Cursed (2025) Review: A Daughter's Fight Against Black Magic

This Cursed review covers Sihir Pelakor, a 2025 Indonesian action drama about a family torn apart by black magic. Director Bobby Prasetyo builds the film around a daughter's stubborn love for her father. It runs a tight 93 minutes, so it never overstays its welcome.

Cursed Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Cursed plot starts with a broken home. Because of a spell from Rini, Edi walks out on his wife and their two children. His daughter Vita is left to make sense of a father who suddenly seems like a stranger.

Vita does not simply grieve. She tries to win her father back and return him to the arms of his family. That goal gives the story a clear, emotional engine, and the film keeps its focus there.

The original Indonesian title, Sihir Pelakor, signals the theme: a home-wrecker and the dark magic she uses. The script is credited to Upi. This review sticks to the setup, so you will find no twists here.

What Works in Cursed

The strongest asset is the emotional hook. A child losing a parent to someone else's scheming is easy to understand, and the film treats Vita's pain with sincerity rather than winking at it.

• A clear central goal: Vita wants her father home, and every scene pushes from that wish.

• Brisk pacing: At 93 minutes, the film moves quickly from setup to conflict.

• Genre mix: It blends family drama with action-tinged tension, so it avoids being a plain melodrama. If you like this blend, browse more action movie reviews or our drama movie reviews.

The cultural flavor also helps. Black magic as a domestic weapon is familiar territory in Indonesian storytelling, and the film plays it with conviction.

Cursed Cast and Performances

The Cursed cast is led by newcomer Neona Ayu as Vita. One IMDb user singled out her performance as impressive, and that matches the film's design: she carries the emotional weight as a child who refuses to give up.

Asmara Abigail plays Rini, the woman behind the spell. A Letterboxd reviewer called her a proper baddie, and she gives the villain a clear, hissing presence. Fathir Muchtar plays Edi, the father caught in the middle, and Marcella Zalianty appears as Jumiati.

Jared Ali plays Dwi, and Hana Pitrashata Malasan appears as Adult Vita. That casting suggests the story reaches beyond one moment in time, though I will not say how.

Where Cursed Stumbles

The film's biggest weakness is familiarity. One Letterboxd reviewer felt the story formula is clichéd, and the premise of a mistress, a spell and a wounded family does follow well-worn tracks.

The same viewer noted that some sub-plots feel underdeveloped. With a short runtime and several family members to serve, that is understandable, but a few threads are likely to feel thin.

It is also hard to judge the film against a wide critical consensus. I found no published critic scores. Audience ratings are modest and based on small samples, with IMDb at 6.1/10 from 198 ratings.

Is Cursed Worth Watching?

Yes, if you want a compact, emotionally driven Indonesian drama with a supernatural edge. Cursed does not reinvent its formula, but it delivers a clear story and a promising lead performance.

Viewers who value originality above all may find it predictable. Those who enjoy heightened family melodrama will likely be more forgiving. The early audience response is mixed to positive, though the numbers are small.

It is not a film to expect jump scares from. Despite some descriptions calling it a horror-thriller, the listed genres here are action and drama, and the human conflict comes first. For a longer watchlist, our Blocking the Horse review covers another 2025 action-flavored title. You can also check the film's IMDb page for audience ratings and cast details.

Who Will Enjoy Cursed

• Fans of Indonesian family dramas with a supernatural twist.

• Viewers who want a short, focused watch built on emotion rather than spectacle.

• Anyone curious about newcomer Neona Ayu and the cast around her.