Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams (Series)

Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams

Joko Anwar has risen into prominence as an Indonesian filmmaker who delivers some absolutely top-tier horror. Many of his films are absolute testaments as to how asian filmmaking delivers in horror on a level no others can match. Unfortunately, this series is ultimately a frustrating experience, as while there is a lot to genuinely appreciate in its portrayal of the desperate and downtrodden, the direction and filmmaking, the themes and ideas behind each episode, and certainly the horror elements. As individual episodes of anthology horror, most are certainly entertaining and engaging, with a strong focus on the desperation within the daily grind of those beneath recognizable poverty levels, compounded by the setting, which portrays a level of poverty unfathomable to most American audiences… but yet almost every episode seems to disappoint. Be it atrocious CG monsters, or a lack of resolution, or a descent into absurdity, this series squanders a lot of potential in its setting and situations. The characters are uniformly well drawn and developed, and understanding and empathizing with each is never a challenge, even with the more unlikable and unsympathetic characters. The horror elements can be great, and revisit familiar themes under a different lens. Additionally, what is rather well executed is a linkage between the episodes, which feel very standalone and disconnected, unless one is paying very close attention to the dates and timelines. Up until the last two episodes, one would be easily convinced this was standalone anthology horror, until the filmmakers unify all the threads. Unfortunately, despite the effectiveness of the gimmick, the result is a campy supernatural Avengers, which plays absurdly. While there is much to appreciate, there’s equal amount to critique, and while the whole ends up being stronger than the disparate parts, it is still far from the horror experience his films often deliver. 

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