Disclaimer: This review is from my perspective as a viewer with little or no knowledge of films and how they are made. What is written is entirely how I feel about the movie from my personal view as a movie fan and not a film critique. Also, note my limited English vocabulary in describing things and the absence of film-making terms and jargons. My take on the movie and its understanding are also probably based on the life that I went through as a person, as I think films touch these elements most of the time in terms of story. I hereby apologize for any error in touching those matters. Also, I have a very short-term memory so the review might miss talking about some parts and this will contain spoilers (lookout for spoiler warning)

Watch the Official Trailer here

Bohemian Rhapsody starts showing today but I have decided to catch 7ujuh instead. Not because I am expecting it to be a better movie but as a Malaysian I think I should support a locally made film and share my honest feedback about it.

Another reason is I don't think I'll be watching Bohemian Rhapsody at all. It's like meeting up with your childhood crush being a different person than what you remember. You would wish that you only knew the childhood version from your memories.

To me no movies will ever match the real story of Queen and Freddie.

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The Story

Ok back to 7ujuh

I jumped into the cinema deciding to watch this without even watching the trailer or knowing what the movie about.

The movie intro started in a dark tone with a shot of a house and its dark interior showing something horrific happened there. Then it jumped into a college-ish intro of a group of teenage students (seven of them), campaigning for their student council presidency and planning a party for it.

Sam is the leader (also running for the presidency) with Mus, Min and the other four (Ive forgotten their name)

They packed and drive to this beautiful yet remote house (the same one at the starting shots) on top of a hill in the middle of a rainforest (the house number is 7, aptly). The house has been taken care by an Orang Asli Tok Batin and Suri, which has some relationship with Sam. Suri acting as the housekeeping during their stay. Mus and the three other boys starting to lay their eyes on Suri but Sam warned them to behave.

The three girls in the group also having some sexual taboo leniency and all of their true colors as showing when the party starts. A lot of flirting and drinking going around and Suri is caught in the middle of it and this is where the whole party ends.

Spoiler area

Suri went out of the house after the party bleeding and fell into the cliff and died even when the seven of them tried to help. Not knowing what to do with the body, Sam decided to burn it and this is the start of the haunting. They tried to get out of the house but the surrounding has been cast by a spell by Suri when she was alive, to "stop dark spirits to escape".

So one by one was haunted by the ghost of Suri seeking revenge. Until only Sam, Mus and Min remain. Mus then confessed and revealed that him and the other two boys (who has already died, killed by Suri) raped her, after earlier being seduced by one of the girl.

Sam got mad and wanted to kill Mus but being reminded that he is the one who burned the remain of Suri. Suri then came to haunt Mus to his death.

Tok Batin came into the scene and accepted Sam's apology and gave him a magical pendant which will take him pass the spell barrier. He managed to drive out but stopped by Suri

Min also managed to escape with the police inspector who has been investigating Suri's missing person case as was reported by Tok Batin but Min too, got killed.

It was revealed then Tok Batin is also involved in the past missing person cases in the area. Suri strikes lastly at Sam when he was captured in a strap jacket in a mental hospital.

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My thoughts

The production did a good job on this one. I love the look, the sound and some of the cinematography, framing is spot on. There are some moments of brilliance in the movie which I had wished being extended to the whole movie.

Chain FX has done a great job in delivering visual effects and also sound works are spot on.

Casting is also great but there is a gap of chemistry between them that could be filled with further interaction for the depth of character. Costume and make ups are great...accept the wig on Sam. The movie and his character would be better without it imho. Its a major distraction to me.

The dialogs are spoken in a mat rempit slang with them honing 70s dress just seems abit strange. I think it would be better if they have spoken in abit of a 70s Malay movies slang, just to link the visual and spoken cue which could result in a more believable 70s vibe.

The flow of the story is OK but could have been cut and written better.

There are no plot holes I think but the missing person cases and the final Tok Batin reveal is still abit unclear for me.

Worth the watch if you are a teen horror flick fan! Just a noob review!

p/s : Dee Dee Nash is smoking hot. Pitty she died too early in the movie. She also to me the most natural in the seven

Thanks for dropping by!