Scary Movie Where White Dress Girl Stands There
Very creepy Thai horror film.
"Shutter" begins when Thun,a young photographer and his girlfriend Jane accidentally run down a young woman on their drive home.They decide to leave the dead victim and drive away.Later Thun discovers something strange when he finds a mysterious shadow that appears on his photo.He thinks that's just a bad picture,but then he realizes that there is something much more sinister behind the shadow-both Tun and Jane are plagued with extremely unsettling dreams.Unable to cope,they start investigating the phenomenon of ghost/spirit photography,which leads to a discovery about Tun's past,and a possible clue to the identity of their ghostly nemesis."Shutter" was a horror hit in Thailand and it's easy to notice why.It certainly offers some truly eerie moments and it has its share of 'boo' scares too.The final image will make you scream.The acting is surprisingly good and the film is fascinating to watch.9 out of 10.Give it a look.
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A horror movie that doesn't let go from the moment it begins
It's no big news that the horror industry has been in decline for the last 10 or so years. Western horror movies have all been dry-ed up and Hollywood is desperately remaking any Asian horror that has a 5 plus rating on IMDb. Because there people are still making good horror and of course Hollywood has to cash in on that. One such movie that will probably be remade in the next two years is "Shutter". Coming straight from Thailand this is not just good, it's fantastic, probably the most terrifying ride I had since I saw "In The Mouth Of Madness" a few years back. Grabs you by the hand from the first minute and never let's go until the end. The way horror is supposed to be.
"Shutter" follows a pretty standard formula in terms of plot. A photographer is haunted by the ghost of a woman and as the story unfolds we understand the reason why. Not the most original work, but it's solid in terms of writing and dialogue. The final conclusion is a very ironic yet satisfying experience, in touch with the atmosphere and tension build up to this point. Characters are likable enough so it get's very nerve-wrecking when they find themselves in danger. In fact it's safe to say that the entire movie is nerve-wrecking, psychologically painful and outright scary. This is all done with no small thanks to directors Pisanthanakun and Wongpoom through great camera-work, intimidating make-up effects and careful use of digital effects to enhance the horror elements. It is this careful balance that makes "Shutter" brilliant, it didn't allow itself to be dominated by CGI instead it used a combination of classic horror effects with modern computer generated ones. The atmosphere created is so wonderfully scary and that is no small feat to accomplish considering what is spewed from the U.S. these. Stuff like "Hostel" or "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (remake) that just pour down gore and think it creates horror. It does not, "Shutter" shows that you must have a certain amount of skill, understanding of the human psyche, what makes us tick, what makes us afraid and then exploit that. Bombarding us with only gore won't do the trick. Hopefully someone will learn that lesson once and for all. Another aspect that is worth noting is the score, once again brilliant stuff composed with a low key piano piece that greatly boosts the atmosphere.
Somewhere out there in Hollywood the cash-filled minds of screenwriters are "preparing" "Shutter" for remaking . They will try to make it "better" by casting some A-list overrated pop-idol celebrity. They will dumb it down to a PG-13 rating so that kids would go and see it. They will butcher the story entirely and in the end it will be turned into a shallow, tasteless film devoid of any sort of merit. Hopefully through that remake somewhere, someone will be able to discover the true "Shutter" a horror movie made with more love and devotion than all of those remakes combined.
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Truly a horror masterpiece!
This Asian horror film starts off with a young couple (Tun and Jane) driving back from a get-together late one night and hitting a girl that suddenly appears on the road. This may sound very cliché to seasoned horror fans, but what ensues in the film is anything but. Tun (Ananda Everingham) is a professional photographer. He starts noticing some strange flaws in his pictures. This is the beginning of the best ghost story I've ever seen, with truly amazing special effects (so good they make you feel that they're really happening and not just concocted for the movie), excellent acting, lavish production, a creative plot with some great surprises, and just enough blood to justify an R rating (oh, and. Ananda is not only a great actor; he's eye candy!)
If you're not put off by having to read subtitles, you'll absolutely love this movie. If you are, I recommend that you try to muddle through them because, believe me, it'll be worth your while.
A true gem and a DVD that I am proud to have in my horror collection. Perfection!
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Creepy and Very, But Really Very Scary
In Bangkok, after celebrating a drinking party with his closest friends, the photographer Tun (Ananda Everingham) and his girlfriend Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee) have a car accident on the road, with Jane hitting a girl. Tun does not allow her to help the girl and they ran away leaving the girl lying on the road. When Tun reveals his latest pictures, he finds some mysterious shadows, while the couple is systematically haunted by the ghost of the girl. Tun investigates and finds that the victim was his former shy and weird girlfriend Natre (Achita Sikamana), who studied with him in the college. Later Jane discloses deep and hidden secrets about the relationship of Natre, Tun and his friends.
"Shutter" is a creepy and a very, but really very scary horror movie. The story is very well developed, in an excellent pace, with a twist to an unexpected direction and with a great and consistent conclusion. The cinematography intensely explores the red and some black and white very well and the effects are simple but stunning. There is an interesting Message Board, where an IMDb User brilliantly asked: "What is your scariest moment?" It is amazing to read the number of different scenes selected by the users. My favorite scene is when Tun is in the black room revealing a photo, Jane arrives and the phone rings. These samples show that the film offers many frightening moments. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "EspÃritos, A Morte Está Ao Seu Lado" ("Spirit, Death is At Your Side")
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Oh wow, oh jeez, this is the scariest freakin' movie since The Eye!
Shutter is a new horror film from Thailand, in the tradition of recent Asian horror films like Ringu and The Eye, and it scared the bejeevery-jeezes out of me! The directors are called Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom (it rhymes!) and this is their first feature, and looking at the movie, it's hard to believe so. It looks very professional and slick, and it excels in every aspect: from shot design to sound use to pacing. The atmosphere is bowl-clenchingly tight, the tension is almost never relieved, and the movie contains quite a lot of scares; they come in all shapes and sizes in this one, folks. This film has its share of boo moments, slow build-ups, genuine horror, and psychological scares following some very creepy and disturbing revelations. I won't spoil anything, but if you like horror do yourself a favor and watch it. I give this gem a 10 on my horrormeter. And I think I'll leave the light on tonight.
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This one WILL scare you
First of all, if you're a horror fan, see it. You will enjoy this film. Period.
Know this - I've seen a billion horror flicks from all around the world... This one gave me the creeps. First 20-30 minutes you still have time to relax from scare to scare, but from then on it's just plain scary shiyet.
This movie gets you in the right atmosphere right from the start, and it has almost every type of scene a horror fan can ask for (You'll know what I mean when you see it). I don't really care much about originality, but the story is original and interesting. The best thing about it, though, is the girl who portrays the ghost. I don't know where they found this freaky girl, but she's PERFECT for this role, and by far the scariest character I've seen in Asian horror films.
I hope the 2 fellows who made this film, make another horror flick, because, although they're young, it's obvious they know what they're doing. NICE ONE.
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A Great Movie.
I saw this movie for the first time 2 weeks ago at the Bangkok International Film Fest and it is amazing!! Not only is it scary as hell ( I've never screamed so much in a movie before and I'm an avid horror movie fan), it has a wonderful and original plot line. Throughout the entire movie, i thought i was going to have a heart attack i was so scared. I give a lot of credit to the 2 young directors of this movie. They are only in their early 20's and concocted a unique and entertaining film. Yesterday I just bought it on DVD and I cannot wait to watch it with my friends at home; they'll love it! This is a definite must see for all horror/thriller fans!
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You Cannot Escape Your Past
Warning: Spoilers
with a slew of Japanese horror films being released its a surprise to see one as good as Shutter comes not from Japan but Thailand.
Shutter focuses on Tun. A recent high school graduate who has a keen interest in photography. While driving late one night with his girlfriend Jane something or someone in the dark causes them to swerve off-road. whoever they hit, if they lived through it, if they didn't they're unsure. They flee the scene but nothing is the same anymore. Nightmares happen for both Tun and Jane as well as strange occurrences in Tuns photographs. Some of Tuns close friends are told to have mysteriously killed themselves. As they go to find out what could have caused this haunting spirit, they find out a lot more about their forgotten past. The car accident wasn't the only mistake that could have caused the series of events, the truth is much worse.
In comparison to other recent horror movies like JuOn and Ringu its easy to say the film was highly influenced. Its also notable to point out certain scenes (hair effects seen in JuOn, crawling ghouls as in Ringu) borrow from them as well. Had Shutter been released before them it would be visa versa of course but giving credit to Shutter, it could be said it can stand on its own as a really good horror movie. Most of the scare effect are things not seen in any movies and will really get a jump reaction. The storyline also has some really good twists that just make the movie even more creepier.
Acting is also done really well in this movie. Admittingly there aren't many Thaiwanese films that have got a lot of attention but its as good if not better than any other horror movie. It actually stays as a serious horror and doesn't go into the cornball "scary movie" genre (save for a single scene) which is rare. Special effects are kept low in this but there really isn't a need for overdone scariness anyway.
Sound by far was one of the best things in Shutter. The extremely loud -Shriek!- or a bang and clatter here and there really adds to the shock effect. Lighting and overall pacing of the film is also constant. There's not a moment to rest, it kept coming with small unexpected moments. There can't be much said for music as there isn't much but it has its few melodic moods to set the tone.
Shutter deserves more attention. Perhaps a US re-release such as Grudge and The Ring with a few more scare moments. It really does well as its own horror movie in Thailand and should definitely not be missed by fans of Japanese Horror and horror in general. It will scare you and leave you scared of the dark nights after. Shutter should not be missed by anyone wanting a really good scare.
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probably the best Asian horror after the ring
Not that i've seen every Asian horror movie out there of course. i've seen most of the biggies though - ring, ring 2, ju-on, dark water, cure, plus some others i can't remember the names of, and this is up there with the best.
Style-wise its not very original and borrows heavily from the Ring in its presentation, but whats wrong with that? Especially when its done as well as this. It's also scarier than the ring in terms of jump-out- of-the-seat moments, though it doesn't have any scenes quite on a par with the ring's freaky crawl out the telly scene, but then that's probably the best horror scene ever so I can forgive it for that! As well as the scares you've got good acting, good well structured plot and a really great ending - I didn't see it coming at all.
In conclusion, if you liked the ring you will love this. 9/10
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Big Treat for Adrenalin Junkie . .
Shutter starts with using the ghost appearance phenomena on photograph as the main theme, but as far as the movie goes, it reveals the plot regarding to long-lost love and bitter past life of the main character. i didn't expect too much from Shutter cause i thought it'd be another regular horror movie. (and it's from Thailand, which has produced some bad quality movie of this genre) At the end, i liked it. OK, it contains Asian-horror cliché, but the plot, the story and the puzzle are well-connected. not to mentioned the shocking sound effects and the superb conclusion. it's a big treat for Asian horror fans. very recommended (8/10)
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Another Asian film being remade in US
You know you have a winner when Hollywood remakes your film with some WB starlets. Shutter will be coming out in March and, like the Japanese remakes will not likely be anywhere as good as the original.
This was great horror. The suspense is taut throughout and you don't see the ending coming. In fact, I thought it had ended twice before it actually ended.
You want creepy? Achita Sikamana in her first film is really creepy. Her character will give you chills and creep you out like you won't believe.
You want good acting? Ananda Everingham and Natthaweeranuch Thongmee certainly provide that.
This film ranks up there with Gin gwai and Ringu for superb horror/thriller entertainment.
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A flawless effort, exemplary in every respect
Warning: Spoilers
Here we have a Thai horror film, very much in the style of RING, THE GRUDGE, and THE EYE, that absolutely excels at what it does. A slow burning chiller with a handful of standout scares, SHUTTER is a film set in familiar territory that nevertheless revitalises the genre and goes to show that genuine scares can still be had from the most predictable of situations. The story itself is about a photographer who begins to see strange things in the photos he takes; a mysterious, ghost-faced woman seems to be haunting him.
Before long, his girlfriend and his buddies are involved in the mystery, which gradually begins to be solved in a piece-by-piece style. By the time of the climax, there have been loads of twists and turns, and all of them are superior. They're topped by a final reveal, complemented by some flashbacks, which has instantly become one of my all-time favourite twists, up there with THE SIXTH SENSE for sheer, breathtaking, rug-out-from-under-your-feet surprise.
The cast is strong and Ananda Everingham copes very well in what is a difficult, multi-layered performance. As the ghost girl, Achita Sikamana is sweeter rather than scary, but her presence in the film gives it a moving, emotional edge lacking in the Japanese chillers. SHUTTER is all about emotion, and the same can be said of that other classic, THE EYE. That's not to say that there isn't horror, because the film is awash with creepy moments. The ghost girl pops up in all manner of unexpected situations, and the encounter with some real-life spirit photography is supremely disturbing. In the end, this polished movie is a rare beast: a flawless effort, exemplary in every respect and a modern day classic.
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if you want a scary ride, you won't be disappointed
Being a fan of Asian films, I must purchase up to ten films a week. The majority are foreign. I don't want to go into too much detail about the film, but say that this film is buy far one the best horror films I have seen. And I have seen a lot.....and it is Thai! The Ring has paved the way for films like this. there is no doubt in that, but unlike the Ring, and Dark Water, the etc, this film is consistent. It's pace is fantastic.You never get bored, and the scares themselves, while maybe not as disturbing as something like A Tale Of Two sisters, they literally make you jump out of your seat. It's only "fault" (if you want to call it that) is that the score gives you a clue something is coming, but I personally thought they had done excellent job which overall adds to the aura of the film.
great stuff!
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A great ending covers for a lot of holes in the first hour.
This is the original Thai version, not the US remake that I have heard is rubbish, as most remakes are. The Ring being the most notable example.
In an unprecedented first for OGR I did a few clicks research to find that the original Shutter was rated a paltry 40%, but the US remake was universally loathed with a 7% grade. Before this I hadn't seen either but as a rule of thumb where I have the chance I'll check the original first.
Now 40 minutes in I thought I was watching a remake anyway, that of an amalgamation of The Ring and The Grudge. There were repeated occasions where the scares seemed directly ripped from either of those pretty good flicks, and even the ghost (when in ghost-mode) looked exactly like the pale chick from Ju-on (The Grudge). Even though Shutter partially redeems itself in the last 15 minutes I was a little disappointed by these scenes that blurred the line between homage and copying.
The first scene is pointless, unless you are a fan of what appears to be bad acting by a guy with a Thai Jerry Lewis voice (it's hard to pick bad acting when you don't understand the language). However on the way home from the drinking session the central couple Jane and Tun are sorta chatting in the car when a girl appears out of nowhere on the road and is promptly bowled over. After realising what has happened and making sure they are both OK Tun urges Jane to drive off without checking on the victim, and as she is in a state of panic she agrees.
In the ensuing days Jane starts regretting her indecisiveness, and the next 20 minutes are straight Ring-lite. It turns out that Tun is a photographer and after completing a job he finds all of his exposures are blurry and in one particular shot it appears there is a "mystery" guest. The Ghost appears at various spots, each time with a personal "BOO" soundtrack jolt and many times with the old misdirection trick of the guy looking one way, then turning back to be face-to-face with their would be assailant.
A better title at this point in the film would have been "Ghost Camera", lousy title but reflective of what had transpired to that point. Upon visiting a tabloid magazine it turns out that the best way to get a true, tamper proof picture using a polaroid camera is the go, as it only shows what it sees.
Then things gradually take a turn for the better, Jerry Lewis shows at Tun's pad pleading for the "photos" before abruptly disappearing. Then Tun discovers that Jerry and the other two faceless amigos from the opening scene in the movie have all topped themselves, Tun understandably gets even more concerned, and Jane says she'll stand by him. Cut to a baffling scene in the public loos, only a 2 minute scene but worthwhile nonetheless, as without spoilers it is pretty funny.
Even though the first hour and a bit should owe royalties to The Grudge and The Ring, the movie is redeemed and worth watching for the last 15 minutes alone. There are a couple of scenes that provide real chills and the payoff is actually cool and original.
Turns out that the ghost has a name, as many movie ghosts do - Natre. Can't say much more about the plot without giving things away so I'll wind up with a few questions that this movie raises:
- Why haven't Thai car manufacturers gotten better worldwide recognition? In one scene Tun is driving at 120 km/h and is able to veer off the road and stop before leaving the bitumen, that's 120 km/h to 0 km/h within the width of two lanes!
- If you own your own darkroom in your house why would you get your holiday happy snaps developed at the local photo shop.
- If you have anything that you would rather no-one else saw, why would you leave it lying around the house?
Final Rating - 7 / 10. Pretty sure it isn't worth a 7 overall, but a good ending will help you ignore many of the faults and flaws in the first hour.
If you liked this (or even if you didn't) try oneguyrambling.com
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Better Than The American Made Film
This to me is far more suspenseful than the American version. I like that this seems to be much more subtle. It allows the ideas it presents to grow on you and provides the chance to invest in some of the characters. I'm really glad I finally decided to sit down and watch it.
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Excellent suspense with an almost documentary feel
This Thai film takes a page out of Japan's horror book and makes the movie with an expert level of suspense and level-headed control rather than America's jumpy but lackluster version of horror. I was so tense and wound up through the whole film that the credits were a welcome relief. Horror fans should definitely check this one out.
This is possibly the most matter-of-fact horror film I've ever seen. It presents the events in a straightforward manner, not bothering with any extraneous information, in a way that almost makes it feel like a documentary. The result is a horror movie so logical that the ending is perfectly logical and oddly satisfying. However, the perfect explanation also felt like a magician revealing his trick, where the mystery was stripped away by reality. As a result, it was still great horror while I watched, but it didn't leave any lasting scares.
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standard Asia horror flick
Once you've seen a few Asian horror films you begin to notice patterns emerging, most galling is that often the main horror element is a placid-looking girl in a white dress with long straight black hair, who lost her life in some unjust way but has come back to haunt either randoms or somehow-related peoples.
The Ring, The Grudge, Tale of Two Sisters, a few more I've now forgotten about, and add Shutter to this list too.
I was still happy to go with it if the pic was well-made, with some good scares and uneasy moments, but to be honest the scares are very standard predictable jump fare: increase in tense music -> protagonist looking uneasy -> loud bang accompanying a brief flash of zombiefied Asian girl (in a white dress).
The narrative jumps about quite randomly in ways that only make sense at the end of the film, and it's the end which saves this from being a poor experience. It's not quite on the high-end dread level as the climax of an otherwise quite dull Ringu (6/10) but it's spooky enough to be satisfying. On the other hand the ending reveal also made me chuckle a little, so not exactly scary.
The two main female actors are also very average, with the male character being an utterly pathetic figure: it's not quite clear how he was written, but I just wanted to punch him in the face.
Generally there's nothing memorable on offer here, tho' there could've been: the idea of polaroids showing us apparitions is a potentially fantastic concept, covered effectively by the Fatal Frame (Project Zero) series of games on the Playstation 2 console, which was very likely the source of inspiration for Shutter (tho' the game I believe used Camera Obscura). Speaking of Fatal Frame, a film was made last year, but seems very obscure:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3684484/
Back to Shutter: to be fair there is one nice scene which stands out: the photo-flip series showing the apparition moving towards something. Again it could've been so much more: if you've seen Paranormal Activity 4 and always thought they didn't maximise the potential of those X-Box Kinect lighting scenes, then you'll be thinking similar here.
Regarding the language: as ever, you should watch a film with its original audio as long as subs are available. The beginning is almost impossible to keep up with the quick-fire banter, but shortly afterwards it's fine. Thai sometimes has Korean-ish inflections, but mostly reminds you (if you, like me, have never heard Thai before) of Vietnamese.
Worth a watch if you're addicted to typical Asian horror and are interested in how Thailand does it.
Not worth your time if you're a horror fan looking for unique scares or original story.
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great - but no revolution
I saw this movie in a theater in Bangkok. This is the seventh Thai movie I have ever seen, and by far the best of them all.
I heard a lot about the movie at the time and just had to check it out. I'm not going to spoil the story, although I must say that it is quite smart, with the exception of a few scenes. The ending is somewhat of a puzzle and the road to solving it was very enjoyable indeed. I think everyone who likes movies like "The Ring" and "Ju-on" should check this one out, actually, if you like horror movies that should be enough to check this one out.
I heard that it has a DVD-release and I encourage everyone who likes horror to check it out! I also must warn people. Before I saw it I heard a lot about how amazingly scary and horrifying it is. It wasn't the most scary thing I ever saw, i must say. But it's still a good movie.
My grade is 8 out of 10.
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Probably the scariest movie I've ever seen
And I've seen A LOT. Like grew up working in a movie store a lot. This movie I've seen maybe twice and sometimes I still see the girl's face when I go to pee in the middle of the night without turning the lights on. Just a perfectly made suspense and horror combination that sticks with you way way after you see it. Ever wonder why you slouch?
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A Nutshell Review: Shutter
When this movie was released in Singapore in late 2004, friends raved continuously on how it managed to spook their wits out. I recall the marketing campaign too, with their in cinema posters having put up photographs circled with strange willowy figures, the subjects being oblivious to the special presence of the spectral "friends' from the nether world.
And yes it indeed took me so long to finally get to watch this, because like I admit I'm still chicken (you laugh) in watching horror movies that send genuine chills. Actually if you noticed I've ventured into watching and review movies from the horror genre as well, and most of them released these days are laughable stuff. But for those whom friends (who are regular horror shock jocks) have cautioned against, I decided to tread safely and watch this when the sun is still up. And I thought that if I didn't, then I could have well get my fair share of nightmares starting from tonight.
You see, like The Ring, this movie had taken an occasional phenomenon, in this case, those that photographers face in the form of expired film, double exposures and the likes, and gave them some ghostly reason to exist. While today's cameras have mostly gone digital, I have gone through the era of film, and have some photographs developed on film as well, so I do have some of those pictures with some of those effects as shown in the movie. It's nothing spooky, but you can't help it if your imagination chooses to run wild. I had to review and watch this because writer-directors Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom cut their cinematic debut with this movie, and I will have the opportunity to watch their next movie Alone, and sit through a panel discussion with them. Doing my homework is a must.
I thought Shutter managed to carve some new horror rules for the Asian horror genre, such as having the story center around a male protagonist (which current horror movies seem to give allowance to as well). And unlike many run of the mill horror movies which do things for the sake of doing them, and rely heavily technically in delivering shock tactics, Shutter had an incredibly believable, and strong storyline at its core. Story matters, and the filmmakers never seem to forget that. In providing a reason for the spook to haunt our protagonists, they have carefully developed characters, scenes, and provided enough plot development in the unravelling of its mystery, giving it a refreshing narrative presentation which still has not aged. Its revelatory scenes is one of the best ever, coupled with the best possible ending which chills, thrills and provide the spills, and it's no wonder why Hollywood came knocking in its season of movie-adaptation hunting.
Shutter tells the story of Tun (heartthrob Ananda Everingham), a freelance photographer, and his girlfriend Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee), who after a night out celebrating a friend's wedding, get involved in a hit-and-run episode. Things start to go awry for our couple, staring with the photographs that Tun takes for a living exhibiting strange wispy white shadows, some of which Jane's imagination start to think it was the girl whom they have knocked down. Talk about the consciousness feeling guilty. But investigations into the identity of the woman prove to be more than meets the eye, and cuts closer to home that they both can ever imagine, involving a girl from the past, Natre (Achita Sikarmana)
Never relying on cheap tricks, which I thought was a major plus, the production values are top notch, doesn't look cheap for one bit, and that itself lent some gravitas to the credibility of the movie and story - you just don't need quick cuts or jumpy Boo moments to scare - just a carefully developed scene which sends chilling reactions. For that matter, there was a scene that didn't even need to show the actor's face; the strength of the story and for that scene alone, was worth it.
At its core, there's a pair of sad love stories cementing the narrative, which if you remove the supernatural elements, might seem to reek of cliché romantic drama series. But in this story of doctored pictures, double exposures, and the lack of focus, it allows reason enough for some reinforcement of the popular thought that our spectral friends usually return to settle their unfinished business, to exact their vengeance, a view that I share because I don't believe all ghosts are as good natured as Casper.
All in, this is a horror movie that I'd recommend because it doesn't try too hard, and has a decent story at its core. If you're someone who believes that the camera can capture souls (even from living beings), then Shutter would be right up your alley. Certainly a more satisfying Asian horror movie to come out in recent years, and definitely trumps over many half-baked ideas for the genre that get churned out from Korean to Japan to Thailand.
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Better than average ghost story with an excellent culmination
Warning: Spoilers
At first I thought this was going to be another disappointment and it was slow going, though watchable, but it picked up nicely near the end making up for the beginning to middle. Near the conclusion there is a scene that was very well done and scary, I even jumped and it gave me a good shiver. This was how horror scenes should be done! Excellent tension and special effects with a big wallop of a surprise. Yes, this has the typical elements of Japanese horror but it's well shot and generates good suspense and thrills especially near the end. The two main actors were very competent and played their roles well. The special effects were quite good and believable. I can see Hollywood remaking this and it will probably be TERRIBLE. This is one foreign horror where the original will be the one to see. This is a good one for all you horror buffs, lately I haven't seen anything good in the horror genre but this was an exception.
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Well, yeah, hm, okay
"Shutter" is Asian cinema as you would expect it. There's a ghost in it. One with long black hair and a white face. One that comes crawling out of watery vessels and pops up in your bed or on your windshield. A ghost that wants vengeance for something that has been done to her. Have you heard that before? I know I have.
Still "Shutter" is one of the more successful Asian horror movies. The reason for that is its fast pacing. This movie just isn't as slow as so many other Asian flicks are. There are still some annoying plot holes and the whole story isn't earthshattering, either. Most of the scares are cheap and obvious, but it's still an entertaining little ghost movie with a great score.
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Quite possibly one of the best Asian horror movies I have ever seen.
Better than The Ring! Shutter is a film with a modest budget, but packs a punch with the acting, scares, plot twists and innovative ideas in terms of horror. Nothing pretentious here (a couple cliches but who gives a hoot; they're very minor in my opinion). To me this film offers the Gold Standard for the theme of "ghosts haunting cameras". Drop your Paranormal Activity and give this a go! I suggest looking for Shutter to add to your movie night list.
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Have you ever carefully looked at your pictures?
Warning: Spoilers
''Shutter'' is a thai horror film and one of the scariest movies I already watched from the Asian terror, as long as ''The Eye'' and ''Ju-On''. The story of the movie is very well developed and now, every time my neck aches, I will be very worried.
The plot is around a young photographer named Thun and his girlfriend Jane, that in one night, after celebrating with their friends, accidentally have a car accident on the road, hitting a young woman. After this accident, many strange and bizarre things starts to happen to Jane and specially to Thun, who we later discover, was the ex boyfriend of the young woman who was hit, called Natre.
This movie is an excellent choice for everybody who enjoys horror movies and I really hope that the American studios do not decide to do a remake of it.
Ps:The end of this movie, is the scariest moment in my opinion, when Thun realizes that he's carrying the girl on his shoulders.
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Nice Thai horror
This is a movie that borrows from recent Asian horror movies (Ringu for example) and ends in relative predictability. I mean, there is a spirit there, what can it possibly do? Haunt haunt haunt! The start of the movie doesn't have any significance, since all the events thereafter have no connection to the initial accident. Or maybe I didn't get it.
The atmosphere is OK, the language sounds to me as a cross between duck and cat, which maybe chips from the horror feeling, or maybe because there weren't many deaths and scary haunt scenes, I didn't quite get in the mood for this movie. I am all alone in the house, It's 3AM in the morning, pitch black, dead silence, and I am not scared after seeing this movie. Or maybe it's because I have seen so many movies these past few days and my standards are polluted. Funny thing, I recognized a girl in the movie. How bad can it get? I start knowing Thai actors.
Anyway, if you are in the mood for an Asian horror flick, go to this one, although to me it felt like a cross between The Ring and Scream.
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Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0440803/reviews
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