Now, a new Malaysian-made film confirms this. “Geng Kubur”, a light-hearted horror film set in a forest, will certainly make you think twice about your next hike.
Produced by Iron Hill Media, it tells the tale of four kids who enjoy hanging out in cemeteries and creating stories about the people buried there. Think a more muhibbah version of the Midnight Society from the TV series “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”.
There’s Firhan (Firdaus Sufiyan), a good-natured kid haunted by the traumas of his past. Prem (Sasidaran Subramaniam) appears chill and goofy, but is conflicted about certain aspects of his identity.
Melati (Mia Sara Shauki) is a spirited tomboy so fascinated with the unknown, she even has an imaginary friend; while Fang Liang (Lion Chong) is the most level-headed of the group.
Firhan decides to visit a local forest to find the truth about what happened to him long ago. Lured by the promise of adventure (and a delicious duck noodle stall nearby), the gang accompanies him.
The four soon encounter a sinister entity that delights in manipulating their greatest fears and traumas. Will Firhan, Fang Liang, Prem and Melati manage to escape with their lives – or will they end up in the very graves they enjoy spending time in?
The film is directed by Gavin Yap, who wrote the script with Honey Ahmad. It also stars Mia Sabrina Mahadir, Bella Rahim, and Charles Roberts.
So, what’s the verdict? “Geng Kubur” is a fun, occasionally campy romp, with a few enjoyable scares here and there. Yes, its title may sound grave (heh), but this is not a conventional scary flick: it’s more a coming-of-age tale, with much humour thrown in to counterbalance its horror.
Stephen King fans may especially enjoy this, as it has elements of “Stand By Me” and “It” blended into the plot.
In an interesting inversion, most of the horror scenes take place in bright daylight, while the non-scary scenes often take place at night.
The young cast members have good chemistry and generally do a fine job. Their banter is realistic, and each of them has fun little moments. Some of the jokes do fall flat and there are some super cringey lines, but hey, these are teenagers after all.
The biggest drawback is that certain parts of the story feel underdeveloped. For example, much is said about the four being drawn to one another because they are outcasts at school, but we see little suggesting this to be the case.
Certain plot elements – like the appearance of an unexpected character – are teased, only to have rather minimal impact on the overall story.
At times, “Geng Kubur” feels like four different stories stitched into one, as the film explores each character’s very different fears. Psychologists will have a whale of a time as there are just enough layers to these scenes to make them interesting.
One character’s fears, in particular, are depicted in a very surreal, over-the-top manner, which audiences will either really delight in – or despise.
The problem with four stories, though, is that the main plot sometimes feels fractured. Some stories could have benefited from more development, while others feel like they have too much time devoted to them. You get the feeling this kind of narrative might have worked better in a TV show.
Nevertheless, “Geng Kubur” definitely has its charms. Younger audiences will probably enjoy the frights and jokes, while its moments of teenage camaraderie and adventure might evoke nostalgia in older viewers.
As a bonus its rather whimsical ending suggests some sort of sequel could be in store. Hopefully, this will be the case.
‘Geng Kubur’ begins screening in cinemas from today.