If a long-lost relative you never even knew existed suddenly showed up and promised you a better life in a big mansion, would you take the offer? Honestly, many would.

Now add a demonic goat apparition the night before, a severed black goat’s head dropping into your kitchen, and your house burning down soon after. Suddenly, that surprise family reunion might feel a little… suspicious.

But for siblings Sabdo and Intan, who have lost everything, the offer feels less like a warning and more like a lifeline.

Accepting help from their mysterious “uncle” throws them headfirst into a demonic conflict at the heart of Indonesian folk horror film “Janur Ireng: Sewu Dino the Prequel”.

A prequel to “Sewu Dino” (as the title suggests) and directed by Kimo Stamboel, “Janur Ireng” sets out to answer some of the questions left behind by its predecessor.

While the 94-minute film delivers unsettling music, bloody rituals, and a goat demon that feels like it wandered in from “Rosemary’s Baby”, it ultimately raises almost as many questions as it answers.

At its core, the film revolves around Sabdo (Marthino Lio) and Intan (Nyimas Ratu Rafa), unlucky pawns in a centuries-old hunger for wealth and power.

Caught between rival demonic forces and ruthless family ambitions, the siblings become unwilling vessels for dark rituals, with their suffering forming the emotional spine of the film.

The story follows the pair after their modest village life is destroyed by a mysterious house fire. With nowhere else to turn, they accept shelter from Arjo Kuncoro (Tora Sudiro), a wealthy man claiming to be their uncle, and move into his imposing ancestral mansion.

What begins as rescue soon feels like entrapment. As supernatural disturbances escalate, Sabdo realises they were brought there for a reason – and escaping may come at a terrible cost.

Importantly, the film doesn’t demand any prior knowledge to work. Even without the baggage of its predecessor, “Janur Ireng” stands confidently on its own, delivering well-timed jump scares, an eerily vast mansion as its central playground, and ancient rituals that are genuinely chilling.

For fans of “Sewu Dino”, there’s extra fun in spotting younger versions of familiar characters and seeing the mythology expanded through family politics and dark traditions.

That said, some may be frustrated by lingering mysteries.

Why are the families feuding? What fuels Karsa’s (one of the main characters in “Sewu Dino”) obsession with revenge? And how does the demon bound to his family ultimately turn against them?

Those answers, for now, remain frustratingly out of reach. Well, the last five minutes of “Janur Ireng” attempt to forge a direct link to “Sewu Dino”, but the moment feels forced and unsubstantial. In fact, if it were removed entirely, the film would lose very little.

Where horror is concerned, however, “Janur Ireng” largely delivers. Beyond the jump scares, there are plenty of unsettling moments that tap into fears familiar to a Nusantara audience.

Black goats as symbols of demonic rituals, the idea of saka – dark supernatural entities passed down through generations to secure wealth and power – and the extreme lengths people will go to remain dominant all hit close to home.

Ultimately, “Janur Ireng” works best as a cautionary tale: don’t trust easy promises of endless wealth, resist the dark forces that tempt from all sides, stay loyal to family and friends, and never strike a deal with the Devil in the pursuit of power.

So, if you’re looking to scare yourself and walk out of the cinema feeling slightly disturbed, “Janur Ireng” is worth catching.

But if you’re watching mainly to connect the dots to Sewu Dino, you may leave a little disappointed.

Chances are, another prequel may be waiting in the wings to explain how it all really began. Capitalising on audiences’ love for horror? Now that’s the real horror story.

As of press time, ‘Janur Ireng: Sewu Dino the Prequel’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.