SATAN'S SLAVE 2:COMMUNION is a terrific horror film which has a great atmosphere and succeeds immensely due to the competent direction of Joko Anwar. The plot is good but could have used more focused writing. The pace is slow but it methodically builds towards a tremendous finale although the information-dense climax leaves a lot to be desired in terms of the resolution of various threads, due to that the film feels a bit like a filler for the third part of the franchise.
If you want to see how to effectively build a great thrilling scene, look no further than the elevator crash scene and how Anwar builds it to a great crescendo using superb camerawork and sublime cuts. Also, the scene of Tari's prayer is exceptionally conceived and the use of close-ups and long takes is exemplary.
On a standalone basis, it's still a solid horror film with an effective mood, awesome technical aspects, brilliant acting and excellent scares but could have been much better only if the plot gave us some idea of what we are dealing with here. Let's hope the next part gives answers to those burning questions. But for now, I am extremely contented by what was offered and would easily term it better than its predecessor simply due to its expansive scope and the way it organically builds upon its predecessor without falling into the traps of redundancy and ridiculousness.
Just go for it!
