This is How Movies Should Be Made

A Major Disappointment

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I can add little to the general view that this sure is a murky and shaky visual experience, and so there is no real point in watching a film in which a lot happens that you cannot see much beyond flashes of two characters running about trying to escape out of focus wraiths, which is not exactly what I bargain for when I sit down to view a horror film. As such, this is not an effective fright film, just an increasingly frustrating and annoying one. In terms of the positives, it is interesting to see a wider cultural take on the supernatural, and the Chinese Ghost Festival is genuinely interesting, so it is just a shame that all of the potential to be unique is cast aside in favour of a cinematographic style that looks as if the camera operator was filming the action from atop a rollercoaster, at night. Furthermore, given that the film is not a found footage escapade, the visual documentary style is all the more strange. It might be argued that it is artistic and creative to give a supernatural drama a vérité sheen, but the subject matter does not merit such an approach and only serves to harm it as a horror film in which you cannot really see anything (or watch without getting a motion sickness headache) is not going to produce many scares or shocks. However, there is one point of intrigue that is unfortunately not shown by the director, and that is the crucial and heartfelt moment when Melissa tries to convincingly explain to everyone back in the USA that her missing husband has vanished forever because he is now a ghost who will periodically terrorise villagers if they do not sufficiently appease him and his ghostly friends with suitable offerings. Now that is a scene I would have liked to have seen, even if it was shot in the shakiest of shaky styles.

On their honeymoon in China, newlyweds become stranded in a remote village while the locals are celebrating Hungry Ghost Month to honor their deceased relatives, and find themselves as the prized sacrifices intended for the ghosts.Good grief was this an utter disappointment. There should've been a lot to like with this one as one of the better elements present here is the rather well-done and exciting attack scenes throughout here as the ghosts come out here early and often. The attacks from off quite fun as well here by focusing on the just insanely creepy and chilling abandoned village for a setting here. Decked out in the traditional decorations for the celebration so it has a localized flavor that adds immensely to the atmosphere here, and when the creepy ghosts are placed in that location it makes for a much more chilling experience. From the early sprawl through the village to dead ears and protests, the frantic attack in the basement along the ceremony and the relentless actions around the car are quite a bit of fun and really make out the ghosts quite well as threats here which is always a plus. Even later attacks throughout the village including encounters through a cemetery and the finale deep into the caves hidden in the forest make for stupendously chilling moments that add a fully-charged, relentless pace to the other encounters while providing plenty of excitement, yet there's very little good that comes of these good points. The part which really makes all this so disappoint is the fact that these are utterly wasted in a film as truly nauseating as this one gets. It hurts so much to actually look at this due to those absurdly dismal shaking-camera footage that runs rampant throughout this, really coming off worse than found-footage films with a similar tactic as this one really makes it impossible to see what's' going on by being so blurry and out-of-focus during the whole film. The documentary-style feel here just looks completely terrible since it's not something being filmed by either one so there's no excuse for doing this throughout here with the kind of dedication to utter chaos and dis-coordination that's featured here, which does lower this one so far that it remains so disappointing instead of being one of the more enjoyable efforts around.Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Brief Nudity and a brief sex scene.

It is true that the shadow is composed of the psyche's unwanted elements. But to quote Carl Jung, "In the shadow is the gold." Jung's comment underscores the truth that not all of the shadow's undesired contents are actually authentically undesirable.While the movie begins with a blur of honeymoon bliss that devolves into a very slow start I have to praise the nature of the film. Any movie that evokes true emotion is worthy of it's pits. I personally got caught up in the rush of escaping the demons. It plays into that dream-like feel of trying to escape from the unknown and being in uncharted territory. I would say the last third of the movie is where the film blossoms by exposing more of the beauty of love and inner strength; it also increases the movie's storyline pace.While I couldn't call it A+ horror I would say it's worth the watch. Amy Smart is the films jewel.

I really do hate movies that take place almost entirely in the dark. What's the point of watching if you can't see anything.Melissa (Amy Smart) and Yul (Tim Chiou) are on their honeymoon in Chins where they are left in a small village. At least I think it is small, as you can't really see it in the darkness.One thing is not hard to figure. The ghosts want to have sex with Amy Smart. Duh! Would probably have been a much better film had I had a chance to see it. Maybe next time they can spring for some lights so we know what is going on.