“sMOTHERed” follows Alif, a micro-painting artist who returns home to a stranger claiming to be his mother after surviving an accident with memory loss.
Rather than immediately setting up the horrors, “sMOTHERed” builds an environment. It’s one that is similar to another 2026 release, “Affection,” where the lead character suffers from memory loss after an accident. These films are also akin in that they both revolve around a family member (or several) possibly not being exactly who they seem. Here, it’s an emotional introduction that lingers on the pain of forgetting. This approach creates a world that’s worth investing in with characters that you can easily root for. It’s not all about the dramatics, however, as there is inherent unease in not recognizing the face of someone you love or even yourself. While smiles are plentiful in the early stages, doubts and anxieties are still hidden beneath the surface.
Despite consistent friction, the scares feel forced here. Mainly relegated to dreams, “sMOTHERed” inserts generic jump scares when it doesn’t really need to. These often become more like intrusions than anything else, pulling away from the true tension that is at hand.
The first half of the film is gripping, with an abundance of questions asked and no real answers given. Something “strange” is going on, but it’s not quite clear what it is. Joko Anwar, Aline Djayasukmana and Rafki Hidayat’s script is smart in this way. By keeping the focus on simple conversations, the audience is able to decipher the small peculiarities that occur for themselves. As it nears its climax, however, this begins to change.
When Alif starts searching for answers himself, cracks begin to form in the seemingly strong foundation. “sMOTHERed” loses its sense of identity over the second half of the 98-minute runtime. What was once a psychological family drama turns into a sort of true-crime thriller at times. It’s a jarring experience because of this — a similar issue that 2026’s “Psycho Killer” also possessed. The film is also confused about what type of horror it wants to be in general. It’s primarily psychological, but there is also folk horror interwoven throughout. Aspects of the story revolve around the Indonesian folktale Malin Kundang. It’s not necessary to the narrative, however, more so feeling tacked on to round out the runtime.
As “sMOTHERed” steps out of its initial confines, most of the intensity is lost. Yudhi Arfani and Zeke Khaseli’s score kicks into high gear, but the narrative itself does not. Instead, it falls in line with many other genre entries, giving answers that are easy to see coming from the start. The characters also become shells of their former selves. While some threads are neatly tied up, many more are left dangling. “sMOTHERed” is missing a moment of retrospect that makes the entire journey worth it. This doesn’t happen, choosing to move in several different directions without providing satisfactory character conclusions.
Director of photography Ical Tanjung gives the movie an eerie aesthetic. The camerawork isn’t in-your-face; it’s slow-moving. With long-winded pans capturing subdued corridors, the visuals reward patience.
Rio Dewanto (Alif) stars. Dewanto delivers heightened emotions that correlate with the character’s confused state. While his performance is full of normalcy, it also contains plenty of anger, fear and panic. He is able to balance the more muted and loud aspects of Alif well. Also appearing are Faradina Mufti (Nadine), Jordan Omar (Emir) and Vonny Anggraini (Aminah).
“sMOTHERed” starts as an emotional examination of fractured familial bonds. As the horrors are cut loose, so is the meaning behind it.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
