In the days leading up to her wedding, Abel (Nadine Chandrawinata) is confronted by a strange pregnant woman who claims she's carrying the child of her fiance, Wisnu (Yama Carlos). Shocked by this revelation, Abel feels that her world is falling apart and decides to kill herself. She fails her suicide attempt and suffers a near death experience. Now troubled and depressed, she finds comfort in her best friend, Charlie (Keith Foo), who asks her to take some time off at a large getaway mansion outside of town. Strange events begin to occur as the house is haunted by apparitions of the dead. Something from Abel's brush with death seems to be following her and the only way she can escape is if she dies once again.
What does it mean to mati suri? Well, it means to "die and live again", much like a coma or a near-death experience.
In this movie, a young lass named Abel is haunted by ghosts, following an unsuccessful suicide attempt. She is constantly 'invited' to enter the netherworld because as the movie tagline goes, mati tidak cukup sekali ("it isn't enough to die just once"). The story is simple and linear enough but it does get a little mazy towards the end.
Not that we're too bothered - there are a lot of impressive ghosts to look at throughout the movie. Realistic special effects and also suitable background music make the movie worth getting anxious over.
25-year-old lead actress Nadina Chandrawinata ("Realita, Cinta dan Rock N' Roll") was Miss Indonesia 2005 and also an ambassador for the 2006 Petronas Malaysian F1 Grand Prix. She might be quite the stunner but her acting is a bit stiff, especially when she's supposed to be absolutely terrified by the horrible apparitions in this movie. Instead, Keith Foo who plays her secret admirer does a better job.
Director Rizal Mantovani, most famous for the "Kuntilanak" movies, has done an impressive job with several scary sequences that are bound to get the audience jolting in their seats.
There's nothing terribly unique about "Mati Suri" compared to all the other horrors that are coming out from Indonesia but there is however a message for the audience - that suicide is a sin in Islam. Fans of this genre will not be disappointed.
