“IN THE DARK " 怨鬼 (MALAYSIA) FILM REVIEW

The POSTER warns: “SOME SECRETS ARE BEST LEFT UNEXPOSED.”

MURDEROUS INTENT? Come watch the MOVIE for the ANSWER.

SMELL a Rat?

Seems so, something is just not right.

An OUIJA Session to tempt FATE?

Don’t! You might usher in Unwelcome Spirits!

Someone’s knocking at the Door?

There shouldn’t be anyone at this unearthly hour!

DANGER on the High Seas?

Not if you hold on to me tight, dear.

CAN you SEE the SPIRIT SLURPING on YOUR SOUP? (quivers)

- a Yeo Joon Han film -

“IN THE DARK” (怨鬼) 2014 Malaysian Movie.

The PRESS REVIEW

 Treat “IN THE DARK” 怨鬼 ” as one big Pandora’s box, and you will be bestowed with surprises galore.

But hide it from the squirmish and faint-hearted.  Because, should you continue digging further, you may strike upon unnerving nuances.

Curiosity kills the cat, right.

So don’t be dismayed when upon unwrapping, you get more than what you bargain for, but beware ….. the findings can be brutal and demented.

“IN THE DARK” tells you about a doomed romance, the sudden demise of this clingy relationship leads to unsettling discord and mayhem.

The psychological reel nightmare faced by the actors  up on the giant screen can sort of creep into your skin as audience. You actually feel the goose pimples. Scream!

The Director intends to assail you with his power of scares to harness you on edge. And he rendered a smashing job at that.

 Painstakingly written and helmed by Yeo Joon Han whose previous  project was “Sell Out!”, he delivers  also, a spooky haunting score. His musical director Ken Hor ensures that, at every juncture of shock, he dispenses a scare “jolt”, to draw audience into the mood.

It’s a refreshing change to see Taiwanese pin-up boy Wang Po Chieh as the lead actor, emitting a powerful performance. He brings a raw energy, engaging and endearing.

 And Malaysian beauties Candy Lee and Jennifer Foh are up-and-coming Malaysian actresses who can give the regular television artistes a run for their money.

Everything is a refreshing change to boot. Thank goodness.

Beware! “IN THE DARK” is not crafted for the squeamish. What would you do when you harbor dark thoughts of cinematic nihilism?

This one is for those looking for a new kick in scares, be prepared for the headache you might get when you leave the theater.

Let’s run through the plot:

 Joseph (Wang Po Chieh) is one happy-go-lucky real estate agent, taking life in his stride. He has a reasonably successful sales career and has gotten a new love May (Jennifer Foh) in his life. Life’s looking great.

He is devastated when May is suddenly killed in a car accident.

Just before the accident, May has been seen squabbling with an unknown male passenger Wei Teck who survives the crash but slips into a coma.

Taking May’s joke seriously that she will return to haunt him if she dies one day, Joseph enlists the help of May’s best friend, Vivien (Candy Lee)

Both of them perform an Ouija board session hoping to find May

from the dead and talk to her.

However, instead of May appearing, a host of other strange spirits turn up to taunt him, including Wei Teck’s ghost.

Vivien, too, is threatened by demons of her own — ghosts from a dark past that she has been unwilling to confront.

Now, spirits are out to get both of them at every turn.

Joseph and Vivien have to unravel the mysteries that surround them – Why are they being pursued by Spirits?

What other horrors will be unleashed from the darkest recesses of the surroundings?

This film is about twisted revelations. Some secrets are best left unexposed.

If haunts and spooks are your cup of tea, brace yourself and step right in.

“IN THE DARK” is superb, powerfully haunting and affecting.

Right.

Rating: 4 out of 5.