::::::::::::::: Aris' Little Spot

Well... what can I say about Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam 2, the much-anticipated sequel to the excellent Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam... It won awards in France, but just isn't doing the same in it's home country. A tragic love story, with lots of mystical elements thrown in...

It's a well-made film, with superb cinematography and cool special effects, especially the flying, which uses awesome angles that make you wonder how it's done. The acting's also quite good, and even if some of the actors didn't too well, there's always the lovely Maya Karin to watch. She's just so pretty in this movie. She once again takes on 3 roles, which are primadonna Meriam, her daughter Maria and the Pontianak of course. There's a new character, Joyo, who I find awfully irritating at times, but maybe he's meant to be like that, and if it is so, then I must say the actor did a swell job. I find the movie to have focused a lil too much on the mystical powers of kuda kepang, and maybe they shouldn't have explored that far. Pontianak (laughably translated as "banshee") was really good, and I love the way they didn't use the stereotype ways of scaring viewers. They show scenes like rooms that look perfectly normal, till you see it properly. Then there she'll be, hiding in the darkness... for you! Buahahaha~

Excellent settings define this movie, and it completes the saga, with the missing bits and pieces answered. Love the way they showed sepia-colored scenes from the 1st movie and slowly blended it into the current one. I have a feeling there won't be a part 3, and I hope there isn't one, as it might water down the story, which is already quite good. The ending is as touching as local movies might get, with me weeping a tear or two at the relationship between a mother and a daughter. Without giving too much away, let me just say that the ending scene will move you... It's simply splendid. Makes you wonder at times, is this movie actually produced locally? Well, at a staggering cost of RM2.8 million, this isn't exactly cheap for a local movie. And it's nice to know the money is well spent...

Worth a watch, and to enjoy it more, watch the 1st movie 1st...