directed by dulyasit niyomgul

sahamongkol film

I have long wondered if one could fairly judge the quality of the acting in subtitled movies written and produced in a language not one’s own, or if the language gap and the distraction of reading the dialogue prevented accurate assessment of the performances. Well, after viewing this Thai production, I no longer wonder. No matter what the circumstances may be, it is plain Natthamonkarn Srinikornchot does not deliver good acting in the lead role. Her mien never changes much throughout the course of the picture; she seems to have only one emotional state and only one way to express it. As for the film anchored by her performance, it bears some striking similarities to The Cut – the Korean film sometimes also known as “Cadaver” – although it is by at least one measure not nearly as hard to grant credence. (On the other hand, both feature vengeful ghosts, so what am I even saying.) Both pictures also feature a coterie of young medical students, a tremulous lead female, a father figure on the faculty, and mysterious death. This one cost a lot less to make.

why did i watch this movie?

Having just watched and discussed a different Asian horror alternately called “Cadaver,” I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

should you watch this movie?

Thailand is not often the setting for movies we see here.

highlight and low point

Pressed for an example, I’ll say the way the other characters react to Mai, the female protagonist, is pretty instructive, as they generally tolerate her at best. Some of the reasons become clearer over time, but otherwise no one seems too interested in her issues with the spirit world. The climax of this flick is inexplicably physically complicated.

rating from outer space: C