Interconnected anthology series always provide a rewarding experience, simply due to the fact that, along with a number of different plotlines, there is an overarching story that ties all the different stories together in a single narrative thread. Director Joko Anwar’s latest horror anthology streaming on Netflix, Nightmares and Daydreams, similarly connects seven vastly different stories to weave its own mythology, based on the fictional world of Agartha. The transition from horror to the otherworldly dimension of Agartha turns out to be well synced, as the director adds his own interpretation to it, which works well in the context of the overarching theme.

The legend of Agartha dates back to antiquity and has been interpreted across different cultures in the world, which makes Joko Anwar’s version of the myth even more interesting, which needs to be discussed in detail. There is also an unexpected superheroic element added to...