Director: Hirotaka Adachi (as Otsuichi)
Year: 2019
Country: Japan
Alternate Titles: Shiraisan
Genre: Supernatural
Plot:
Following several strange deaths, a woman discovers a connection between the participants and a strange urban legend they got involved with of a nightmarish spirit unleashed from a devastating curse and must race to solve the mystery about the fiendish being before it's too late.
Review:
For the most part, this one was a solid enough effort. One of the more enjoyable elements here is the stellar story that offers a strong central villain. The central specter, a ghostly figure that can be invoked or summoned through a specific curse that involves all around who hear the name spoken or written down which creates a fine folklore-based character of Shirai-san that is spelled out in the flashback sequence. Showing the cursed group retelling the legend of the figure while at the motel, the ominous atmosphere of the hotel makes for a fine setting to tell ghost stories in the first place before getting to it’s chilling retelling of the legend which ramps up the tension considerably. From there, the search for the source of the curse and how to break it drives the middle of the film where their investigation discovers the basis for her being free as the only means of stopping her.
On top of this, the film features several fine supernatural sequences featuring the spirit attacking. The opening attack on her friend starts this one really well as her shock and horror being expressed before the grisly death blow featuring all manner of gory aftermath strewn all over the floor. Other chilling scenes include a terrifying encounter in a hospital where the spirit stalks a victim through the darkened corridors while an oblivious nurse searches for her and a fantastic confrontation in the alleyway showcasing the cursed group attempting to put their information about stopping her to the ultimate test. Given that these scenes provide the perfect chance to showcase how genuinely creepy the spirit really is with its grotesque features and distinctive eyes which make a real impression when it's shown, these elements manage to give the film plenty to like.
However, there are some big flaws here. The main problem with the film is the incredibly lackluster pacing. Very rarely is there any sense of urgency or immediacy from the actions created by the spirit, slowly taking its time at a steady let lethargic pace that plods along from one scene to the next. By adding all the investigative work into the spirit's backstory into this plodding tempo, to the point where the attacks completely disappear which really makes that pacing stand out even more. Then, there's the wholly rushed finale that offers a potential topper to the curse that could've provided the film with a solid storyline to play with getting brought up without any kind of build-up and then just ends u[ causing a really weird feeling. Some of the CGI is a bit much for the kills as the computer-generated blood is hokey and awful-looking, but beyond that, there isn't much wrong here.
Overview: ****/5
With plenty of stellar positives and only a few minor inconveniences to hold it back, this one really gets some enjoyment out of the setup and premise to make for a rather entertaining effort. Really give this one a chance if you’re a fan of this genre or curious about this style, while those who aren’t as into this style or find the flaws detrimental should heed caution.
This review was originally published on Asian Movie Pulse and is gratefully reprinted with their cooperation.
Year: 2019
Country: Japan
Alternate Titles: Shiraisan
Genre: Supernatural
Plot:
Following several strange deaths, a woman discovers a connection between the participants and a strange urban legend they got involved with of a nightmarish spirit unleashed from a devastating curse and must race to solve the mystery about the fiendish being before it's too late.
Review:
For the most part, this one was a solid enough effort. One of the more enjoyable elements here is the stellar story that offers a strong central villain. The central specter, a ghostly figure that can be invoked or summoned through a specific curse that involves all around who hear the name spoken or written down which creates a fine folklore-based character of Shirai-san that is spelled out in the flashback sequence. Showing the cursed group retelling the legend of the figure while at the motel, the ominous atmosphere of the hotel makes for a fine setting to tell ghost stories in the first place before getting to it’s chilling retelling of the legend which ramps up the tension considerably. From there, the search for the source of the curse and how to break it drives the middle of the film where their investigation discovers the basis for her being free as the only means of stopping her.
On top of this, the film features several fine supernatural sequences featuring the spirit attacking. The opening attack on her friend starts this one really well as her shock and horror being expressed before the grisly death blow featuring all manner of gory aftermath strewn all over the floor. Other chilling scenes include a terrifying encounter in a hospital where the spirit stalks a victim through the darkened corridors while an oblivious nurse searches for her and a fantastic confrontation in the alleyway showcasing the cursed group attempting to put their information about stopping her to the ultimate test. Given that these scenes provide the perfect chance to showcase how genuinely creepy the spirit really is with its grotesque features and distinctive eyes which make a real impression when it's shown, these elements manage to give the film plenty to like.
However, there are some big flaws here. The main problem with the film is the incredibly lackluster pacing. Very rarely is there any sense of urgency or immediacy from the actions created by the spirit, slowly taking its time at a steady let lethargic pace that plods along from one scene to the next. By adding all the investigative work into the spirit's backstory into this plodding tempo, to the point where the attacks completely disappear which really makes that pacing stand out even more. Then, there's the wholly rushed finale that offers a potential topper to the curse that could've provided the film with a solid storyline to play with getting brought up without any kind of build-up and then just ends u[ causing a really weird feeling. Some of the CGI is a bit much for the kills as the computer-generated blood is hokey and awful-looking, but beyond that, there isn't much wrong here.
Overview: ****/5
With plenty of stellar positives and only a few minor inconveniences to hold it back, this one really gets some enjoyment out of the setup and premise to make for a rather entertaining effort. Really give this one a chance if you’re a fan of this genre or curious about this style, while those who aren’t as into this style or find the flaws detrimental should heed caution.
This review was originally published on Asian Movie Pulse and is gratefully reprinted with their cooperation.
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