“The Cursed” is a 2024 film written and directed by Ekkachai Srivichai. It features a talented cast, including Siwat Chotchaicharin, Cee Siwat, and Ekkachai Srivichai. The film follows the story of Alice, a middle-aged widower who travels to the countryside to rid his son of a life-threatening curse tied to Alice’s own past.
The film kicks off with a teenager strolling through a hospital corridor, but something feels off. There’s an eerie ambiance as if he’s being shadowed by something not of this world—maybe a ghost or even a djinn. The boy is there to visit his father, who, in his final moments, tells him to redeem something called “Moei” at the Lampam House. Right then and there, it’s clear this “Moei” (which means promise) is going to play a major role in the story.
The Cursed (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
A Haunting Past: What Secrets Does Alice Hold?
The recently deceased man was once Alice’s husband. Years ago, Alice was the picture of happiness, completely devoted to him. Unfortunately, that all came crashing down when she discovered the gut-wrenching truth that her husband was cheating on her. And to make matters worse, Alice learned this when she was pregnant with their son, August. They tried to patch things up, but the damage was done. Eventually, they split, leaving Alice to helm life as a single mother, raising August on her own. Also, the teenager we see at the start of the film is August, Alice’s son, who is now caught up in a story far more complicated than he ever imagined.
After Alice’s husband passes away, her life takes a dark and tragic turn. She’s constantly haunted by bizarre visions, one where she’s crowned with a strange, eerie golden helmet. In another, a possessed girl ominously tells Alice that she must return something she took from “them.” Alice isn’t the only one trapped in these nightmarish visions.
A Dance with Destiny: Is the Tuft the Key?
August is also tormented. He repeatedly sees a blue figure wearing a golden helmet, which freaks him out so badly that he fractures his hand. Things get even weirder when August has a vision of a room full of dancing children who suddenly collapse as the foam starts pouring from their mouths. In simple terms, they are caught in a twisted nightmare, and there’s no escape in sight.
August becomes convinced that all the strange events are happening because he cut his Tuft or Sikha. In Indonesian and Indian culture, the Tuft holds deep significance. It represents knowledge and is believed to protect against evil and bad omens. Cutting it without performing the proper ritual is said to invite bad luck. August’s father was a strong believer in these traditions and encouraged his son to keep his Tuft.
As for Alice, she saw it as nothing more than an outdated superstition, something she didn’t think they should be tied to. As the days go by, things spiral even further out of control. In the dead of night, August suddenly starts performing the Nora dance—a complex art form he was never taught. It’s the same dance he saw in his visions, and it’s like he’s being controlled by the ghost of Tub.
Who is Tub & What Happened to Him?
Tub was a young teenager and the son of a well-known Nora Dance instructor, Manohara Yoksil. From a young age, Tub dreamed of becoming a Nora dancer to make his father proud. Sadly, his dreams were crushed when his father refused to teach him a single step, constantly telling Tub he’d only bring shame to the family. As Tub grew older, that rejection turned into deep-seated hatred, not just for his father, but for the Nora dance itself, and especially for his brother, Tew, who was handpicked by their father to carry on the Nora legacy.
Watching his father favor Tew over him fueled Tub’s jealousy and rage until it became too much to bear. One day, Tub’s anger boiled over, and he drowned his brother in a pond. After Tew’s death, Manohara Yoksil chained Tub up, but he managed to escape. In a final act of revenge, Tub poisoned all the children learning the Nora dance before taking his own life.
What Was Chatri’s Moei?
After everything that has been going on, especially the eerie visions, Alice can’t shake the feeling that her family is being haunted by some evil entity. To uncover the truth, Alice and August decide to visit the Lampam House, located in the far countryside. This is the same place Alice used to visit with her ex-husband to pay homage to the Nora masters. Chatri’s father was a Nora dancer, but unlike his dad, Chatri didn’t inherit Nora’s art. In order to keep the tradition alive, he vowed to ensure his son would carry on the legacy. He planned to do this by organizing the sacred ceremonies, which involved tying the cloth, cutting the tuft, and wearing the headdresses, which are essential in passing down the Nora art.
From the start, Alice is set against the idea of August becoming a Nora master. She didn’t want her son tied down to that tradition. But now, it’s starting to look like all these problems might be happening because she went back on Chatri’s vow to pass down the Nora lineage. According to legend, if you don’t fulfill the Moei (promise), a vicious curse will descend on the family. Faced with this terrifying possibility and wanting to protect her son, Alice finally agrees to the ritual.
The Cursed (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Who Cursed Alice & Why?
August isn’t being haunted by the djinn because of the Nora lineage but because of his mother’s past karma. 15 Years ago, on their way back from Lampam House, Alice and Chatri were involved in a hit-and-run accident. Alice struck a mother and her son, sending them flying. The mother, in agony, begged Alice to help her son and take him to the hospital. However, instead of stopping, Alice fled the scene to avoid getting caught by the police.
In her pain and despair, the woman cursed Alice, that she would live a long life but be forced to watch her own child die. Also, the boy Alice hit was Cherd’s own son. This curse is why, after completing the ritual at Lampam House, Alice and August find themselves in a serious accident on their way back, landing them both in the hospital. So, August’s situation is nothing but Alice’s past finally catching up to her.
Will there be a The Cursed (2024) Movie Sequel?
Will there be a sequel? It’s definitely possible unless the director and producers change their minds. At the end of the movie, we see Alice and August surviving that serious road accident. But even though the ritual is done, the danger isn’t over. The curse is still hanging over them, and the djinn is likely to come after August’s life again. A sequel could show Alice’s attempts to protect her son and finally facing the consequences of her past mistakes. Plus, we’d get to learn more about Manohara Yoksil, who could play a key role in helping Alice save August.
But to be honest—there’s a chance we won’t get a sequel at all. The movie itself is pretty mediocre, without a single scene that truly scares you. The story feels like the same old stuff, nothing really exciting, and it’s a bit too confusing, with loose ends all over the place. So, don’t get your hopes up too high.
