But this South Korean spooky take on the Vietnam War quite subtly manages to portray the mission of nine hard-bitten troops sent to recover a squad missing, presumed dead, from the R-Point. If Americans had made this film, it would have been a gung-ho disaster.
Also, how do you try someone for murder who is already dead?Ĭunning concepts like these and some great action sequences make The Cursed movie gripping viewing.
Who is the puppet master taking control of the undead? And what’s with the big business that seems to be related to the series of deaths? There are plenty of questions to answer as the zombies (looking suspiciously like teens in hoodies) rage through the scenes, jumping between the paranormal and real life. That’s tricky territory for reporter Im Jin-Hee, whose radio show phone-in gets a scary message about three high-ranking executive murders, except they haven’t happened yet.
The latest effort from the pen of Yeon Sang-ho of Train to Busan fame, The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey links to The Cursed, a popular TV series.ĭead Man’s Prey sees the dead rise to seek revenge on the living through gory murder. The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey (2021) The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey A Tale of Two Sisters is certainly a tale that keeps us hooked as the multiple personalities of the characters come out to play.ħ. Settling back into the uncaring arms of her family, she brings a new friend: A ghostly entity to join in their loveless lives, sowing discord and terror.Īnyone who enjoyed The Haunting of Hill House will appreciate the craft that has gone into the production of this psychological terror, with undertones of the supernatural, all combining to a fine blend of building dread and scares. The film sees the titular figures return home after one spent a year or so in a mental hospital after a traumatic incident. One of the first South Korean horror films to make it to western audiences, A Tale of Two Sisters is based on an old folk tale. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) A Tale of Two Sisters Mixing comedy and horror, The Host could be South Korea’s Tremors, but has much to offer on its own with its charming local style, and paints a fantastic portrait of Korean family life during some very strange days.Ĩ. His skills do come in handy in surviving, using the techno-gadgets around his flat, but only as long as the batteries last.Īnd it comes as little surprise that one of the real villains of the piece isn’t a zombie, but just another person trying to survive, in their own twisted way.Ī great creature feature, The Host depicts a monster that’s created when toxic waste creates a part-squid, maybe sea lion, part-gator roaming the Han River that runs through Seoul, munching its way through the locals and becoming increasingly more brazen in its attacks.Īs a counterpoint to its toothy antics, much of the movie follows a bumbling family that lives and works by the river, trying to get by as the city descends into chaos, and then forming the most bumbling rescue party ever to save their cute daughter who’s next on the menu. The focus is primarily on how two survivors, tucked away in their high-rise flats, communicate and exchange food and essentials and plan to find a way out while surviving the long boring days trapped without power or essentials and the lurching, waiting zombie horde.Īlive pays homage to and takes a dig at slacker culture, with the smartphone-obsessed teen anti-hero having to deal with shocking reality and the lack of his usual digital safety blanket. Keeping South Korea’s run of solid zombie flicks going, Alive is another cracker.