Bi xian

A scary, engrossing Korean horror fable that borrows heavily from THE RING but still emerges as intelligent and unpredictable enough to be worthwhile. This movie is as much about the horrors of forced conformity and the loneliness and isolation that comes from thoughtless people's rejection of strangers as it is about the supernatural. A group of unpopular teen girls who can't take the constant hazing and bullying they get from the school's clique of "cool" tough girls any longer call upon evil spirits for revenge. Soon, the mean girls begin to commit suicide by wrapping their heads in plastic bags covered in lighter fluid and setting themselves on fire. Overcome with guilt, the girls who called upon the powers of darkness try to call off the curse, but one poor gal who broke an important rule during their black magic ritual is now left open to possession by the vengeful spirit of a "different" local girl who died 30 years earlier and placed a curse on the whole village and its corrupt, selfish citizens. Camerawork and production values are above average and BUNSHINSABA even tells an actual story as its mysterious events build to a tragic climax. If you liked the RING movies, here's something in a similar vein but with enough new concepts and effective nightmarish visual tricks to achieve a distinct feel of its own. Recommended.