Hantu Kak Limah 2018 (Review)

“Enjit-enjit semut, siapa sakit naik atas,” and with, that she’s back!

“This time it’s for the audience,” Mamat Khalid announced before the grand premiere of Hantu Kak Limah and the screen expands to reveal the lush greens and the murky river in Kuala Kangsar where the movie was shot (the shooting also took place in Taiping). It has been years since the first feature attracted a cult following with Mamat Khalid’s zany characters, witty dialogue and undeniable humour changing the game for future horror comedies. As the director stated, it does seem that the sequel is tailored for the fans and moviegoers since it was filled with laugh out loud moments, catchy musical numbers, eye-popping cinematography and a personality laden cast. The film continues from the debacle of the previous movie with Kak Limah (Delimawati) finally healthy, well and happily married with a bird-hunter, Khuda (TJ Isa) whose friends are Hussin (Dato’ Awie), Yeh Sekupang (Rab Khalid), Wani (Sharwani) and Nayan (Ropie); the recurring and memorable main characters giving a window to the audience of what life is like in the small (and iconic) village of Kg. Pisang.

 

What makes this comedy as unique as its predecessor is the obvious tribute to the state of Perak which Mamat Khalid is from in the form of the architecture of the houses, the dialect and the retorts of the people and the mannerism of the villagers who knew everyone and their antics and care for the odd happenings in Kg. Pisang since the death of Kak Limah which was introduced very early on in the movie. The issue is no longer the living Kak Limah who was mentally disturbed but now it seems she is truly coming back as an evil spirit terrorising Yeh Sekupang in his household, Nayan by killing the lights in the morgue where her body lies and her husband, Khuda by sucking blood from his temple. Thus, begins the plot of Hussin and his friends breaking out in random musicals with songs like the one between Dato’ Awie and Mus May and their rendition of Srikandi Cintaku, visiting the dreamy alam bunian where his love interest, Zaitun (Uqasha Senrose) waited and teaming up with a silat teacher, Encik Solihin (Zul Ariffin) in battling the notorious Kak Limah’s ghost who appeared on screen accompanied by the drumming of a suspenseful and eerie track by Zulkiff Headwind.

It is evident that cinematography (through the eyes of Jack Rahmad) was a priority in the sequel as well as editing (by the hands of Amen Khalid) which provides for its visual comedy lightening the darkened cinema with roars of laughter. Even though there is a desire to see characters from Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah such as Usop Wilcha (Syed Muhamad Asri) and Abi Hurairah (Johan Raja Lawak) but the cast hold their own in ensuring the audience would remember their punch lines and stifle a giggle as they shuffle through the hall during the credits. What to expect as an audience is a stream of jokes which may work or make one ponder in confusion nonetheless the delivery of each gag will be hammered down by the actors to ensure that a joke was made. Hantu Kak Limah paces similarly as Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah in comedy, horror, characters and moments and there is even a twist in the end that was a welcoming surprise tying all the loopholes in the plot; it is a sequel worth waiting for.

Rating:

3.5/5

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Hantu Kak Limah is in theatres starting 9 August 2018. 

Featured image: BeritaHarian.sg