WHEN we talk about Malay horror movies, the first thing that comes mind is the story of someone visiting a place, breaking a sacred rule, getting possessed, and being saved by a shaman. But then comes a decently-executed Malay horror with action and comedy and fantasy elements — imagine Ghostbusters but scaled down to university students fighting paranormal beings — and everyone’s blown away. Case in point: Aliff Dalam 7 Dimensi (AD7D).
Despite it being a horror slash action movie, director Faisal Ishak skilfully includes moments that tickle the funny bones.
Half the time your heart will be racing, while in the other half, you’ll be laughing your socks off.
— Faisal Ishak, New Straits Times
AD7D has been garnering strong positive reception in cinemas across the nation; it’s one of few releases this year to show holding power on the local box office.
Debuting with an estimated RM0.4 million for the week ending 11 September, AD7D has drawn approximately RM1.1 million to date. The film looks set to buck a trend of high-profile underperformers as seen through Pekak (RM0.38 mil), Kampung Drift (RM0.36 mil) and Temuan Takdir (RM0.08 mil).
AD7D follows the story of a university student Aliff (Izzue Islam) who shies away from his peers at school because of a dark secret; Aliff can see ghosts and he also inherited a saka from his late father. His secret makes him a tad paranoid so he distances himself from everybody including his extremely inquisitive and humorous roommate, Naim (Alif Satar).
All this is accidentally revealed in class one day and a classmate notices him. That classmate is beauty-with-brains Anna (Juliana Evans). Knowing about Aliff’s secret makes Anna and Naim convinced him to help them look for paranormal entities. Anna claims she wants Aliff to help her on her thesis on String Theory (watch the movie to find out more!).
What viewers will get from the adventure is the opposite of disappointing, because Aliff kicks some paranormal butt throughout! Aliff can physically fight the ghosts they encounter with the help of his saka but there’s a catch: the more he uses his guardian spirit, the stronger it gets, and the less control he has over it. Things get complicated with the introduction of an antagonist who shares the same powers. Now what will happen to the trio?
So if this managed to grab your attention, check Aliff Dalam 7 Dimensi out at cinemas near you and get a copy of the comic book too, because it’ll help you know more about Aliff’s backstory.
For more information, check out Aliff Dalam 7 Dimensi on Facebook! Written by Aizuddin Norzaid and Deric Ect.
