Cracked (I) (2022) User Reviews

Generic storyline, but watchable enough for what it was...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 2 July 2022]

Given the opportunity to sit down and watch the 2022 Thai horror/thriller "Cracked", of course I did exactly that, as I do enjoy Asian horror cinema. Sure, I had not heard about this movie from director Surapong Ploensang before sitting down to watch it, so I wasn't sure what I was in for here.

The storyline in "Cracked" was pretty straight forward. It was actually a somewhat generic storyline, where writers Eakasit Thairaat, Onusa Donsawai, Pun Homchuen and Surapong Ploensang only managed to churn out a somewhat bland storyline. Don't get me wrong, because it wasn't a bad movie or bad storyline. It just didn't pack enough punch to be impressive, and for a seasoned horror veteran such as myself, then the storyline was just lacking key elements and ingredients to be impressive. But hey, for newcomers to the Thai horror scene, then I believe that "Cracked" will be a sufficiently dark and scary movie.

Visually then "Cracked" was a sufficiently interesting movie. I liked the visual effects and the way that they made use of jump scares and such. Sure, it was somewhat generic, but it worked well enough for this particular movie.

The acting performances in "Cracked" were good. I can't claim that I was familiar with the cast ensemble here, but they did good enough jobs with their given roles, characters and dialogue.

All in all, then "Cracked" was a mediocre Thai horror/thriller experience for me. Sure, it was watchable for what it was, but this is hardly a Thai horror/thriller that I would recommend as a must-watch for fans of the Thai horror genre. Nor is it a movie that I will ever return to watch a second time.

My rating of "Cracked" lands on a mediocre five out of ten stars.

Paint-by-numbers Asian horror

[vasiln · 5/10 · 3 July 2022]

Cracked is a Thai haunted house movie. Here, it's less a haunted house than some haunted paintings, but it's the same thing. There's not any more to be said about the plot than that.

In the beginning, we get some slow (but not unengaging) creep. There are some jump scares, there's some "oh whew that scary scene was just a nightmare," that kind of stuff, just to fill the time.

But the story barely gets developed until the third act, and then it's developed poorly, trying to have its cake and eat it too.

Characterization is likewise blank-slate bland. The most likable thing about the protagonist is that she's a single mother who loves her daughter. No personality beyond that. The child acting is poor, even filtered through subtitles.

Good production values, but Cracked feels too engineered, too sanitized-- it feels like a Chinese horror movie. That's not a compliment.

It's not so bad as to be unwatchable, but it's definitely not memorable.

Painful Paintings

[jeroduptown · 5/10 · 16 July 2022]

A decent horror flick with a twisty backstory of an artist that abused his wife for the sake of creativity and a demonic entity trying to get revenge. Some jump scares and a LOT of little girls yelling 'mommy'.

Unlike horror movies in general

[HafizhMaulana21 · 6/10 · 25 January 2023]

Ruja inherited inherited her late father's estate including two paintings of great value. However, there is damage to the painting that holds a secret and an oddity that happened to Ruja and her daughter.

A Thai horror movie that honestly has a good story premise. It's just that from the beginning of the film to the end, this film presents a story and horror atmosphere that is responsible for being performed. At the beginning of the film alone, the appearance of a horror atmosphere has been built with a typical horror score. However, until the end of the film, the horror atmosphere is very flat. Not much horror impression is given intensely. The appearance of either jumpscare or the terror of horror is present in an instant and simply vanishes so that horror and fear become felt for a moment. In addition, in terms of story, it also feels responsible. The premise of the story that brings flashback elements as pieces of mystery that also do not give much of a good impression of curiosity. Appears momentarily meaningless and disappears instantly tasteless until the climax of the film. One thing that amazes me is the twist that is layered in one moment. It might be good but it's long-time weird because it's not supported from the beginning of the film.

Cracked for me to be a responsible horror movie. Unable to present and build the maximum horror atmosphere. There's not a lot of terror and jumpscare that exists throughout the film. The appearance of terror and strangeness throughout the film is also brought in so briefly that we cannot get a sense of horror and fear. The plot of the story is not too dense but feels short to perform. Nor does it have a fast pace but it can't be said to be slowburn. The film also has a flat dialogue. There is not much dialogue that elevates the film as a horror film. More precisely this movie is like a drama film about revenge.

Beautifully made horror movie

[adrian-67511 · 8/10 · 14 July 2023]

Really enjoy watching this movie though, the director capture my attention as the movie is beautifully made, although the storyline is normal but how the movie pace in is quite good, no boring scene, character well developed. The camera work is good, all scenes look very beautiful, the jump scare also quite scary not cheap2 jump scare. The drawings itself already made you creepy enough. The main actress did a really good job and the child actress is very cute and pretty.

Another director add in my lists. Will follow his next movie, hopefully is horror movie cause is my cup of tea. Overall tumb up for the director.

WORTH MY TIME, LOVED IT!!!

[thatgirlwithyellowboots · 8/10 · 8 October 2022]

If you're seeking for innovative storylines, try watching Thai, Hong Kong, or Chinese movies. SAME GOES WITH THIS MASTERPIECE.

SUMMARY: Ruja and her daughter, Rachael are having financial crisis when she receives a call asking her to return from New York to Thailand to deliver her late father's priceless paintings, which are worth millions. Her dad's buddy hires Tim, an artist, to restore the picture before selling it. They both begin experiencing paranormal activity in their home, particularly in the art studio, soon after moving in.

MY OPINION: I didn't anticipate this time's storyline surprise, I assure you. When the movie took a significant turn, I was completely surprised. The duration of this film keeps you interested. I did feel a little stretched out in the middle for no apparent reason, but at the end you can see why those scenes were included. The narrative is intriguing because of certain elements.

I recommend this movie more than one watch. I guarantee you will love this movie.