999 - Final Destination Death

Fun to see the Thai version of a slasher movie. It is very much a "teen" movie and a mix between The ring and Scream The acting rates from decent to awful, but it's fun to watch, OK entertainment.

There are better Thai movies, but it's fun to see them doing things in this genre

Thailand's answer to "Final Destination" sees a group of high schoolers being picked off in gruesome fashion after learning of a supernatural phone number that can grant your most unattainable wishes. And while everyone who calls gets their Ferraris, dream jobs, scholarships and such, the unfortunate (or foolish depending on your point of view) youngsters soon realise that they're expected to provide something rather important in return: their lives.

It all sounds very corny and cliched but 999-9999 is actually very enjoyable teen horror from start to finish. Plotting is solid - leaving no room for holes or discrepencies - acting from all the cast is top drawer and light relief is given in the form of many hilarious one-liners / scenarios. Direction owes a great deal to the fast paced 'MTV style' so common in recent US movies but for once this is actually a good thing - 999-9999's a fun, hip movie and it's not ashamed of it.

It's very bloody and gory - which surprised me a little, to be honest - but some of the effects (anyone who's seen the airlock scene will know what I'm talking about) are poorly rendered CGI which removes any repulsion factor. One scene that can cause a quiver would be where one of the boys slices his stomach on a window ledge, catching his intestine, and then proceeds to fall to the ground with his intestines being removed as he goes. Not something to watch with the family, you see.

999-9999 is actually the first Thai movie I've ever seen - despite being a huge fan of the Japanese and Korean genres - and if this is a typical example of Thai cinema, I can see some trips to Bangkok in my near future. It has more in common with US horror than Asian but all fans of "Final Destination" should enjoy. Recommended. *** / *****

After several gruesome deaths at another school the members of the "daredevil's club" wonder what happened to kill all the kids. When a student from the affected school transfers to their school they learn that the victims all called a certain phone number which would grant your wish then kill you. Partly out of curiosity and partly to get what they want, the kids begin calling the number, and dying.

Not as bad as some recent Thai horror, nor as good as others, this film plays like Goonies-lite meets a gory horror film as the fun loving kids are killed in rather nasty ways. The mixing of the styles doesn't work since the film never seems to know what it wants to be. It doesn't help that you almost instantly know whats going on because the film doesn't really give you a chance to think anything else.

Some people I know thought this was going to be the next big thing, unfortunately they were wrong and we're left with an unremarkable horror film that will probably be completely forgotten in another couple of years.

999-9999 is by no means a great horror film, but it was still fun to watch. I felt some of the acting to be slightly overdone but the characters were, for the most part, believable.

The general idea of the movie is that, when calling a number past midnight, a person can ask for anything from a mysterious entity only the caller can communicate with. The wish, when granted (and it always is), comes with a trade which, of course, is the person's life. Gore hounds will enjoy the torture and deaths in all their close-up glory, despite some horrible attempts at CG gore near the end, as no victim is spared a gruesome end. The film actually opens up with something ogreish, though it's never explained how exactly it occurred. Trust a horror movie to disobey the laws of gravity, but whatever.

The plot of the movie is most definitely generic and there are occasional campy moments, but the film was still worth the time I spent watching it. If you love gory horror don't miss out on 999-9999.

Oh, and yes...I saw the ending coming, too. ^_~

This movie provides a Thai perspective of the slasher genre with a supernatural twist. While not very original, it is well made and suitable gory. It will not satisfy the die-hard gore hounds, but is recommended for anybody who's interested in modern Thai movie making. For a superior Thai take on this genre, try 303 Fear Faith Revenge (1998).