THE man behind 2007's cult horror film 'Jangan Pandang Belakang' returns to the genre that helped make him a household name with a terrifying new tale of possession, exorcism and redemption.
While Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri did not helm 'Anak Perjanjian Syaitan 1' (APS1) which premiered in 2019 as he was then the chief executive officer of the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and left the task to Helmi Yusof, his two-year stint with Finas is now over and he is back in the director's seat "with a vengeance".
TRAGIC STORY
'Anak Perjanjian Syaitan 2' (APS2) continues the tragic story of the young couple, Azlina (Chacha Maembong) and Zaidi (Nadzmi Adhwa), who were desperate for a child, and paid the ultimate price when Azlina sought help from a bomoh, acquired a demonic companion and died at childbirth.
In the years between both movies, Zaidi raised their child Azlinda (Eyka Farhana) as a single parent, but the menacing demon still prevailed, killing him gruesomely and landing his daughter in an orphanage.
Persistently haunted by the demon, who takes on the form of her loved ones as well as its true, unsightly self, Azlinda is advised by the orphanage head Wati (Dian P. Ramlee) who happens to be her aunt to enrol in a religious boarding school in Kedah headed by the kindly Ustazah Zurina (Azizah Mahzan).
DANGER TO STUDENTS
Azlinda makes fast friends with her fellow female students but the school's fanatical teacher, Ustazah Jamilah (Fasha Sandha), does not treat her kindly and believes she is a danger to the other students.
Jamilah pressures Zurina to expel Azlinda from the school to no avail but soon feels vindicated when some of the girls are terrorised by the demon and one dies from falling off the roof.
She forcefully removes Azlinda from the school and leaves her along a dark, deserted road. She tries to make her way to the nearest house and is rescued by Ustaz Taha (Alif Satar) and his father Ustaz Abdullah (Shaharuddin Thamby) who decide to exorcise the demon from her.
DIFFICULT DEMON
Zurina, Wati and another family friend of Azlinda, Ustaz Aznan (Azlan Komeng) work closely with the father-and-son team to end the girl's misery, but the difficult demon continues to wreak havoc in the lives of the people who truly care for Azlinda.
Eyka, who is normally cast as the sweet girl next door in Malay dramas, proves her acting prowess in APS2. Looking plain and gritty as opposed to her usually glamorous television characters, she nails it as the long-suffering Azlinda.
HOUSEHOLD NAME
Ahmad Idham has successfully brought Eyka out of her comfort zone, and the actress who became a household name in 2010 via drama series as 'Juvana' and 'Istikharah Cinta' has convincingly carried out her terrifying "tasks" such as writhing in a freshly dug-out grave and getting possessed.
In order to play Azlinda, Eyka did lots of research on horror films to get a clear understanding of what was required of her character, and her brilliant performance is proof of her meticulousness.
STAR TURN
As for the supporting cast members, versatile Alif does a star turn as Ustaz Taha, a kind gentleman with a melodious voice and "drop dead gorgeous" looks.
He is portrayed as a humble, soft-spoken and compassionate religious teacher who clearly explains to Azlinda what actually became of her.
Veteran actress Azizah is also great as the motherly Ustazah Zurina.
And the same can be said about Ustazah Jamilah, played with fire and brimstone by Fasha in one of her most heartless roles.
SCARE THEM STRAIGHT
Ahmad Idham deserves a big hand in this "comeback", for he has lost none of his "scare-them-straight" moments and gives his demon ample screen time.
APS2 was not part of his initial plan, but positive feedback from viewers of APS1 encouraged him to come up with a sequel.
APS2's ensemble cast, in particular Eyka, Azizah, Fasha and Alif, have proven that they work great as a team, and here's hoping that they will relive their magic in more Ahmad Idham projects.
Filming took place around the Klang Valley for a month in July last year, and Ahmad Idham gave viewers lots of throwbacks to Helmi's movie by having Nadzmi and Chacha return for several key scenes.
APS2 opened in cinemas nationwide on Jan 4.
NOW SHOWING
ANAK PERJANJIAN SYAITAN 2
Directed by Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri
Starring Eyka Farhana, Alif Satar, Azizah Mahzan, Shaharuddin Thamby, Azlan Komeng, Dian P. Ramlee, Fasha Sandha
Duration 95 minutes
Rating 18