May the Devil Take You

Lesmana Wijaya participates in a satanic ritual to gain wealth. Flashes of news clippings show his rise to fame, his first wife suicide, his marriage to retired actress Laksmi, and his imminent bankruptcy.

After not seeing her father for many years, Lesmana's estranged daughter Alfie is informed that Lesmana has been hospitalized due to mysterious illness that leaves him a coma. At the hospital, she meets her step-siblings Ruben, Maya, and Nara. Alfie learns that Laksmi is searching the abandoned family villa for valuables.

Later at the villa, Ruben uncovers a sealed basement door at the demand of Laksmi. This unleashes a supernatural presence that simultaneously attacks Lesmana in his hospital bed and possesses Laksmi, who then attacks Maya. Alfie attempts to take Maya to the hospital, but a delirious Maya flees into the forest. Maya fends off an attack by possessed Maya, only to succumb to the presence. She murders Ruben's girlfriend Lily, who had answered his pleas for rescue.

Meanwhile Alfie and Ruben discover Lesmana gained his wealth by sacrificing the souls of those around him. Alfie also fully recalls the moment of her mother's death, realizing that it was due to the demonic pact and not suicide. The presence also continues to torment Alfie, Ruben, and Nara.

Maya returns to the villa, where she discovers a set of dolls made with the hair of each respective family member just before the presence invites her to become a satanic priestess. Fully under its sway, Maya confronts her siblings. She pleads with Ruben to join her, as the devil only wants the souls of Alfie and Nara. He refuses, prompting her to murder him by dismembering a doll made of his hair.

Alfie experiences a vision of her father betraying and killing the satanic priestess, and getting cursed by her with the mysterious illness. He then buries her under the cellar floor. Realizing that the presence is actually the priestess and that it is in control of Maya's body, Alfie tries to bargain for Maya's release. The priestess mocks Alfie, claiming that Maya has fully become one with her, before using Alfie's doll to torture her. Alfie then takes Maya's hair doll and burns it in the fire, resulting in Maya's death. Alfie then digs up the body of the priestess in order to burn the chunk of Lesmana's hair that she swallowed. Alfie then sees the priestess, who drags her down underground.

Alfie awakens in a pit of mud, where she is entwined in hair. She manages to free herself but is unable to climb out of the pit. Just as she has given up, Alfie hears her mother's voice and sees her hand. She uses it to climb out of the pit, discovering that the hand actually belongs to Nara. Now free, the pair escape the villa. Back in the home, the camera pans over the villa's interior and shows the dark doorway of the basement.

• Chelsea Islan as Alfie Wijaya: Lesmana and Intan's daughter, Laksmi's step-daughter, Maya and Ruben's step-sister, Nara's half-sister.
• Nicole Rossi as young Alfie
• Pevita Pearce as Maya Wijaya: Laksmi's daughter, Alfie's step-sister, Ruben's elder sister, Nara's half-sister.
• Karina Suwandi as Laksmi Surya: Alfie's step-mother, Lesmana's second wife, Maya, Ruben and Nara's mother, a retired actress.
• Ray Sahetapy as Lesmana Wijaya: Alfie and Nara's father, Intan and Laksmi's husband, Maya and Ruben's step-father, an entrepreneur
• Samo Rafael as Ruben Wijaya: Alfie's step-brother, Laksmi's son, Maya's brother, Nara's half-brother.
• Ruth Marini as The Priestess
• Daniel Ekapurta as Berserker Priestess
• Hadijah Shahab as Nara Wijaya: Alfie, Maya and Ruben's half-sister, Laksmi and Lesmana's daughter.
• Clara Bernadeth as Lily, Ruben's girlfriend.
• Kinaryosih as Intan Wijaya: Alfie's mother and Lesmana's first wife who was killed by the Devil.
• Abimana Aryasatya as the voice of the Devil

It was released on August 9, 2018 on Netflix streaming.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received {{a or an|{{RT data|score}}}} positive aggregate rating, based on 14 reviews.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/may_the_devil_take_you|title=May the Devil Take You|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}

{{Main|May the Devil Take You Too}}

A sequel entitled May the Devil Take You Too was released in Indonesia on February 27, 2020 theatrically and was followed up with a digital release to Disney+ Hotstar. It was later given an American release through Shudder.{{Cite web|last=Jumat|first=Wib|date=2020-02-28|title=Teror Kutukan Masih Berlanjut dalam "Sebelum Iblis Menjemput Ayat 2"|url=https://www.indozone.id/movie/aPs45y/teror-kutukan-masih-berlanjut-dalam-sebelum-iblis-menjemput-ayat-2|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-11|website=indozone.id|language=id-ID}}

Timo Tjahjanto has announced that May the Devil Take You: Chapter Three is in development, adding that he has already thought about what characters he can dig deeper into and explore more further.{{cite web|title=Sebelum Iblis Menjemput Ayat 3 Siap Digarap!|date=21 October 2020 |url=https://ussfeed.com/sebelum-iblis-menjemput-ayat-3-siap-digarap/pop-culture/|publisher=USSFeed.com|language=id|access-date=28 September 2024}}{{Cite web|last=Prahastiwi|first=Neressa|title=Sutradara Bocorkan 'Sebelum Iblis Menjemput Ayat 3: Dajjal' Segera Dibuat|url=https://www.wowkeren.com/berita/tampil/00335486.html|access-date=2020-11-11|website=WowKeren.com}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|url=https://www.netflix.com/title/81030893|title=May the Devil Take You|publisher=Netflix}}
• {{IMDb title|8765496}}
• {{rotten-tomatoes|may_the_devil_take_you}}

{{Timo Tjahjanto}}

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Category:2018 films

Category:2018 horror films

Category:2010s psychological horror films

Category:Demons in film

Category:The Devil in film

Category:Films about exorcism

Category:Monster movies

Category:Indonesian psychological horror films

Category:2010s Indonesian-language films

Category:Netflix original films

Category:Films directed by Timo Tjahjanto