Gui si (2006)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Chao-Bin Su

Writer:

Chao-Bin Su (writer)

Release Date:

28 September 2006 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The World's First Caught Spirit

Plot:

In Taipei, the crippled scientist Hashimoto uses his invention of "Menger Sponge" to capture the energy of the spirit of a child in an old building...

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Death | Boy Strangling | Restaurant | Child Strangling

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Chen Chang	...	Tung
Chun-Ning Chang	...	Mei
Bo-lin Chen	...	Ren
Yosuke Eguchi	...	Hashimoto
Barbie Hsu	...	Su
Kar Yan Lam	...	Wei
Kevin S. Smith	...	James

Also Known As:

Silk (International: English title)

Runtime:

Taiwan:108 min

Country:

Taiwan

Language:

Hokkien | English | Japanese | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (edited version) | Malaysia:18SG | Brazil:16 | Finland:K-15 | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Taipei, Taiwan

Company:

CMC Entertainment

Movie Connections:

References Mo fa a ma (1998)

The Love of Mother and Son

In Taipei, the crippled scientist Hashimoto (Yosuke Eguchi) uses his invention of "Menger Sponge" to capture the energy of the spirit of a child in an old building. He invites the specialist in reading lips, Detective Tung (Chen Chang), to join his research team that is studying the phenomenon to understand the movements of the lips of the ghost. Hashimoto is trying to disclose why the energy of the ghost does not dissipate, and Tung discovers the identity and the dramatic story of the boy. He was sick with tumors and was killed by his own mother and buried nearby a nuclear plant. Hashimoto deduces that the rage of the boy for his mother associated to the location where the body was buried were the reason to keep the energy. When the government decides to shutdown the research, Hashimoto becomes insane and takes the spirit with him.

"Guisi" is an original and dramatic ghost story with characters well developed and great special effects. However, the confused screenplay is weird and flawed in some moments, with an absolute lack of explanation for many situations. For example, how Hashimoto walks in the ceiling of the director's bedroom? Why the ghosts kill when the person looks in their eyes? Why the mother dies exactly when Tung reaches her room? There are many other situations without a satisfactory explanation, but it is worthwhile watching this film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Silk - O Primeiro Espírito Capturado" ("Silk - The First Captured Spirit")