Don't Look Back
Don't Look Back
| 04 April 2007 (USA)
Don't Look Back Trailers

Jangan Pandang Belakang (translates as "Don't Look Behind") is a 2007 Malaysian horror film directed by Ahmad Idham. It holds the record as the highest-grossing film in Malaysia, which was previously held by 1994 drama film Sembilu.

Reviews
IkhwanArif

I don't know if the cast and crew of this film feel embarrassed but they should be. This is one of the more horrendously bad Malay ghost stories I've ever watched. I think what's more embarrassing is the reception it had; this film actually had people who liked it, and it garnered local awards.As a producer, David Teo botched the entire movie, with laughable sets, effects and sound. Instead of feeling creeped or scared, you actually feel a deep cringe at the childishness of it; it's like watching a kindergarten stage play. Kang Wei Ng is a horrid composer, using synthesizers that sound like midi files. Ahmad Mustapha just fails in editing, as the film is choppy all over. The cinematography is stale and lame, like watching a film from the 70s, there is close up, no wide shot, no clever angles, nothing.Ahmad Idham is simply, a bad director and worst screenwriter. The pacing is terrible, the shots are plain and boring, the dialogue is atrocious and nonsensical, there is no suspense nor mystery, and the story has holes left and right. Pierre Andre and Intan Ladyana are shamefully bad actors; they can't display a single convincing emotion; not fear, not anger, not shock, not stress, not despair - nothing believable. Jalaludin Hassan is simply pretentious and annoying but at least he still comes across entertaining. Without doubt, this is a spectacularly bad film, but...Maybe, the people who liked this film, liked it because it is such a bad film. You know, like how Tommy Wiseau's The Room has fans? Maybe my countrymen aren't idiots, but actually are trolling the film industry. I want to believe this is so bad because the alternative means, that I live among a nation of superstitious bumpkins.

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Guo Shao-hua

Jangan Pandang Belakang, despite making a killing at the local box-office, isn't even scary and is full of plot holes:1. When your fiancée seemingly commits suicide, but you and her sister discover a voicemail with her screaming in terror that something's after her, shouldn't you go to the police with the evidence, instead of trying to "get to the bottom of it" by yourself?2. When you're suppose to be alone at home in the middle of the night, and you hear a voice say "Hey! It's me!", won't you get the hell out or grab a baseball bat, instead of asking "Who's that?" and proceeding towards the voice?3.Pierre Andre's character comes from a traditional, old-fashioned family that lives in the village but he has a cool name like Darma? 4. Darma seems like a man of few words, but when his fiancée's sister asks "Did something happen between you and my sister?" he immediately launches into a tirade at superspeed, suddenly sounding like Speedy Gonzales on crack.5. What does that ghostly family of three that enters the lift after Darma exits have to do with anything?6. Are all office security guards so helpful like those public service Berhati-hati Di Jalanraya ads, even telling you "Drive carefully, and look to your left and right" before you leave?7. Long-haired ghosts are so passe. What's worse is a ghost that does nothing but claw at the air whenever it appears. What's even worse is a ghost that claws at the air and even splits its hair with its hands (when it's not clawing) to reveal its "scary face".8. The fiancée's sister is surprised to see the bottle with the yellow cloth tied around it when Darma shows it to her, even when she's actually seen the bottle before when her sister found it on the beach.9. What's the point of trapping a ghost in a bottle when the ghost appears at the window IMMEDIATELY after it's bottled? And what's the point when it can still haunt people and even kill them when the cork hasn't been removed?10. Why didn't the exorcist use the cob of corn trick in the first place and save everyone all the trouble? Darma could have been one happy guy instead of moping around unshaven, looking scarier than the ghost.

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ajreal

This ghost movie is NEVER comparable to ghost movie produced by our neighbor country (Yes, Thai ghost movie might not very high standard, but at least they have the classic "Shutter", "Nang Nak"...) not even comparable to "The Maid", film in Singapore.Watching this movie like watching a 70s Hong Kong ghost movie. Silly, ridiculous plot, lousy acting, funny costume design (yes, indeed), and the ultimate-strange sound effect & mixing (Can someone recall the sound mixing for "The Sixth Sense" or "The Others" ?)Excuse me for compare to mega budget Hollywood movie to Malaysia film, but come on ... is pretty shame for Malaysian film Industry. Handful movies (I mean decent one, not the JELAKA Comedy movie) being produced equivalent to in-experiences.Ironically, this movie get the successfully in box office. Is that what audience love to see. I bet not!

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