Inang (2022)
Inang is an Indonesian horror movie that came out in 2022 in the language of Indonesian. Translates to: The Womb.
How I watched: Netflix
For the short of it: This movie centers around a young expectantly newly pregnant mother living in a low income area. The baby's father wants nothing to do with her. She decides live with these elderly married couple who want to adopt her child. But WHY?!
The long of it? Well...
Wulan is her name. You pronounce exactly like Mulan but with a "W". Anyway, the story is set up quite depressing right from the get go that she finds out she is pregnant and after she informs the father of the baby, he ain't about that life. Tosses her some money to terminate the pregnancy and rides away and out of her life.
Unfortunately, Wulan lives in poverty. She is months behind on her rent and has a job at a local grocery store with a pervy boss. She does have at least one friend that also works there. They both have very polarizing personalities but I think it's cute that they do share that friendly bond even though the friend is totally banging her middle aged boss.
An agency reaches out to her and tries to arrange some options with their assistance that they stress is "free of charge". She abruptly dismisses thisl unsolicited call but eventually caves in. She meets these 2 old ass people who are more than happy to adopt her child. She's still unsure of it so she just runs off back home due to all the stress. That is, until her landlord kicked her out FOR GOOD. Wulan has hit rock bottom. Homeless and pregnant on the street, she has now reached her last resort and reluctantly accepts the offer and sets off.
They are in like a big ass house with these 2 people only living there. An older married couple Ms. Eva and Mr. Agus. Both are super elated as they can be and welcome Wulan with open arms. Of course, Wulan is super duper uper shmooper happy. This girl went from living in the butthole turds of slums to living in luxury now. Imagine the relief she feels. Plus the couple is friendly as fuck and seem to genuinely care for her.
Things start to gradually go downhill when Wulan is starting to notice things that just aren't adding up. Used to be little things like thinking she saw someone peering at her from the outside and noticing some off putting behavior from the other of them. But hey get a good luck at Mr. Agus! GILF vibes!
The couple then invites a man named Ageng to the house who seems to be some kind of spiritual healer or some shit. He approaches her while she's still lying down in bed and has her inhale this questionable and unknown white smoke and as if on cue, she crashes TF out.
Wulan proceeds to have a very intense nightmare or hallucination of some sort.
There's also this midwife who visits her. When Eva and Agus leave her room, she tries to subtly reach out to this midwife of her uncertainty. It becomes immediately clear that she is #TeamMarriedPeeps so Wulan accepts defeat that she cannot confide in anyone at all.
That is, until their son, Bergus, drops by unannounced to visit them for a few days much to his parents dismay. They love their son and stuff and it was strongly hinted that he was not meant to be there at their house and that some shit is about to go down.
Wulan has had enough of this shit as her trust for them is dun goofed many times over so she tries to find a way to escape.
I really liked this movie! If you are not into gore and overly graphic movies, then this is definitely up your alley. This more is more on the psychological maybe even bordering supernatural? Very interesting movie as this has the primary focus of superstition and the lengths people will go to for an unscientifically proven curses and stuff. However, it is a nearly 2 hour movie so be prepared for that shit.
I will say that as serious as this movie was there was actually one singular funny scene that stood out which made me LOL the fuck up as it was so out of character for this movie in particular. You ever noticed how in foreign movies that characters just randomly speak english lines? I've always thought that was a little weird but I just chuck it up to them trying to appeal to an English speaking audience. Well anyway, it felt like this scene was poking fun at that. The son, Bergas, was the only character to actually have some english speaking lines in this whole movie. Then at this penultimate scene where he gives this heartfelt yet dramatic filibuster of a speech the suspenseful music stops and Wulan replies:
I know horror comedy exists but this was definitely not one of them and probably could have done without it but I personally loved this unexpected chuckle to alleviate that seriousness of this movie.
So yes, that was my view on this movie. Yet another interesting movie surround the local superstition of birth and live and such. I'd definitely give this a rewatch if I ever came across this title again.
With that being said, what is my verdict?
Movie does drag in some parts but still entertaining
If you are interested in watching Inang, then please CLICK HERE to see which streaming apps you can watch it on via the free streaming guide app, JUSTWATCH!
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