KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — Ghost in the Cell is the latest offering by prominent Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar. 

The film also marks a rare endeavour into dark comedy by Joko, who is best known for his slew of gut-wrenching and bloody horror films such as Impetigore and Satan’s Slaves.  

It is currently making waves in Indonesia, where the film has attracted more than two million viewers since its release on April 16, with the first million admissions recorded in its first six days after premiere.

On top of that, the film has also garnered positive responses from international audiences following its premiere at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) last February. 

Set in a notorious high-security prison, Ghost in the Cell centres around an invisible malevolent force that begins brutally killing inmates. As the mounting bloodshed turns the facility into a slaughterhouse, rival gangs and corrupt guards — who once lived in a state of constant war — are forced to cast aside their egos and unite. 

Together, they must uncover the dark motive behind the hauntings and pacify an otherworldly enemy that feeds on the negative energy of the cell.

The cast of Ghost in the Cell includes Indonesian actors such as Endy Arfian, Abimana Aryasatya and Lukman Sardi as well as a couple of prominent Malaysian stars including Bront Palarae and Ho Yuhang. 

Same same but different 

Although Ghost in the Cell is still within the horror genre, delving into dark comedy is new territory for Joko, as most of his films are typically serious and more complex.

However, speaking to Malay Mail, Joko said this was done so that the film could cater to a wider audience. And although the issues raised in the film have their reference to Indonesia’s current political climate, Joko reassured that it is still relatable to others, especially audiences in South-east Asian countries.

“So it’s not just for Indonesians actually – because what’s happening in Indonesia, which is portrayed in the film, actually happens in many other South-east Asian countries, especially Malaysia I think. 

“Because the movie talks about deforestation, environmental corruption and corruption in general, and it points out how the justice systems don’t really side with the people. 

“So I think it is relatable to many other people in other South-east Asian countries too,” Joko said.

The 50-year-old director is no stranger when it comes to dishing out socio-political commentaries through his films – for example, his very first film Janji Joni gave subtle jabs to Indonesian filmmakers who are in it only for the money instead of making something that could contribute to society. 

His second feature film Kala touches on how certain leaders are more prone to believing superstitions instead of logic and much like his previous works, Ghost in the Cell is also laden with these commentaries as Joko felt that this is something he is compelled to do as a filmmaker. 

Aside from that, an Indonesian ministry recently organised a screening of Ghost in the Cell and invited Joko, along with several other government officials and civil servants.

Joko shared that he was surprised that the film actually sat well with that particular audience and added that several civil servants even came up to thank him for producing the film. 

“I believe that there are people who are trying to change the system from within and I guess this film inspired those who are doing the same thing within the system too. 

“The government, I don’t think they are really making decisions, policies and regulations that really side with the people. 

“But I do believe that there are still some good people, at least 10 per cent in every system who are still trying to do some good,” he said. 

Chemistry among ensembles

Ghost in the Cell highlights Joko Anwar’s habit of bridging regional talent, featuring Malaysian heavyweights Bront Palarae and Ho Yuhang. 

While Bront is a long-time regular, this marks a historic first on-screen appearance for director Ho, who has previously only collaborated with Joko from behind the scenes.

Ho plays an incarcerated drug kingpin named Rendra who has a history of eluding the law previously.

“While developing the character, I kept wondering why this character feels very familiar in my mind.

“It prompted me to describe the character to some of my crew who immediately told me that I am describing my friend, Ho Yuhang – and that’s when it hit me ‘oh my god, it is Yuhang!

“So I gave him a call and asked him to be in the film,” Joko said. 

Talking more about his character, Ho said that Joko had actually prepared a backstory for Rendra who came from a mixed background which explains his more colloquial Malaysian dialect in the film and despite being smaller in size compared to the other inmates, Rendra’s wrath was not to be underestimated.

“I suppose it’s interesting because a very violent sort of person can come in a very small shape. 

“He (Rendra) is like the scary Joe Pesci in Goodfellas – short but terrifying,” Ho said. 

The Mrs. K director pointed out that when playing Rendra, he also took inspiration from several former gangsters he had met in real life.

Aside from that, Ho, who described Ghost in the Cell as a brilliant blend of genre film with meaningful storyline, also praised the chemistry among the cast on set. 

“What is exciting and something that I haven’t quite seen before is the chemistry between those actors. 

“It is as if they really live in jail and they’ve been friends for a long time. 

“The sort of ensemble chemistry that he got out of the cast is just really amazing,” Ho said, adding that there are no hierarchies when it comes to Joko’s set and everyone was treated equally no matter what role they played.  

A zen set and a pinch of motivational fear

Meanwhile, Bront Palarae plays a sadistic prison guard named Jefry in Ghost in the Cell. According to Bront – who has worked with Joko for the past 10 years across six projects – he described Joko’s set as very “zen”.

“It’s very zen, low decibel, there’s almost no noise so there’s a lot of clarity and focus.

“In terms of preparation, I think he is the most detailed – in fact, he had also prepared a backstory for all of the extras in the film so that they know the background of each of their characters,” Bront said. 

He also pointed out that every Joko project is an intentional attempt to “push the ceiling” or raise the industry standard which sort of makes every film a risk because he is constantly entering “uncharted territory”.

However, in terms of the relationship between actors and the director, Bront said there’s a genuine trust that the cast has with Joko, knowing that the director is not just looking out for good “shots” but also the well being of his actors too.

Bront also said that for recurring actors, they all shared the same collective fear that Joko would call out their performance as recycled stuff or repetitive; however this fear also acts as a creative engine, keeping even the most experienced actors alert and preventing them from becoming complacent.

“I think it puts us on our toes, all of us. But he also appreciates good performances too. 

“Whenever he gets some outstanding performances, he will share them with the team too, which also spreads another level of anxiety,” Bront said, adding that the fear is not negative but works more like a motivation for them to do better. 

Faced with “chunky” blocks of dialogue and a challenging fast-tempo delivery, Bront said that he had to meticulously realign his interpretation of the script with Joko’s specific character biography. 

By understanding Jefry’s backstory, he was able to naturally tap into the character’s antagonistic nature, using his performance to intentionally push the emotional boundaries of the ensemble cast.

Despite the linguistic hurdles and the high-pressure environment, the experience felt like an exhilarating “picnic in the park” fuelled by a shared creative adrenaline on set.

“Because we play by functionality as well – like there’s a certain level of energy you need to push into the other characters to elicit a specific emotional response. 

“So it’s more like a give and take process but on a larger scale as it involves a large ensemble. it is quite fun as well,” Bront said. 

Following its release in Indonesia on April 16, Ghost in the Cell has made its way to Malaysian shores and it is currently showing in cinemas nationwide starting from April 30.