Gui si

Silk is a Taiwanese film with a mixed cast of Taiwanese and Japanese actors. And often the Taiwanese actors will talk Japanese to make matters even more confusing. It does add an international flair or scale if you will. Chances are however you haven't even heard of this title. It certainly deserves an International audience. Find out why.

Silk very successfully combines science fiction, drama and horror. The pacing of Silk is just right. From the start you want to know what is going on. There are certainly enough scares and surprises. However you should keep in mind that this only is the case if you go in blind. Meaning if you know very little or nothing about the film. It could be stated that Silk is a little too ambitious for it's own good where one is trying to deepen the themes and characters. And the attempt is admirable. Ultimately it distracts somewhat and even falls a bit short. One example is the subplot involving Chen Chang (Tung). It's too melodramatic and illogical to make an impact.

The horror elements of the story are subtle but scary when it needs to be. There aren't many characters involved and that is a good thing so it's clear you should put the focus on. There are quite a few pivotal matters that are not explained in the story. Like for example the cube they are using in the movie. It's not necessary for the outcome of the main story, but it would have been nice had they actually given us a hint or two of what it's origins are.

But what really makes the film worth it is the acting. The cast is great. Chen Chang really carries the film. The actor who plays Hashimoto also is wonderful. You can see in his eyes that he is too obsessed with the case. You aren't quite sure whether too trust him or not. Yet you do feel like rooting for him since you can sense he is at the brink of discovering amazing.



It could be that some horror elements are a bit typical compared to other Asian horror films. Honestly, I never had a problem with this since the few scares in the films are very effective. But these scares are secondary to the mystery. The mystery itself is very compelling and you very gladly want to dive into it. Even upon a second viewing the mystery elements remain strong. The horror ones little less so. However there is a little sense of dread and tension felt throughout.

Overall this certainly will be worth your time if alone for the wonderful blend of genres.

This seems to be a sci-fi/ghost story mix-up. At the start of the film the plot seems very confused and it is a bit hard to actually understand what is going on and why.

However, things improve once the main crew has been set-up properly in the film, and the action can start to take more of a single main track. The main characters are working on a new energy source that will revolutionize the world. This is somehow linked to the existence of a ghost boy in a locked room. Why and the exact role of the ghost is unclear and the main plot is to figure this out.

The acting is generally pretty good, while this is plot slowly flows on - you definitely notice this is not an US film from the pace as it all has a kind of philosophical touch to it, contemplating the relation between a mother and her son as the story unfolds.

All in all this is well worth watching, even if it isn't the paradigm changing film of the decade.

This film has a very intriguing concept plenty of suspense and a well thought out story line definitely a film you must follow closely plenty of plot twists and turns along the way recommended 6 out of 10.

This is a movie with much creativity. It's not just about ghost, but also sci-fi and many other factors. Don't expect it to be a typical ghost movie. It's much better than ghost movies which just try to terrify people.

Many people will enjoy all the complexity in this movie, while some may feel it's too complicated as a movie. Especially, people who have engineering background will like this movie a lot.

The special effect is not as magnificent as the best Hollywood sci-fi movies, but it's good enough for a ghost related movie.

The actors are good as well, while they are mostly Asian.

I believe the comment for this movie will be polarized depending on the expectation & background of the watcher.

Wow..., what a beautiful and sophisticated supernatural movie about life and death. Acting is superb, plot very interesting, music amazing. Very atmospheric, scary but also touching story about the ghost of a little boy who has a special bond with his mother, where love and hatred are synonyms of life and death. The direction is a real ART - innovative and unpredictable. Only one silly car crash scene (unnecessary and fake) but who cares!

Definitely one of the best supernatural movies in a long long time. Can't wait to watch it again!

Highly recommended. Enjoy!