When your film starts with a woman walking into the forest and hangs herself, you know that in no way is this going to be an easy ride. That woman was the mother of Hari (Cornelio Sunny, who also directed and co-wrote this with Ike Klose) and his sister Eka (Widika Sidmore) and she’s been showing up every night in their dreams and telling them to stay away from the small town where she lived and died. But yeah, you know how it goes, as we wouldn’t have a movie if they stayed put.

Death itself seems to stalk that town in the form of black magic, the black magic their mother gave birth to and everyone in this village hates them the moment they arrive. Look — if you go back home and your neighbors set your family home ablaze, you should probably leave.

When Eka’s boyfriend Adi (Moran Oey) gets possessed, again, it seems like time to go back to the city, but it’s too late and they’re too drawn in. This movie takes its time getting to where it needs to go but it’s a pretty dark ride and well made for a director’s first effort. The only real negative I have is that man, the footage looks beyond dark in some moments, but I can say that for so much out there today.

Death Knot is available on digital, DVD and blu ray from Well Go USA Entertainment.