Shutter (DVD, 2007)

This is one of the best, most chilling horror movies I've ever seen. The imagery still lingers with me and no matter how many times I've seen it, it still manages to make me jump and scream and want to hide my eyes.

For true lovers of horror movies - and I don't mean simply slasher flicks, but honest suspense and horror - this needs to be in your collection. It never gets old. Even after the first watch, the ending is just as creepy and skin-crawlingly good as ever. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Allow some slack for foreign films.

“Shutter” opens fast. By 5th minute lovers Tun (Ananda Everingham) and Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee) are in their car heading back from dinner with some friends, only to run into something on the dark road. They spot the body of a woman laying in the road behind them, but before Jane, the driver, can get out of the car to check, Tun has convinced her to drive off. Days later, it’s revealed that the only accident on that particular road on that particular night was that someone had run their car into a billboard — Jane and Tun’s car. But what of the dead — or hurt — young woman?

Also fast is how easily everyone grasps the concept that there’s a very angry female ghost stalking them via Tun’s photographs. A photographer by trade, Tun always carries his trusty camera with him, snapping pictures whenever he gets the chance, and it’s through this vessel that the ghost seems to be making her presence most known. In the aftermath of the accident that may or may not have been real, Tun starts seeing odd over exposures in his photos. Without missing a beat, Jane immediately surmises that a spirit is haunting them, using the photos as a means to pick her victims.

With Jane’s accurate (but inexplicably insightful) hypothesis in hand, they run to a tabloid reporter for answers. Required by Movie Law to provide exposition, the reporter informs us that spirits have always appeared in photographs throughout history. He’s so helpful, in fact, that he even keeps a photo album of these photos. Real photos, apparently, because at the end of the movie the producers hedge their bets and “thanks” the respective owners, whose photographs they had used, according to the text, without permission.

The ghost turns out to be Natre (Acita Sikamana), Tun’s ex-lover, who had gone missing while in college with Tun. Jane and Tun do a lot of tracing the ghost’s past. They end up at her family home, of course, where they inevitably meet the woman’s mother, who fills in the gaps.

There’s only really two deaths in the entire film, which while not bad in and of itself (horror movies like these seldom require a large bodycount to work), there are three deaths that take place not only offscreen, but completely beyond the scope of the narrative. As such, we don’t even know the ghost has killed someone until a character mentions it offhandedly to the other characters stunning them. Apparently the directors missed film class on the day the professor explained, “Show, don’t tell.”

“Shutter” is not the best or the worst Asian horror film involving an angry female ghost with long dark hair out there right now. Its Thai origins don’t impact the story very much, and its stab at relevancy (the long exposition regarding the history of supposed spirits in photographs) is little distraction for the film. There are some nice scares, and the film actually features a hero that isn’t pure.

“Shutter” is an entertaining thriller, and the ghost, while looking very generic as can be, offers the audience one minor detour from conventions — she likes to stalk her victims while upside down. Other than that, she’s no different from the 500 other Asian ghosts with long black hair.

The ghost is very vindictive but very predictable The 'ol “You better find out what’s got her so pissed before she gets you!” storyline. For a foreign job, I give it 3 stars. An American version comes out soon. Do between $5-$10 on ebay for this one.

DTD

The seller took my money as i,m sure he did to others and run with it. Scam Artist! Filed claim against seller, but i doubt anything will ever become of it. Hard to get a refund if you,ve been scammed!

The movie conversion from Thai to US audiences is completely understandable because of the recent trend asian cinema inspired movies. I personally find the movie slow in the begining. As the movie progesses, the small thrills are simple and predictable, but through simple camera tricks and ghosts with makeup, the movie scares are worth its non CG forms. The ghost girl's corporeal appearances and storyline with Thai cultural references may not insult your intelegence.

All i can say is creepy...it will keep you at the edge of your feet! This one is a good one...i highly recommend it...

I loved this movie, not the same typical little girl w/ vengance story,this story has nothing to do with lil angry girls lol... the plot is quite differnt indeed and you're fooled from whats really going on at first. the story is great because if you pay attention its like you're apart of it and figuring on whats going on as it plays and in the end it will all come together, thats what i loved about this movie because they dont spoon feed it to you (like they did in the horrible american remake), you have to pay attention to understand whats going on and to really enjoy it.

you will be suprised and delightfully frightened by this movie if ur a fan of asian horror like myself.. original is always the best, the american remake sadly i cannot say the same.. they slaughtered its originality.