"Gwai wik", the Chinese title, means "ghost land". "Re-cycle" however is more apt in conjunction with the subject matter of the movie. Some may be tempted to think along the line of reincarnation but that is not really what this movie is about.
Very simply put, the movie is an ungentle reminder of the consequence of wasting, as things we discard purportedly end up in this limbo zone of "gwai wik". The most graphic example is a fictional character for a book, a tall, slender, long-haired women created by an author in the form of a few scribbled words on a piece of paper, but quickly discarded. The crumpled piece of paper in the garbage basket starts a sequence of strange events creepy shadows, strands of abandoned long hair, menacing phone calls that end up taking the author to "Gwai wik" where this "re-cycled" character materializes as a faceless apparition. But this is only one of many examples, which unfold in succession throughout the movie, culminating in one final revelation in a twist that is key to the whole movie.
The author Ting Yin is played by Angelica Lee, who possesses a face of a marvelous combination of loveliness and intelligence. Since winning the triple best actress award (Hong Kong's Oscar and Golden Bauhinia, as well as Taiwan's Golden Horse) in 2002 with "The eye", Lee has been considered one of the most talented actresses in Asia. Her rare combination of vulnerability and defiance has made her a prime choice for the horror thriller genre, although she has not particularly courted such roles. Still, in 2004, she did "Koma", and now "Re-cycle".
The first third of the movie follows the familiar path of the genre, depicting a frustrated author's strange encounters in her apartment, going through a period of creativity drought. Once she enters "Gwai wik", the movie become not unlike an old movie Tron (1982) when the protagonist enters a virtual world of imagination and goes through a series of adventures trying to escape. The faint-hearted may take comfort in that there is little gore in Re-cycle. The herd of zombie-like figures actually reminds me most of the scene in the Temple in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Super Star" ("See my eyes I can hardly see ..") more than any horror movie.
As Ting Yin goes through one "trial" after another in this maze of "Gwai Wik", a process best understood by those familiar with computer games, the layers of meanings and messages also gradually unfold, until the common theme of abandonment and re-cycling climaxes in one final revelation, which adds another dimension to various sub-themes such as throwing away toys, discarding creative ideas and neglecting regular cemetery visitations. More I'll not disclose.
The CGI in Re-cycle does not suffer by comparison with any big-budget Hollywood movie. While still looking unreal, as any CGI will, these images are particularly strong on details. Various colour filters have been used liberally and do succeed in providing an appropriate mood. While there are support roles, Lee carries the movie, and it is difficult to fault her superb acting. The movie also provokes some thought although there is really nothing new. Is sum, this movie is more than the average horror genre, and well worth watching.
Very simply put, the movie is an ungentle reminder of the consequence of wasting, as things we discard purportedly end up in this limbo zone of "gwai wik". The most graphic example is a fictional character for a book, a tall, slender, long-haired women created by an author in the form of a few scribbled words on a piece of paper, but quickly discarded. The crumpled piece of paper in the garbage basket starts a sequence of strange events creepy shadows, strands of abandoned long hair, menacing phone calls that end up taking the author to "Gwai wik" where this "re-cycled" character materializes as a faceless apparition. But this is only one of many examples, which unfold in succession throughout the movie, culminating in one final revelation in a twist that is key to the whole movie.
The author Ting Yin is played by Angelica Lee, who possesses a face of a marvelous combination of loveliness and intelligence. Since winning the triple best actress award (Hong Kong's Oscar and Golden Bauhinia, as well as Taiwan's Golden Horse) in 2002 with "The eye", Lee has been considered one of the most talented actresses in Asia. Her rare combination of vulnerability and defiance has made her a prime choice for the horror thriller genre, although she has not particularly courted such roles. Still, in 2004, she did "Koma", and now "Re-cycle".
The first third of the movie follows the familiar path of the genre, depicting a frustrated author's strange encounters in her apartment, going through a period of creativity drought. Once she enters "Gwai wik", the movie become not unlike an old movie Tron (1982) when the protagonist enters a virtual world of imagination and goes through a series of adventures trying to escape. The faint-hearted may take comfort in that there is little gore in Re-cycle. The herd of zombie-like figures actually reminds me most of the scene in the Temple in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Super Star" ("See my eyes I can hardly see ..") more than any horror movie.
As Ting Yin goes through one "trial" after another in this maze of "Gwai Wik", a process best understood by those familiar with computer games, the layers of meanings and messages also gradually unfold, until the common theme of abandonment and re-cycling climaxes in one final revelation, which adds another dimension to various sub-themes such as throwing away toys, discarding creative ideas and neglecting regular cemetery visitations. More I'll not disclose.
The CGI in Re-cycle does not suffer by comparison with any big-budget Hollywood movie. While still looking unreal, as any CGI will, these images are particularly strong on details. Various colour filters have been used liberally and do succeed in providing an appropriate mood. While there are support roles, Lee carries the movie, and it is difficult to fault her superb acting. The movie also provokes some thought although there is really nothing new. Is sum, this movie is more than the average horror genre, and well worth watching.