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Reviews
Shutter (2004)
I've seen a LOT of horror movies.
This movie from Thailand tops just about all of them.
Clearly inspired by J-horror, Shutter excels in many of the same ways. Tension and unease build through an understated but effective soundtrack; through clever cinematography and astute direction; special effects that, although comparatively low budget, are visually competent; and with believable, relatable characters in everyday situations that become horrific.
Frightening imagery is, at times, relentless and sustained. The atmosphere is frequently creepy and unnerving. Even when you know that something is about to happen, you don't know exactly when. Or how.
Shutter shows how a horror movie should be made, and trumps the American remake. There is character development that drives an intense story, as opposed to the allowance of opinion and the supposed expectation of the viewer to dictate what ultimately happens and why.
Prepare to be terrified. Seriously.
The Bridge Curse (2020)
Not perfect, but often terrifying
The Bridge Curse starts out somewhat Blair Witch-like; not exactly scary, and seemingly aimed at a younger audience. I was hoping for more.
I got more.
As the movie progresses, the style soon changes, and creepy atmosphere, building unease, and adept cinematography start to unnerve the viewer. More mindbending psychological elements come into play, ramping up the scariness of this movie along with the increase in visual frights. All of this is helped by a soundtrack that, although somehow understated but direct at the same time, builds a feeling of unease akin to Hideo Nakata movies; although not quite as refined. Nevertheless, there are a number of scenes that are truly terrifying.
However, the movie is not perfect. It does lift ideas and scenes from a fair number of other Asian horrors; some of the jump scares are a little predictable in comparison to the accomplished unnerving ones; and none of the characters are really worth caring about individually.
All in all, turn off the lights, look past the flaws, and you'll enjoy an unnerving, often terrifying piece of Taiwanese horror.
Je8ileui bam (2021)
A Decent Effort
Stick with it. The 8th Night gets better as the movie progresses.
It starts out a little pedestrian. At this stage I was thinking that perhaps it would be another uninspiring demon movie; but as the story slowly develops, the atmosphere improves. There are an increasing number of creepy scenes and good uses of cinematography that give rise to some unease.
As with many Asian horror movies, there aren't many jump scares. Well, that's not what Asian horror is about. That's saved for rehashed Hollywood. This movie tries to create an uneasy, tense atmosphere, and partially achieves that. Had it achieved it more, the movie would have been more rewarding.
However, there are many good aspects to this movie. Good cinematography, good acting (that on occasion would come across better with improved editing and/or direction), a story that delivers enough twists and developments to keep the viewer intrigued, and a steadily building pace.
Whilst not being the greatest example of Asian horror, The 8th Night is far from being the worst. Don't expect a masterpiece. Do expect a decent movie.
Ringu (1998)
Have you seen the American remake, The Ring?
If you haven't, watch Ringu first.
If you have, watch Ringu as well.
Hideo Nakata's Ringu is a shining example of how to make an eerie, unsettling, frightening piece of cinema without the typical western approach of employing a plethora of sudden jumps and gory scares. He creates an atmosphere that builds in intensity and gradually draws the viewer in ever deeper. In scenes where a Hollywood director would make the viewer jump, Nakata directs in a way that gradually increases the viewer's discomfort.
Some reviewers have stated that there is no gore in this movie at all; but that isn't the case. There is some understated gore that is used as a vehicle to drive the plot and to build tension.
In some ways, The Ring is a scarier remake, with some scenes amped up in their horrific intensity and via the use of CGI. Ringu, on the other hand, excels in its ability to scare the viewer via the sheer creepiness and unsettling nature of the atmosphere and scenes. Sure, The Ring had that too, but Ringu shows how effective this can be while remaining understated in comparison.
If you've already seen the American remake, this movie likely won't scare you as much. Partly because you already know some of what will happen. But that's not to say that Ringu isn't a very scary movie. It's just handled with a more refined touch, and with better character development behind the reason for the terror.
It is for these reasons that Ringu comes across as the better movie. Whilst The Ring was a very good movie, it can't quite match the genius of the original.