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May the Devil Take You (2018) movie poster

Plot Summary

May the Devil Take You (2018) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 110 min · Indonesian
Echo score 63
JustWatch #34,054 2
Directed by
Timo Tjahjanto
Starring
Ray Sahetapy, Ruth Marini, Karina Suwandhi, Chelsea Islan, Clara Bernadeth, Hadijah Shahab

A young woman investigates her father’s deteriorating health and the history of his long-abandoned villa. She discovers a disturbing past connected to the house, revealing a legacy of dark secrets and a terrifying evil that puts her and her father in grave danger. The investigation uncovers a malevolent force determined to claim them both.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 How it ends
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like May the Devil Take You
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch May the Devil Take You (2018)

Where can you watch May the Devil Take You? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Netflix and Netflix Standard: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in May the Devil Take You: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of May the Devil Take You (2018) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Lesmana Wijaya finds himself ensnared in a dark pact to attain riches, setting off a chain of events that unfurls through newspaper clippings chronicling his ominous ascent to fame. Amidst this, the tragic suicide of his first wife, Intan, and his subsequent marriage to the retired actress Laksmi lead him down a path toward inevitable bankruptcy. His estranged daughter, Alfie, grapples with deep resentment towards her father for marrying Laksmi, despite holding no animosity towards her step-siblings, Ruben, Maya, and Nara.

After years of separation, Alfie receives startling news that Lesmana has been hospitalized, stricken by a strange and terrifying illness that has left him in a coma. During her time at the hospital, she learns that Laksmi intends to scavenge through their dilapidated family villa for hidden treasures, leading Alfie to experience mysterious supernatural occurrences.

In a critical moment, Ruben reluctantly opens a sealed basement door at their mother's urging, expecting to uncover hidden valuables. What he unleashes, however, is a malevolent supernatural force that simultaneously afflicts Lesmana and overtakes Laksmi, forcing her to turn violently against Maya. In a desperate attempt to secure medical assistance for her sister, Alfie’s efforts fail, resulting in a frantic Maya fleeing into the foreboding woods. In an intense confrontation, Maya overcomes her mother's sinister influence but ultimately succumbs to the overwhelming presence and becomes a vessel for evil.

As Maya spirals further into darkness, she gruesomely murders Ruben's girlfriend, Lily, who had come to help him, while Alfie and Ruben uncover the horrific truth behind Lesmana's wealth—the sacrifices of innocent souls. Alfie’s memories resurface, revealing that her mother's death was not a suicide but a consequence of Lesmana's demonic bargain. The dark presence continues to wreak havoc, tormenting Alfie, Ruben, and Nara.

Maya's return to the villa leads her to a chilling discovery—a collection of dolls crafted from the hair of each family member, moments before the malevolent being tempts her with the prospect of becoming a satanic priestess. Fully under its control, Maya violently turns against her siblings, urging Ruben to join her in their malevolent fate. His refusal results in a horrific act as she dismembers a doll made of his hair, symbolizing her betrayal. Meanwhile, Alfie, trapped in despair, glimpses the horrifying betrayal of her father as he murders the satanic priestess.

In a climactic moment, as chaos unfolds, she attempts to reach out to Maya but is met with mocking cruelty as the priestess declares Maya's complete subjugation to her will. Determined to fight back, Alfie destroys Maya's doll in flames—an act that leads to Maya's tragic end. Seeking vengeance, Alfie digs up the priestess's corpse to incinerate the portion of Lesmana's hair she ingested. This act brings forth a sudden encounter with the priestess, who drags Alfie into the depths of darkness.

Emerging in a mud-filled pit, Alfie struggles for her freedom, only to find hope in the apparition of her mother's hand. As she grasps for survival, realizing the truth of Nara’s sacrifice, they both escape the terrifying clutches of the villa, which now looms ominously with its secrets. As they leave, the camera lingers on the haunted interior, casting shadows over the once-familiar spaces, especially the dark, foreboding doorway of the basement, hinting that the horrors may not yet be over.

Last updated: November 08, 2024 at 00:07

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Plot questions answered

May the Devil Take You Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about May the Devil Take You (2018): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did Lesmana make a pact with the devil?

Lesmana made a demonic pact to attain riches and achieve fame. The newspaper clippings chronicling his rise to prominence were directly tied to this dark deal. This decision set off the chain of events that ultimately destroyed his family, as the wealth he gained came at the terrible cost of innocent souls.

Foreshadowing: Early newspaper clippings hint at his ominous ascent before the full truth is revealed.

  • lesmana
  • pact
  • devil
  • riches
  • demonic bargain
  • sacrifice
Q2

How did Lesmana become wealthy?

Lesmana's wealth came from the sacrifices of innocent souls through his demonic bargain. He traded human lives for fortune and fame, a fact that remains hidden until Alfie and Ruben uncover the horrifying truth during their investigation of the villa.

Foreshadowing: The mysterious wealth is established early, but its true source is only revealed later.

  • lesmana
  • wealth
  • sacrifices
  • innocent souls
  • demonic bargain
Q3

Why did Intan commit suicide?

Intan's death was not a suicide but a consequence of Lesmana's demonic bargain. The dark forces connected to his pact ultimately claimed her life, revealing that Lesmana's quest for wealth directly caused his first wife's death.

Foreshadowing: Intan's tragic suicide is mentioned early, but its connection to the pact is revealed much later.

  • intan
  • suicide
  • lesmana
  • demonic bargain
  • death cause
Q4

What happened when Ruben opened the basement door?

When Ruben opened the sealed basement door at Laksmi's urging, he unleashed a malevolent supernatural force. This entity simultaneously afflicted Lesmana (who was in a coma at the hospital) and possessed Laksmi, turning her violently against her own daughter Maya.

Foreshadowing: The sealed basement is presented as a mysterious element of the villa from the start.

  • ruben
  • basement
  • door
  • supernatural force
  • unleash evil
Q5

Why did Laksmi attack Maya?

Laksmi became possessed by the malevolent force when Ruben opened the basement door. This possession turned her violently against her daughter Maya, forcing Maya to flee into the woods in a desperate attempt to escape her mother's murderous intent.

Foreshadowing: The basement door opening triggers simultaneous harm to Lesmana and Laksmi's possession.

  • laksmi
  • possession
  • attack maya
  • violence
  • supernatural influence
Q6

What did Maya discover in the villa?

Maya discovered a collection of ghastly dolls crafted from the hair of each family member. This grotesque find represented the dark magic controlling her family and was the moment the malevolent being offered her the chance to become a satanic priestess.

Foreshadowing: Hair dolls appear as a recurring supernatural element throughout the story.

  • maya
  • dolls
  • hair
  • villa
  • satanic priestess
  • possession
Q7

What happened to Maya at the end?

Maya became a vessel for evil and served as the satanic priestess under the demon's control. She brutally murdered Ruben's girlfriend Lily and turned against her siblings. When Alfie destroyed Maya's doll in flames, it led to Maya's tragic death, ending her possession but at a tremendous cost.

Foreshadowing: Maya's possession was foreshadowed by her earlier encounter with the dark force in the woods.

  • maya
  • death
  • vessel
  • priestess
  • doll
  • alfie
Q8

What was the significance of the hair dolls?

The hair dolls were magical objects created by the priestess to control each family member. Made from the hair of Lesmana, his children, and Laksmi, they served as a spiritual link, harming the doll caused harm to the person. Maya dismembering Ruben's doll symbolized her complete betrayal of her family.

Foreshadowing: The connection between the dolls and family control was established when Laksmi first sent Ruben to the basement.

  • hair dolls
  • magic
  • control
  • symbolism
  • ruben
  • maya
  • betrayal
Q9

How did Alfie defeat the priestess?

Alfie fought back by destroying Maya's doll in fire, which freed Maya from possession but caused her death. Then, to break Lesmana's connection to the demon, Alfie dug up the priestess's corpse and incinerated the portion of Lesmana's hair the priestess had consumed, confronting the dark spirit directly.

Foreshadowing: The hair connection was established through the doll ritual earlier in the story.

  • alfie
  • priestess
  • doll
  • fire
  • defeat
  • confrontation
Q10

What was Nara's sacrifice?

Nara sacrificed herself to help Alfie escape the mud-filled pit where the priestess had dragged her. In her darkest moment, Alfie saw the apparition of her mother's hand (Intan) reaching out to her, and with Nara's help, they both managed to escape the villa's clutches.

Foreshadowing: The appearance of Intan's hand suggests her spirit was always watching over Alfie.

  • nara
  • sacrifice
  • escape
  • pit
  • intan
  • mother
Q11

Why was Maya chosen to become the priestess?

The demonic entity specifically selected Maya as its vessel because she was vulnerable after witnessing her mother's violent transformation and fleeing into the woods. The demon offered her power in exchange for submission, and she ultimately succumbed to become the satanic priestess.

Foreshadowing: Maya's traumatic escape into the woods left her emotionally weakened and susceptible to possession.

  • maya
  • chosen
  • priestess
  • vessel
  • possession
  • demon
Q12

Does the ending mean the evil is still in the villa?

The ending suggests the evil remains unvanquished. While Alfie and Nara escape, the camera lingers on the haunted interior of the villa, particularly the dark basement doorway. This ominous final shot implies the malevolent force still lurks within, and the horrors may not be over.

Foreshadowing: The basement door was never properly sealed after being opened, leaving the evil contained but not destroyed.

  • ending
  • villa
  • haunted
  • evil
  • basement
  • unresolved

Ending explained

What Happens at the End of May the Devil Take You?

How May the Devil Take You (2018) ends, in short: the final scene, the last twist and what it means for the characters. The full ending explained, with every spoiler, lives on its own page.

Read the full ending explained

In the film's conclusion, Alfie manages to break the demonic curse that has haunted her family. Throughout the story, it is revealed that her father, Lesmana, made a pact with a demonic priestess in exchange for wealth, which ultimately cost him his first wife’s life. The priestess’s spirit was trapped in a basement, but Lesmana, fearing her wrath, sealed her there with runes. However, when Alfie’s family unwittingly unseals the room, the priestess is freed and quickly kills Lesmana, completing her revenge. As possession spreads, the family members become possessed themselves—Alfie's evil stepmother, her stepsister Maya, and others falling under demonic control.

The climax takes place in the villa's basement, where Maya is torturing Alfie with a voodoo doll linked to her family. Alfie manages to destroy the doll by throwing it into the fire, which causes Maya to burst into flames. Facing imminent doom, Alfie then performs a final, sacrificial act to break the curse: she digs up the priestess’s body and, echoing scenes from Drag Me to Hell, she pulls Lesmana’s hair from the corpse and burns it. This act symbolically releases the demonic hold on her family once and for all.

Continue reading the ending (1 more paragraphs)

In the end, Alfie and her youngest step-sibling Nara survive the night, leaving the villa together. However, their survival is tinged with unease, as the story hints that the demonic forces are not entirely defeated—they could return. Their return suggests that the curse is far from over, and that Alfie’s ordeal may have only just begun again someday. The film closes on a note of lingering darkness, emphasizing that some evil cannot be fully eradicated.

May the Devil Take You ending explained in full

Movie threads

More Movies Like May the Devil Take You, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes May the Devil Take You tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about demonic family curses like May the Devil Take You

Stories where a family's dark past unleashes a relentless supernatural evil. If you liked the high-intensity horror of a family curse in May the Devil Take You, you'll find similar stories here. These movies feature dark pacts, inherited sin, and supernatural forces tormenting families, delivering a heavy emotional weight and bleak outcomes.

  • demonic
  • oppressive
  • desperate
  • gruesome
  • haunting
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, bleak
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically involves uncovering a hidden family secret, often a pact or ritual, that has summoned a persistent evil. The story unfolds as the characters, usually family members, piece together the truth while being systematically hunted or possessed by the demonic force, leading to a desperate fight for survival.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their focus on a supernatural threat rooted in familial betrayal or a ancestral bargain. They share a dark tone, high intensity, and the heavy theme of being punished for sins you didn't personally commit, creating a uniquely oppressive and anxious viewing experience.

Fast-paced supernatural survival horror movies like May the Devil Take You

Non-stop, high-intensity horror where characters fight desperately against an overpowering evil. Fans of the relentless, fast-paced terror in May the Devil Take You will enjoy these similar films. This collection features movies with high intensity, gruesome violence, and a desperate fight for survival against demonic or supernatural entities in confined, oppressive settings.

  • relentless
  • anxious
  • violent
  • gruesome
  • desperate
  • claustrophobic
  • Tone: dark, tense
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot quickly establishes a dire supernatural threat and then sustains a high level of action and terror. Characters are thrown into a series of violent confrontations with little time to breathe, focusing on pure survival rather than deep mystery-solving. The narrative is a sprint from one horrifying set-piece to the next.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their breakneck pacing and consistently high intensity. They prioritize visceral scares, gruesome imagery, and a feeling of being trapped and hunted by an unstoppable force. The experience is defined by anxiety, claustrophobia, and a focus on physical and supernatural violence.

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Every angle

May the Devil Take You (2018) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about May the Devil Take You in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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