! I like your movie, i freaking like this thriller. You will never be forgotten.

I had never heard about the 2009 Indonesian movie "Pintu Terlarang" (aka "The Forbidden Door") prior to now in 2023, as I had the opportunity to watch it. And of course I opted to watch it as it is an Asian movie that I hadn't already seen. However, writer and director Joko Anwar failed to impress me with this 2009. The movie is listed as a horror mystery thriller. Right, well scratch the horror aspect from that equation, because there was nothing scary about the movie, aside from how boring it was. Mystery? Well, sort of. Thriller? Hardly so in the proper sense. The storyline in "Pintu Terlarang" seemed to follow no particular red thread, and the movie felt incredibly random and chaotic, as if writer and director Joko Anwar was just making things up as they were filming the movie scene by scene. I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in "Pintu Terlarang", nor could I claim that I was impressed with what I saw on the screen. "Pintu Terlarang" was a swing and a miss, especially since I was expecting it to be a horror movie. The storyline was just simply too boring and erratic. My rating of "Pintu Terlarang" lands on a two out of ten stars.

I kinda like this move, this movie was unpredictable also so dark thriller. BUT I ADORE THIS MOVIE SO MUCH. VERY RECOMMENDED! YOU REALLY HAVE TALENT JOKO!

The story makes me heart beating, but i like the story a alot, so surprising unpredictable thriller!! Great job joko!! I like all your movie. The genre and the idea was amazing! Can't wait for your next movie!!

Joko Anwar. That's the name of the director who made such an impact on me that I will never forget his name. When I came across this movie, I was very bored and though the title "The forbidden Door" was pretty cliché for a horror/ thriller movie, I decided to take a quick look at it and discard the viewing within the 10 first minutes if it failed to catch and maintain my attention. I am sure glad I stumble across this movie. I was in for a nice surprise to the point that when I finished watching it, I played it and viewed it again to appreciate all the details. So here we go: you have this guy, Gambir, who is a well-known sculptor, specializing in making as large as life sculptures of pregnant women in different positions. He has a beautiful wife, two best friends, a mother and a Manager. Gambir, played by a fascinating and excellent actor named Fachry Albar, received messages by phone, by writing in his yard grass, by hand written notes, by writing in the street, by TV …from a young boy. They all say "Help Me". Gambir will evolve from a shy, submissive man to a fanatic, action man. That's it! I don't want to tell you more. You have to watch the whole movie because it's so good! In fact it's one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. The Christmas dinner scene, at the end, is gruesome but well worth it. Fachry Albar gives an Oscar performance. This is not horror for the pleasure of it and just to captivate the blood thirsty audience but it's a horror movie full of feelings, questions, and just beautifully made. The horror is everywhere to be found: in ideas, in thoughts, psychologically, physically, in the eyes, in the touch…Each scene leaves you wondering and pondering. Watch the credits entirely, because the last scene is after the credits: a less than 30 seconds scene that wraps up the whole movie like a ribbon that you want to undo to open and watch this movie all over, again.

this is a very brilliant movie at the beginning of this year.. exhilarating yet awesome at the same time.. I've never seen such a thriller movie from Indonesia before.. it's a trend-setter, and it's a sign for the wake-up of Indonesian film industry.. i wont give spoilers, because it will loosen the atmosphere when watching it.. and the rules are simple: 1. don't find information about this movie, just watch it. 2. don't get up from your chair until the end of the credit title. 3. no question.. use your imagination.. (hahahaha) I'm sure you'll never regret watching this movie.

The movie is so good that I just know it would finish last if there was a competition on sucking, or perhaps this movie would be disqualified even before the sucking competition started :P I think the thriller genre hasn't been getting any proper treatment from most Indonesian creators, what with the "supernatural horror" movie euphoria that's been sweeping the world. Let's face it, suspense thrillers just ain't what it used to be. Then a movie comes along which brightens up your day and assures you that the Indonesian movie scene is alive and well, albeit riddled with ghosts and sexual mischief. A thriller that not only leaves questions but also a psychological mark within our minds. A brave move, I should say, to go against the mainstream market mindset and simply be different. And being different, in this case, is good. The movie is about the sculptor, Gambir, who is tired of making statues of pregnant women. But his mysterious wife, Talyda, doesn't want him to stop making those statues, because that's where the money comes. While drowning in his past guilt and suspicion, Gambir gets a distress call from an abused child who keeps finding ways to write "Help Me" notes wherever Gambir goes. Gambir becomes even more paranoid of those around him. And his wife is behaving more and more strangely. Does she have something to do with the abused child? What about the forbidden door in their house? Where does it lead? The dinner scene near the ending will blow your mind away. After that, Gambir will find the truth behind the forbidden door, and his life will never be the same. And neither will our life. So, let's all thank the cast and crew of PINTU TERLARANG for bringing hope back into the fray with this latest offering from ex-movie-critic-turned-auteur Joko Anwar. Great. Simply a must-see movie if it happens to be playing in theaters near you.

A less horrific thriller than I would have expected, and so much the better, the film shines with its unusual themes and mystery. Although some elements of the plot are predictable or even dont make sense even after the end of the movie, it is a real pleasure to see the evolution of the main character until the end screen, which even if it disappoints me slightly, remains an interesting point of view.

This movie is a perfectly executed thriller combining startling and grisly violence with mystery and a foreboding mood. A young artist finds himself drawn into a world of terror against his will and his life begins to unravel. This is a story of a cruel world and of living under the power of others. The multi-part climax and ending could be described predictable, surprising, (Yes, both of those) as truly epic, and cryptic. I think I've figured what it was supposed to mean, though even had you left the theatre merely confused, you'll appreciate the craft and you will have been affected by the movie. The acting and direction is top notch, and I can attest that the movie was foreboding even when interrupted by technical difficulties and projector problems as my theatre endured when the movie was screened. (Appropriately enough given the English title, our projector broke in two parts where the main character opened a door at a tense moment) I would love to see more work by these people.