Rating of
4/4
Effective Chills
Franz Patrick - wrote on 07/21/08
This is definitely not an ordinary ghost story because in its core lies a heart that radiates even after the credits stopped rolling. But that doesn't mean that it lacks genuine scares. In fact, there is plenty of suspense, each on a different level. Some of my favourite scenes include the séance, the automobile incident, and when the main character participates in a childhood game. Such scenes made my heart pound as if I'm watching the best scenes of "No Country for Old Men." I'm really impressed with this film because there were so many chances when it could've turned into a typical horror movie. Moreover, the characters' choices are so natural, and thus it was easy for me to identify with them even though some scenes may seem supernatural. The ending was absolutely brilliant because it didn't try to pull off a gimmick just for the hell of it. It actually made sense and everything started to come together. The ending also reminded me of "Pan's Labyrinth" because of the implications about life and death. I thought everything about this picture is deftly handled and it made me wish that most American horror-suspense films are more like this, instead of visual-effects focused, Japanese horror remakes.
