Challenging Progressive and Psychedelic Sounds with an Ominous Tone

Less than a year and a half after the release of its predecessor, Japanese psychedelic rock, progressive rock, heavy metal, hard rock and doom metal trio Ningen Isu has released its fourteenth studio record. The album title Manatsu Yoru No Yume roughly translates to A Midsummer Night's Dream and references the band's dreamy, psychedelic and progressive soundscapes as well as its mythological, mystical and religious lyrical topics that can be found throughout this effort. It's the band's third record in its new and still current line-up and further builds the group's very own chemistry, diversity and identity. This is also one of the band's most generous outputs with twelve songs and a running time of seventy-six minutes that truly offers value for money.

Opening epic ''Yoru Ga Naku'' summarizes everything Ningen Isu stands for. Progressive song structures with quite a few changes, ideas and twists meet focused, gripping and tight musicianship based upon rhythmic guitar riffs, dominant bass guitar sounds and playful drum patterns as well as melodic lead vocals that contrast the complex structures with catchy sections. The song might be a little bit too long for its own good with almost eight minutes however which is also the main issue of this record that has a few unnecessary lengths here and there.

Up next comes ''Tenraku no Gakuten'' that features raw lead vocals by the bassist who dominates this song with gripping bass guitar play. This track's pace is overall more energetic, fast and fluid and will please fans of traditional hard rock and heavy metal soundscapes very much.

The drummer has his opportunity to shine in ''Saru no Sendan'' that opens with a short but poignant drum solo. The song then shifts towards dystopian progressive rock guitar sounds reminding of numerous British genre bands of the late sixties and early seventies. This intellectual approach is then contrasted by simple, fast and energetic rhythms provided by tight drum play, powerful bass patterns and energetic guitar riffs. The drummer provides the vocals here as well and his gritty but melodic approach reminding of classic hard rock bands fits right in between the guitarist's epic and melodic style and the bassist's atmospheric and rough grunts. The other band members support their drummer with highly efficient backing vocals in form of sing-along passages that make for one of the record's catchiest tunes.

Another noteworthy highlight on this release is psychedelic rock ballad ''Hakujitsumu'' that offers wonderful guitar sound effects with an overall slow, dreamy and quite danceable pace that are complemented by the guitarist's soothing vocals that make for a most inspiring lullaby. This track offers a break from the numerous challenging, energetic and extensive tunes on this album and should especially please progressive rock fans.

''Sekai Ni Hanataba Wo'' clocks in at almost nine minutes and needs multiple spins to grow. It however fascinates right away with mysterious chants intertwining with dynamic narrative sections that get progressively faster. The former passages are supported by mid-to up-tempo guitar riffs and playful rhythm section while the latter passages are underlined by slow, mournful and distorted guitar riffs while the rhythm section keeps it simple but dynamic. This ambitious, cinematic and epic tune offers the greatest replay value on this output and could be considered this release's best track as well.

The record closes with heavy, raw and thunderous doom metal tune ''Dotto Harai'' that unfolds an ominous atmosphere through seven highly entertaining minutes. The melodic vocals by the guitarist have a desperate, dramatic and menacing tone that is underlined by simple but powerful drum patterns, organic bass guitar sounds and aggressive guitar riffs. The simple but catchy chorus offers a welcome change in that regard as the rest of the song might need a few spins to open up to listeners. The playful middle section offers more variety and recalls progressive rock references in the key of King Crimson. The song's instrumental closure is quite playful and leaves the listener on a brutal, gloomy and thunderous note that could also be found on a classic Black Sabbath output.

At the end of the day, Manatsu Yoru No Yume is one of Ningen Isu's more challenging outputs. The songwriting is diversified, intellectual and progressive and numerous songs might need multiple spins to grow on listeners. I have listened to the album half a dozen times and several tracks still fail to stay on my mind and leave a deeper impression while the aforementioned highlights have kept getting more memorable with each and every spin. This is the kind of album that rewards patient listeners who are willing to spend some time to let twelve songs with a total running time of seventy-six minutes grow on them. This is why this release is most recommended to fans of psychedelic and progressive rock while those who prefer traditional hard rock and heavy metal might have some difficulty appreciating this output to its fullest. Doom metal fans might be situated right in between as they could certainly appreciate the record's overall dreamy, gloomy and menacing atmosphere while not appreciating the high degree of diversity as the band certainly lets its creativity flow on this output. My verdict is that this release is recommended to more experienced, experimental and faithful fans of the band while newcomers might instead opt for this album's predecessor that is certainly more accessible and still represents the band's current style very well.

Final Rating: 82%

Atmospheric, Energetic and Heartfelt Songwriting

Sonata Arctica's first strike Ecliptica is one of the greatest melodic power metal records ever conceived, so it only makes sense that the Finnish quintet didn't change its style when writing, recording and publishing its second output Silence. While this record is still very good, it can't however compete with the band's first strike for three specific reasons.

First of all, stagnation has never been a key to success. While this album includes all the band's trademarks such as variable melodic vocals, energetic drum patterns, dynamic bass guitar sounds, fast and harmonious guitar sounds as well as atmospheric, cinematic and epic keyboard layers, the band fails to push the limits and try out anything new on this output. The band has changed that approach later on in its career which has lead to more experimental records that are loved by some and loathed by others such as Unia. In my opinion, the band made the right decision to stop copying itself and exploring new soundscapes which makes Sonata Arctica one of the most interesting bands in the melodic power metal genre.

Up next, the songwriting isn't as poignant as on the predecessor. On the group's first strike, every song was different from one another and sounded very compact, efficient and focused. On this record, the band sometimes lacks focus and the quality is at times meandering. Overall, there are still many excellent tunes to be found but also a few fillers here and there.

Finally, the band opted for quantity over quality. The original version of the record features thirteen songs clocking in at sixty-two minutes. The remastered version features three bonus songs with a total record length of seventy-five minutes. Usually, I appreciate when a band offers value for money but in this case, this record would have sounded much better if the band had chosen its ten best songs as it was the case for Ecliptica.

As mentioned before, Silence still includes numerous highlights that must make other melodic power metal bands green with envy. The gripping radio play storytelling in the conceptual, emotional and epic ''The End of This Chapter'' is absolutely outstanding and deserves to be revisited over and over again thanks to its rich songwriting, intriguing lyrical topic and haunting atmosphere.

''Last Drop Falls'' is an excellent power ballad carried by dreamy keyboards melodies and what might be one of Tony Kakko's best vocal performances of all time that gets better with each minute of this haunting masterpiece. The emotional lyrics that are easy to relate to blend in perfectly and send shivers down the spine every single time.

''Tallulah'' is a calmer ballad but quite playful at times. The keyboard patterns are dynamic and the moment when the music slowly stops in the final passage is highly efficient. The vocals stand out once again, offering genuine emotionality in relation to a profound lyrical topic. Even the toughest metal fan might secretly shed a tear while listening to this moving tearjerker. Even if it might not qualify as a metal song, give this gem the chance to grow on you and understand that expressing your emotions is a strength rather than a weakness.

At the end of the day, there are enough excellent tunes on Sonata Arctica's Silence that justify purchasing this very good to excellent melodic power metal release. The band offers blistering fast power metal tracks, atmospheric epics with lyrical depth and heartfelt ballads that manage to move you over and over again. However, this release doesn't reach the genuine perfection of the excellent predecessor Ecliptica. While the latter should be purchased by anyone who listens to music of any kind, Silence is a release that is strongly recommended to power metal, heavy metal and melodic rock fans but not considered an essential purchase for anyone else.

Final rating: 85%

A Power Metal Milestone That Has Stood the Test of Time

When I discovered the metal scene about two decades ago thanks to European power metal bands such as Edguy, Gamma Ray and Helloween along with heavy metal flagships such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, I asked several experienced veteran fans for similar bands. They almost all exclusively suggested to check out American power metal bands such as Iced Earth whom they described as manly, powerful and unique. At the same time, these veterans heavily criticized Sonata Arctica as flower metal for children, posers and women that offers saccharine overdoses that are much closer to pop music than to the metal scene.

I naively believed these people who had followed the metal scene since the late seventies or early eighties to know what they were talking about. However, I'm glad that I decided to give Sonata Arctica another shot when coincidentally attending some of their concerts when they played along side bands I admired and realizing that they put on absolutely excellent shows, making even bands that I respect greatly such as Delain, Kamelot and Xandria pale in direct comparison. I quickly figured out that those veteran naysayers had closed-minded, negative and stereotypical points of view with at times condescending macho attitudes that only proved how pitiful their perspectives on culture, life and society have always been. This experience has also taught me not to trust the opinions of others blindly and to always make up your own mind and stick to your perspectives, even when you are in the minority and get criticized for all the wrong reasons. 

Sonata Arctica's Ecliptica is a power metal milestone and one of the greatest records of the nineties alike. There isn't one single record by Iced Earth and those numerous other American power metal bands recommended by those sad veterans that can compete with the creativity, diversity and passion offered on this release. My message is quite clear. If you didn't give Sonata Arctica a fair chance thus far because you have been led to believe that they aren't a proper metal band, please organize some changes in your life and give this excellent band and its outstanding debut record a chance.

Everything about this album deserves praise. First of all, the songwriting is highly creative, diversified and entertaining from start to finish. Fast-paced, liberating and relentless anthems such as impressive opener ''Blank File'' meet heartfelt power ballads such as the heartful ''Replica'' and intelligent epics like the inspired closer ''Destruction Preventer''.

The lyrics need to be pointed out as well as they offer much food for thought while also touching the hearts of the listeners. ''Blank File'' for instance deals with the downsides of contemporary communication devices and networks. ''8th Commandment'' offers a strong message against lies, deceit and betrayal while promoting values such as integrity, honesty and faithfulness. ''Letter to Dana'' is a touching power ballad about alienation from one's family based upon wrong choices, conservative misconceptions and tardive pleas for forgiveness, peace and reconciliation. One should not forget English is not even the mother tongue of these Finnish musicians who were in their early twenties when writing these inspired lyrics which only means that they deserve even more respect.

The musicianship is absolutely outstanding on this output as well. The drum play is fast, playful and steady without ever sounding exchangeable, predictable or repetitive. The bass guitar sounds dynamic, rhythmic and vibrant as it serves as backbone for this powerful record. The guitar play is absolutely astonishing, both in the rhythmic department that provides much oomph and in the lead guitar sector that offers catchy, emotional and energetic melodies. The keyboards are employed on the same level as the guitars and are played with emotion, imagination and precision as they offer both harmonious, melodious and soothing passages as well as enthusiastic, liberating and speedy sections. The variable vocals offer a few atmospheric lower registers, enthusiastic natural tones and passionate screams hitting the high notes perfectly. This excellent musicianship comes along with an airy, melodic and organic production that blends in perfectly and sounds stunning both on the original release and on the remastered version. The band recorded its debut album again fifteen years later and it certainly is a decent effort but doesn't come anywhere close to the brilliance of this debut release.

At the end of the day, Sonata Arctica's Ecliptica is a timeless power metal milestone that sounds as diversified, energetic and inspiring as it did more than two decades ago. Even in times like these when our society has evolved towards more curiosity, respect and tolerance, some people still try to give Sonata Arctica a bad name for all the wrong reasons. In my opinion, Sonata Arctica's Ecliptica alone easily beats the entire discography of bands such as Iced Earth. While Iced Earth's Jon Schaffer has become a criminal planning to overthrow his own country's instutions, laws and values, Sonata Arctica is still going strong and releasing inspired music that is worth being checked out. If you haven't listened to Sonata Arctica's Ecliptica yet, please do so immediately after having read this review and thank me later.

Final Rating: 100%

S̄̂m bængkh̒ mụ̄xh̄ım̀ h̄ạd k̄hāy / One Take Only (2001) - Authentic Gangster Drama for Those Interested in Thai Culture - 7/10

One Take Only, also knows as Som and Bank: Bangkok for Sale, is a gangster drama from Thailand. Directed by renowned Oxide Chun Pang who would later on direct movies such as action films The Storm Warriors and Out of Inferno, horror films like The Eye and The Messengers and even thrillers such as The Detective and Conspirators, features Pawarith Monkolpisit as quirky lead actor and Wanatchada Siwapornchai as authentic lead actress who sadly wouldn't be featured in any other movie until today.

The story revolves around lowly drug dealer Bank who lives in a small apartment with his distant mother who is more interested in her gambling issues than her son while the father has left the family many years ago. He meets young prostitue Som who shares her salary with her mother in the country and several friends who are facing rough challenges in life. The two youngsters realize that they live in the same decrepit apartment complex and share the dream of getting rich and starting a new life. One day comes an opportunity for them to get one step closer to changing their lives as Bank gets involved into a drug deal with a dangerous but rich criminal living in the country. The first deal works as planned but a second deal involving much more drugs and money goes horribly wrong and sends the young couple on a fateful downward spiral.

This gangster drama convinces on several levels. It honestly shows the negative sides of life in Bangkok by dealing with topics such as drugs, poverty and prostitution. One scene is particularly haunting in that regard when a friend of Som becomes a prostitute due to financial issues, only to break down crying in a tiny restroom of some filthy hotel. The locations blend in perfectly as they show little children attempting to sell items to drivers on busy and dirty streets, filthy hotel rooms where young prostitues meet bored businessmen and decrepit apartments in rundown complexes in a noisy downtown area. The movie has at times the vibes of a documentary or a slice-of-life that portrays the lives of disillusioned young adults in Bangkok. The two lead characters are quite interesting as well. Som actually cares for her mother who doesn't know about her job and tries to help her friends and even her boyfriend as much as she can. Bank on the other side is an arrogant, naive and perverted outsider who constantly drags his lover into dangerous situations while oddly criticizing her life choices. The acting performances are authentic and grounded as the two leads manage to carry the movie almost on their own.

The movie is however not without its flaws. Its pace is quite slow and for two thirds of the film, viewers might wonder where this is going as it simply follows the everyday life of a young couple. Only the final third quickens up the pace and evolves from a romance into a gangster drama. The story itself is quite predictable and plods on without much interest for prolonged periods of time. This film is missing some courageous, exciting and surprising turns that could make it more memorable.

At the end of the day, One Take Only, also knows as Som and Bank: Bangkok for Sale, is certainly interesting for anyone who is fascinated with Thai cinema and culture. Other than that, it's a decent to good gangster drama that convinces mostly with its authentic documentary style, fitting locations and interesting characters portrayed by two gifted leads. However, the film's pace is slow and the story is thin as the movie fails to leave a mark and doesn't offer much replay value.

Sorum (2001) - Profound Characters, Creepy Locations and Mysterious Vibes - 8/10

Sorum is a South Korean movie that walks off the beaten path as it combines drama, mystery and thriller elements in a profoundly atmospheric way. This is the first feature film of director Yun Jong-chan and features renowned actor Kim Myung-min in his very first movie as well as lead actress Jang Jin-young who had already received critical acclaim for her performances in sports comedy The Foul King and firefighters drama Siren.

The film revolves around a mysterious taxi driver in his early thirties who moves into a decrepit apartment complex. He is only visited once in a while by a friend obsessed with sexual innuendo who brings back negative memories. The lonesome man however gets to know the only remaining residents of the creepy complex. There is an unsuccessful author who has lost his business and dreams of becoming relevant again with a script he has stolen from a former resident of the complex. The former resident's former girlfriend is a piano teacher who gradually isolates herself and doesn't trust anyone around her. Finally, there is a young woman who is in a terrible relationship with an abusive husband who has gambling debts and alcohol problems. One fateful night, the young woman kills her husband in self-defense and asks the lonesome taxi driver for help. They decide to bury the corpse of the deceased in a nearby forest and get involved into an extreme and volatile relationship from there on. Things gradually spiral out of control as the couple faces its past decisions, current issues and strange supernatural events in the creepy complex.

This movie convinces on many levels. The highlights are the excellent locations in form of the decrepit apartment complex, abandoned natural landscapes and dirty roads that establish a gloomy atmosphere from start to finish. Most of the scenes take place on rainy nights which enhances the film's mysterious vibes. The characters also have much depth as we discover completely new sides throughout the movie that end up changing the viewers' perspectives as the film progresses. This film rather utilizes body language and facial expressions than witty dialogues or surprising twists to convey emotions and relationships. The movie has a mysterious vibe that makes it quite tense as it's hard to predict what might be coming next. It will keep you on the edge of your seats until the final scene. The film's pace is slow but quickens up the pace in the final eventful quarter. Sorum is an intellectual exercise as it leaves several questions unanswered and expects the viewers to put the different pieces of the puzzle together or imagine what could still happen once the movie has concluded.

Several reviewers have complained about the fact that they expected Sorum to be a horror movie but that it turned out to be a psychological drama. Once you have accepted that genre categorization, you will however discover a unique movie with much depth that is worth being revisited and analyzed from different perspectives. This underrated atmospheric mystery movie develops an ominous atmosphere right from the very first scene when the lead character first enters the apartment complex and keeps this tense vibe until the very last scene when the lead characters last exits the apartment complex. Anyone who likes atmospheric dramas with an experimental touch that walk off the beaten path should certainly check out this underappreciated timeless gem.

Peiseu / Face (2004) - Dramatic Supernatural Thriller that Mixes Family Issues, Haunting Ghosts and Crime Investigation - 7/10

Face is a dramatic supernatural thriller from South Korea released by legendary Tartan Asia Extreme label.

The plot revolves around quiet forensic facial reconstructor Lee Hyun-min who had some sinister strokes of fate to endure. His wife died much too soon and his daughter had a complicated heart surgery from which she hasn't fully recovered. Lee Hyu-min decides to quit his job to spend more time with his daughter and he brings her to the countryside to stay with her grandmother in a secluded area. As he returns home to grab some things for his departure, Lee Hyu-min is met by Jung Sun-young who is a new researcher at the institute where Lee Hyun-min worked before. She asks for his help with facial reconstruction of the victim of a serial killer who melts the bodies of his victims with acid. Lee Hyu-min initially refuses to collaborate but Jung Sun-young insists and explains her desire to learn from him. He is further convinced to collaborate when he feels haunted by the spirit of the victim and starts to feel guilty for not helping investigations in an ongoing case against a brutal serial killer. Just as he decides to accept the case, his daughter's medical condition worsens once again. Lee Hyu-min asks Doctor Yoon to give him more information about the organ donor but the doctor refuses due to confidentiality issues. As the desperate Lee Hyun-min barely sleeps as he spends time by his daughter's side at the hospital and tries to complete the facial reconstruction, he starts to discover unexpected connections between the serial killer case and the organ donor issue. Lee Hyun-min starts to collaborate directly with the police and also grows fond of his resilient assistant Jung Sun-young. However, nothing is as it appears as Lee Hyu-min is about to uncover more than one surprising twist.

This dramatic supernatural thriller convinces on numerous levels. First of all, the plot is quite clever as every single scene in the movie is meaningful and leads to a whole something that is even greater than its different parts. Up next, Face oozes with atmosphere. Especially the scenes when Lee Hyun-min is haunted by the spirit of the murder victim or when the lair of the criminal is discovered are particularly memorable. The characters are also very intriguing as it's easy for viewers to empathize with the lead characters and his numerous challenges while his colleague is a fascinating, mysterious and unpredictable woman who has more than one secret to hide. The acting performances match the excellent characters and especially child actress Han Ye-rin leaves a stunning impression. The directing effort is also highly commendable as the light and sound effects increase the film's gripping atmosphere. These excellent elements will make you keep watching this film until its surprising ending.

At the end of the day, Face is a movie that should please fans of romantic dramas, supernatural thrillers and East Asian cinema of the early years of the new millennium. This release by Tartan Asia Extreme includes some interesting featurettes such as the one on facial modeling employed for this film. Fans of this legendary label should certainy try to get their hands on a copy of this underrated dramatic supernatural thriller.

 

Arpointeu / R-Point (2004) - Decent Supernatural Elements and Intriguing Locations but Thin Characters and Plot as Well as an Absence of Scary Scenes - 6/10

 

All the movies released by legendary label Tartan Asia Extreme are at least average and in most cases great or even brilliant. R-Point is however one of the more ordinary releases and only qualifies as plain average movie. This Korean military drama with supernatural elements is only for the most faithful fans of Asian cinema.

The story takes places in Vietnam in the early seventies. Several people among the military personnel are preparing themselves for returning home after an arduous tour in hotsile territory. However, the South Korean base then receives a mysterious radio transmission from a platoon that disappearaed without a trace half a year ago. The high-command assigns a decorated lieutenant to lead a squad with eight soldiers to search and rescue the missing soldiers whose last transmissions came from a location described as Romeo Point. Upon arriving at the isolated location, the military personnel is ambushed by a mysterious Vietnamese woman who doesn't speak a single word. Up next, they discover an old temple with mysterious warning signs. Then, they discover a dilapidated mansion in the middle of the fog where they decide to set up camp. The military personnel is then contacted by American military personnel who also warn them and tell them that this location is haunted. While the South Koreans are still unable to find members of the missing platoon, they receive strange radio transmissions by a French soldier who is looking for his twin brother. The different events become more and more mysterious and the rescue mission soon becomes a fight for sanity and survival.

This military drama with supernatural elements convinces on a few levels. First of all, there aren't too many movies about South Korean involvement in the Vietnam War, so it's interesting to discover such an unusual perspective of that dreadful conflict. Some of the locations are quite diversified, intriguing and unique. Especially the old temple and the dilapidated mansion ooze with atmosphere. The movie includes a few interesting events that keep viewers watching until the very end. Especially the mysterious Vietnamese woman who keeps appearing around the soldiers and the gloomy meeting with the American soldiers are quite memorable in that regard.

This film however also has several downsides. First of all, the plot is quite thin and especially the outcome of this movie is underwhelming and ends the movie on an unsatisfactorily low note. Up next, the different characters are barely fleshed out. Including nine characters among the rescue mission for a movie of only one hundred seven minutes is too ambitious. It would have been a much better option to focus on five strong characters and develop significant ties between one another. Another issue is that this movie has been marketed as a horror movie. However, the film might be mysterious but certainly not scary. Yelling loud menaces with foul vocabulary doesn't make for an ominous atmosphere.

At the end of the day, R-Point is an average military drama with decent supernatural elements and a few intriguing locations but weak characters and plot as well as an absence of scary scenes. The movie is only recommended to the most faithful fans of Asian cinema but can be ignored by anyone who isn't an adamant collector of Tartan Asia Extreme releases.

Vital (2004) - Artistic Expressions, Philosophical Depth and Excellent Acting Performances - 8/10

Vital is a profound Japanese psychological drama that oozes with atmosphere. Directed by veteran Tsukamoto Shinya, the man behind cult movies such as science-fiction horror movie Tetsuo: The Iron Man, dramatic action thriller Tokyo Fist and dramatic mystery movie A Snake of June, this film stars charismatic Asano Tadanobu, known for his involvement in critically acclaimed films such as Ichi the Killer and The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi, as well as two strong female lead actresses with actress, architect and model Kiki and professional ballet dancer Tsukamoto Nami.

The story revolves around a young man who has had a car accident and awakens in a hospital without remembering what has happened and who he is. His family gradually nurses him back to health when the young man decides to join a medical school. He becomes one of the very best students along with an ambitious female student who develops an obsessive love interest in him. Things however take a sinister turn when the students perform autopsies on recently deceased people as the young man recognizes his corpse as his former girlfriend. Painful memories soon come back haunting the unstable student as he realizes that the woman died in that fateful car accident. With the help of his parents, the mourning family of his former girlfriend and the female student who observes his every move, the young student will have to be strong to remember the most sinister memories of his life, grieve his lover's passing and ultimately overcome her tragic demise.

This movie has at times been advertised as a thriller or even as a horror movie but that's certainly not what it is. The only creepy elements in this film are the constantly gloomy atmosphere that however also shows that there is always hope in despair and the dissection scenes of the corpses that are slightly graphic but never exaggerated. This film convinces with difficult topics such as grief, guilt and obsession that are treated with care, empathy and intellect. This movie is essentially a wonderful romance that shows that love can even survive death. The film has several artistic and surreal scenes involving wonderful drawings and haunting dream sequences. The acting performances are absolutely stellar because they avoid lengthy dialogues and rather focus on body language, dance choreographies and facial expressions. The movie's soundtrack blends in perfectly and the title song Blue Bird by renowned Japanese pop and folk singer Cocco is a timeless masterpiece.

At the end of the day, Vital is a slow-paced drama with artistic expressions, philosophical depth and excellent acting performances. This timeless movie has aged very well and deserves more attention and recognition. The slow-paced movie entices you with its mysterious atmosphere from start to finish and won't let you go. Its unique trademarks will even make you want to revisit this brilliant movie. Anyone interested in gloomy dramas with depth should give this overlooked gem a fair try.

Phii Khon Pen / The Victim (2006) - Twisted Haunted Dimensions of Misdeeds - 8/10

 

The Victim is one of the best Thai horror movies that deserves more attention, recognition and respect. Released by cult label Tartan Asian Extreme, this great movie comes along with several highly intriguing featurettes offering unusual looks behind the scenes. This film deserves to be discovered in depth and to be explored over and over again.

It convinces with quite a few twists in its meandering plot that should keep viewers intrigued until the very last scene. The locations such as abandoned hospitals, cheap hotel rooms and filthy back alley operating rooms have also been chosen with care and add an ominous atmosphere to the movie. The characters are intriguing as well and the actors and especially actresses really shine in this film. The lead character is a curious but naive young actress with a heart of gold, the movie's most important victim is an enigmatic beauty pageant with a strong sense of justice and the film's nemesis is a malignant, obsessive and twisted character whose dreadful traits are gradually unfolded. Further highlights include decent light and sound effects supported by a moody score. The film also involves an interesting marketing strategy as several looks behind the scenes report that the movie crew actually recorded real ghosts while shooting the movie. That idea might sound humorous to Western cineasts but many people in Thailand actually do believe in supernatural events and might therefore think that this film is indeed haunted. This topic certainly offers some food for thought and intriguing discussions.

The movie itself revolves around young actress Ting who struggles to make ends meet. As she is describing her difficult decision to a family member, she is coincidentally discovered by a police officer who decides to hire her to impersonate different crime victims. It's actually common in Thailand to re-enact crimes and bring criminals back to the locations of their misdeeds. Ting excels at her new job and even becomes a minor celebrity. Things however take a more sinister turn when she decides to simulate the murder of former Miss Thailand Meen. While police officers believe that she was murdered by her estranged husband whom she wanted to divorce, Ting starts to feel, hear and see supernatural things and believes that the victim is trying to contact her to tell her that the husband is innocent. Ting starts to investigate the murder herself without fully realizing that she is exposing herself to significant dangers. This mysterious case is about to drastically change the lives of Ting and everyone around her.

At the end of the day, The Victim is a movie that convinces with a twisted plot, features some decent to strong acting performances and oozes with atmosphere. Anyone interested in Asian horror movies and Thai culture should give this underrated movie a fair try. Grab a copy of the Tartan Asia Extreme release and make sure to check out the quirky behind the scenes featurettes as well.