From the director who created the Ju-on franchise we get a film that has a lot in common with this franchise but also does things differently.
As a pure horror this movie fails a bit. It's not really that creepy. Although it's rather strange and does build up a sense of tension and dread but perhaps a little too slowly. There are some moments that could and should have been scarier. When you are confronted with the supernatural I at least expect to be startled somewhat. Like for example in the scenes where ghosts appear out of nothing. They aren't scary at all! After having seen the conclusion I know now that there is a point to that. The story probably very deliberately is a bit abstract and hard to follow at times. This is because there are several characters who play an important role and don't really seem to have to do with each other at first. However there is a reason for this.
At one point everything becomes clear and how. Unfortunately because of the complexity of the story and the slow pace many viewers won't have the patience to sit through the whole movie. And to be honest not many things happen so that is understandable. Still if you stick with it your patience will be rewarded. Mind you it does require some sensibility towards the themes that are explored. Not everyone is going to appreciate those.
The last 20 minutes really changed the whole experience for me. The story becomes clear, creepy and scary! I was hoping for a killer twist (after being bored for an hour) and got one. Well even more than that. But that is something you have to see for your self. The ending made it worth watching. And as a bonus you even get a subject to think about!
As a pure horror this movie fails a bit. It's not really that creepy. Although it's rather strange and does build up a sense of tension and dread but perhaps a little too slowly. There are some moments that could and should have been scarier. When you are confronted with the supernatural I at least expect to be startled somewhat. Like for example in the scenes where ghosts appear out of nothing. They aren't scary at all! After having seen the conclusion I know now that there is a point to that. The story probably very deliberately is a bit abstract and hard to follow at times. This is because there are several characters who play an important role and don't really seem to have to do with each other at first. However there is a reason for this.
At one point everything becomes clear and how. Unfortunately because of the complexity of the story and the slow pace many viewers won't have the patience to sit through the whole movie. And to be honest not many things happen so that is understandable. Still if you stick with it your patience will be rewarded. Mind you it does require some sensibility towards the themes that are explored. Not everyone is going to appreciate those.
The last 20 minutes really changed the whole experience for me. The story becomes clear, creepy and scary! I was hoping for a killer twist (after being bored for an hour) and got one. Well even more than that. But that is something you have to see for your self. The ending made it worth watching. And as a bonus you even get a subject to think about!