Gabal

I am a long time horror-film fanatic. By this I mean, I watch every horror movie I come across, regardless of where it's from. I am a fond fan of everything from Tale of Two Sisters to Ils. And I suspected I would thoroughly enjoy this movie.

On the upside, Gabal has lovely music, it's wonderfully filmed,beautifully coloured, it has some exquisite scenes as far as artistry goes. The actors are good and there is, as someone might say, a certain special 'touch' here that makes the whole film worthwhile. It has surface-value.

On the downside, I was not the least bit frightened and at times, I thought the plot quite... ridiculous. I just couldn't buy into it regardless of all the other good points the movie had. I was sitting there, looking at these beautiful scenes and for the most part all that was going through my head, was "Well, it's certainly pretty... but..." It's not as if I'm sorry I watched it, it was interesting enough; it just didn't leave a mark on me. I'm not feeling the least bit scared, I'm not feeling particularly impressed, it's not bad enough to make me growl but it's certainly not good enough for a purr. I was hoping that the movie would be better than I felt it was. At least it's not an evil man-eating wig from Mars, I suppose.

I give it 7 out of 10 because I watched Hatchet (2006) last night and at this moment THAT movie has high enough score (6.9) to give me perspective - Gabal, while I did not like it so much, is wildly better than most of the Hollywood horror flicks out there that end up with a higher score.

If you'd know me by now, I take my pick of horror flicks depending on my mood. I'm game anytime for zombie films, might take a little persuasion with vampire flicks, ghosts and goblins I might like too. The Hollywood movies that is, heavily laden with effects, and most of the time compensated with gore. I haven't watched an Asian horror movie since The Ring, and now have taken my first plunge with The Wig.

Oh OK, it's all about the chicks again. Dark Water had Jennifer Connelly, Skeleton Key yesterday had Kate Hudson. In The Wig, we have two beautiful (actually in my opinion, one only) sisters Ji-hyeon (Yu Seon) and Su-hyeon (Chae Min-seo). Su-hyeon is suffering from leukemia, and isn't given too long to live. Her sister Ji-hyeon takes it upon herself to care for her until the end, which isn't expected to be too long. We see sisterly love abound after a cheesy start to the movie, and Ji-hyeon presents a wig for her sister to cover her bald head, the side effects of chemotherapy.

Of course, the wig's possessed by a spirit (hence the obvious title), and therefore takes over the life of Su-hyeon. She seemed to rapidly recover without the aid of drugs, and has a sudden lusting towards her sister's ex-boyfriend Ki-seok. Attitudes and habits change. You can experience the occasional standard horror fare like dream sequences, hallucinations, sudden appearances, pesky cats, dark corridors, creepy attics and the likes. Familiar territory for horror buffs.

So it's left to our heroine Ji-hyeon to quickly discover the whos, wheres, and whys, before it's too late to save her beloved sister from the devil. I suppose with most formulae, this discovery always ties down to the various characters in the movie, and their back-stories. It might interest you that Ji-hyeon didn't speak throughout the movie, as she was injured in an accident, so don't expect a lot of screams from her to raise your goosebumps.

But the main back-story, once revealed, is actually quite sad, especially the scenes after the revelation. It might be brief, and it might just bring out a tear or two from some sensitive audience. A slight twist at the end too when they tie up some of the subplots, which might raise some eyebrows, but only after a few cheap scares by the filmmakers.

And yes, I'll make it a point to peek under the toilet seat for the next few days. Gee, must every spirit from horror movies start to appear from everyday objects? Handphones next, anyone?

In Seoul, Su-Hyeon (Min-seo Chae) is terminal with leukemia, and bold due the treatment of chemotherapy. Her sister Ji-Hyeon (Seon Yu) buys a long-haired wig, but she does not disclose the truth about Su-Hyeon's health condition to her beloved sister. While wearing the wig, Su-Hyeon recovers her health and hits Ji-Hyeon's former boyfriend Ki-Seok, changing her behavior and relationship with her sister. When Ji-Hyeon discovers that the wig is possessed by a fiend, she finds that it was manufactured using hair of a cadaver and a dark secret about Ki-Seok's sentimental life.

"Gabal" has a promising beginning, with the dramatic story of the two sisters, one of them having a terminal cancer. The intriguing mystery about the wig is also interesting. However, the secret behind the haunted wig is ridiculous and the conclusion is too tragic. I love Asian horror movies, but I found "Gabal" very unpleasant and not scary. The disappointing tragedy in the end is actually awful. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Possuída Pelo Mal" ("Possessed by Evil")

I had high hopes for The Wig, after-all, South Korean horror is often as entertaining as it is spooky. It is true, this particular feature does have a number of great jump scares, for we are rarely able to predict what we are soon to encounter, and though the title may influence viewers to suspect the malevolent presence is tied directly to a collection of hair, this isn't always the case. Seeing the wig moving on its own accord, though peculiar, offers a further layer of disturbance, the film's opening setting the tone for both the oddness of the film, and the spontaneity of the spooky moments. Though very character oriented, and despite the adept acting talents of the leads, what unfortunately forbids The Wig from being comparatively great to other genre films, is the narrative.

The lacking chronological order is not what nefariously affects the film so much, as it is the handling. Rarely is warning given when a precursor to the film's back-story is shown, and initially I experienced difficulty trying to ascertain where the past concluded and the present began. Moreover, on many an occasion, prior events occur in quick flashes that neither assist in developing or contextualizing characters and the plot, significantly more depth being needed to accentuate these pivotal explanations.

This aside, the audience is able to exhibit an emotional reaction towards the two female leads, who are equally sympathetic characters, themes of hardship, infidelity and betrayal heightening our feelings. Ji-Hyun (Yoo-Sun) is a young woman, who, after a traumatic accident, suffers considerably, her heartless former paramour Ki-Suk (Bang Joong-Hyun) regarding her with considerable disdain. Though emotionally fragile, and largely alone, Ji-Hyun dedicates much of her strength to helping her recently discharged sister, Soo-Hyun (Chae Min-Seo), who, despite chemotherapy, is inevitably on the verge of losing her battle with leukemia.

To help ensure her sister's final week is spent in happiness, Ji-Hyun purchases her a wig, the originally sickly Soo-Hyun immediately exhibiting a positive physical transformation, alongside the admittance she feels remarkably better. However, Soo-Hyun's initially sweet, familial personality begins to adversely change, the vindictive, possessive persona that begins manifesting itself being tied to the apparition, whose hair was used in the construction of the wig.

Though the ambiance throughout the feature efficaciously coincides with the genre, one of the film's scariest moments is when Ji-Hyun's search for answers leads her to the abandoned factory where the wig was made, the shadowy corners, body-less heads of mannequins, and large quantities of jet black hair, making for a genuinely unique and creepy environment. The unsettling atmosphere however is marred by plot-holes. Towards the end, without explanation, characters are miraculously transferred from one location to another, while the inclusion of repetitive scenarios takes away from the originality and entertainment. Though there are some violent images, a couple of which employing a significant amount of blood, the feature also possesses mature themes, including suicide and homosexuality, these potent social ideas being refused the generous screen-time they deserved.

Finally, the film's ending is guaranteed to shock, heightening the feature's capacity to emotionally draw viewer's into the story, though the still lacking answers from the remainder of the film, alongside unanswered questions instigated by the conclusion, will undoubtedly leave viewers with a desire for more.

The Wig is a well made, creepy horror drama from South Korea. I can see why many people might find it slow or hard to follow, but if you do - god forbid - pay attention, the complex plot does work. There are also many scenes that pack a wallop. It is beautifully shot, well acted and has an effective score. There is one shocking scene in a traffic tunnel that is particularly well done. If you stay with it, it comes together. It is sad, scary and creepy and some of the shocks and gore are exceptional. The two lead actresses are lovely and give terrific performances. And yes, long black hair is scary. You may never go in a wig store again!!! :)