Naman Shrestha
A remake of the 2020 horror mystery film ‘The Boy Behind the Door,’ Netflix’s ‘Monster’ is an Indonesian horror thriller movie helmed by Rako Prijanto. It revolves around the friendship of Akana and Rabin, two best friends who have an unexpected and life-threatening hardship coming their way. Going about their day together, just like any other day, Akana and Rabin ride their bikes and spend time with each other by the river, reading the comics they just borrowed. In a horrifying turn of events, the duo is kidnapped by a strange man, who drugs them and puts them in the trunk of his car. Driving them away, the kidnapper takes Akana and Rabin to a secluded property at the top of a mountain.
While the latter is taken out of the trunk and held hostage in the villa, Akana manages to sneak out of the trunk and escape unharmed. Remembering the location of the house where her friend is still kept, she returns with a mission to rescue Rabin from the dangerous kidnapper. But are her efforts going to be enough, or is she going to pay for them alongside her friend? Featuring stellar performances from a bunch of talented Indonesian actors, comprising Marsha Timothy, Alex Abbad, Anantya Kirana, and Sulthan Hamonangan, the suspenseful film consists of another prominent character — the villa where most of the drama unfolds.
Where Was Monster Filmed?
Shooting for ‘Monster’ took place in its entirety in Indonesia, primarily across the city of Jakarta. According to reports, principal photography for the thriller film got underway in late March 2023 and went on for more than a month or so before wrapping up by the end of the first week of May of the same year.
Jakarta, Indonesia
A majority of ‘Monster’ was reportedly shot in and around the capital of Indonesia — Jakarta, which is officially known as the Special Capital Region of Jakarta. Situated on the northwest coast of Java, the capital city served as an ideal production location for the thriller, mostly thanks to the vastness and versatility of its landscape, which consists of historical as well as modern buildings.
The cast and crew members of ‘Monster’ supposedly set up camp in and around an actual residential property in the Jakarta area to shoot pivotal interior and exterior sequences. For the aerial shots, a portion of crew members supposedly captured the skyline of Jakarta from different areas to establish the setting of the movie. Thus, in the backdrop, many of you are likely to spot various landmarks and attractions associated with the city, such as the Merdeka Palace, the National Monument, the National Museum of Indonesia, Wisma 46, and the Selamat Datang Monument.
Read More: Best Kidnapping Movies on Netflix
