Writer: Salvatine Wascunzo

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Watch this if you liked: "Legend of the Red Curse", Local Horror films

Not so long ago, our local movie industry was graced by Bjarne Wong's "Legend of the Red Curse". Upon release, it didn't take long before anyone realised the real horror it inflicted on its viewers. To be brief and blunt, it was simply overwhelming. I'll leave that to your imagination.

Anyway, the film-maker from Sarawak now returns with a more elaborate production, using 35mm cameras and equipment. No longer in the low budget DV arena, he is now using industry actors, coupled with some models. Amber Chia plays the lead, as a troubled model who's lost her memory after recovering from a coma. Fragments of an apparent murder involving her elder sister, played by Harisu, start popping into her mind, haunting the daylights out of her... and eventually everyone else in the movie.

Most of the characters are simply too underdeveloped and most of the dialogue is too brief and trivial. Among those who fall victim to this are Alan Yun, Liu Yan Yan and even Harisu. Only a handful are mildly acceptable, like Sharifah Amani, Steve Yap and Smyth Wong. Of the three, Smyth Wong can sometimes be amusing since he's there for dry laughs, but he too seems one dimensional. I'm really not sure what Amani is doing in this show but I think her talents are wasted. Similar to Harisu, it's like a cameo. She only appears to us as being mentally tormented and she just stays that way throughout. What I can't understand is why she's the only one speaking English and I'd like to find out who did her dubbing. You see people speaking Chinese to her and she replies in English! I guess her character's able to read the on-screen subtitles.

One may argue that Amber Chia's character is given at least more than one layer of characterisation since we eventually do get to know her inside out (a double meaning there) and what her past really is. Amber seems just too innocent, almost naive and dumb at times. There's never a moment where she seems capable of anything significant or anything that could make us admire her as a human being.

One other annoying aspect of the show is 'logic'. Yes B-movies don't have to be taken so seriously, but "Possessed" really goes overboard. At the beginning, someone commits suicide before we see the main characters coming together in the same house. Yet, they talk about the suicide like it's no big deal and leave it aside!

Probably the worst part of the script involves a paparazzi who's got the hots for Amber that he invades her privacy during work and even at home. I don't know who came up with this idea but it should have been taken out from the script as it has no relation to the plot. He doesn't even make the film scarier, but rather funnier!!! What's worse is even his predictable demise didn't seems satisfying enough to justify his intrusion into the movie.

As for the horror factor, I suppose some people may feel some eerieness but that's about it. I wouldn't bet the movie would make anyone flinch even though the sound mix is fairly good. For me, the shocks are all too predictable and it's easy to see them coming. The mistake here is that "Possessed" tends to use all the same tricks that have been milked too often in other Asian horror flicks. I confess I'm so sick of seeing a long-haired ghoul and I personally feel this gimmick has lost its effect.

How bad is it for me? Well, I just keep thinking of "Scary Movie 3 or 4" every time I see another similar ghoul. The only scare-moment that's noteworthy (or acceptable) is when a 'woman' stands or floats upside down on her own head and starts to twist in circles with creepy contacts lenses. It's visually interesting but it doesn't make you jump or bite your nails. Then again, I'm not sure whether it's stolen from somewhere.

"Possessed" seems only derivative and influenced by Asian films of this genre. Since everyone's going the Asian style, why not go the opposite? There are many more ideas and horror tricks to gain from the west!

Even though Bjarne's still got lots to learn about good horror narrative, it's hard to deny that "Possessed" is technically far superior to the "Red Curse". He has managed to achieve basic film standards - his compositions and lighting are much better. That's not to say "Possessed" is so ambitious. It really isn't but it does hit the most basic/standard level of film quality and I guess for an Asian film, it's quite acceptable appearance-wise. So it generally might be able to trick someone into believing this is some neat Hong Kong flick at first glance. Of course you only need a few minutes to realise how awful the characters are. The production values are a sure thing, but again I feel he'd better shape up before he loses his own steam and appeal.

It sure is commendable for Bjarne to venture into another mainstream horror flick after "Red Curse". With any luck, Bjarne might just make it on the third or fourth try. Well, just maybe...

Cinema Online, 23 September 2008