Munafik

Syamsul Yusof's 2016 Malaysian film follows a healer who cannot accept his wife's death. He treats people by religious means; when he agrees to treat a woman named Maria, strange things begin happening at the house. The film builds its horror through Islamic narratives of jinn. That is a common tradition in Malaysian cinema; the narrative does not separate religion from fear and the treatment scenes proceed through recitation. It was made on a low budget and reached among the highest box office figures in Malaysia to that point; a sequel followed. The effects are limited and the tension comes through sound design and darkness. Yusof both directs and stars. Who it's for: those curious about Southeast Asian horror. Who it's not for: viewers uncomfortable with jump scares; the film uses them often, and some scenes stay unclear to viewers without the religious context.