A millionaire passes away leaving behind a HK$100 million estate. His eight children, brought up by different mothers, each receive a letter asking them to return home to stake a claim on their rightful inheritance. All return except for the third brother.
Awaiting them is a lawyer, Mr Cheung (Alex Fong) who tells all of them that they must stay in the quarters for 49 days. It is a customary tradition that they must show up at midnight sharp to pay respect to the deceased and after prayer, each of the siblings must hug one another in a show of familial devotion. Those who fail to meet these conditions would find their share forfeited and divided equally among the qualified siblings.
Also staying in the estate is the dead millionaire's loyal servant, who warns them not to venture into an abandoned castle located nearby. He also reveals that all their mothers disappeared or died in mysterious ways. Coming from different cultures and backgrounds, the eight siblings soon start to quarrel and fight, each one trying to discredit the other. Besides the eerie traditional funeral rites, soon strange things start to happen. They begin to hear eerie sounds and some of them begin to see ghastly figures moving around the house.
While there is enough suspense to keep the movie going, Goo chak sam fong fong (The Death Curse - English title) fails to impress as a horror flick. The tone turns from frightening to frivilous halfway into the movie. The funny scenes courtesy of the young stars, namely pop duos, Twins (Gillian Chung and Charlene Choi) and Boyz (Kenny Kwan and Steven Cheung) who prove to be merely eye candy. Don't expect great acting and you won't be disappointed.
The dialogue is mostly in Cantonese, although there's a smattering of Thai and Mandarin thrown in. The script of Amy Tsui is also a little loose as there's no explanation about the wives' deaths or the whereabouts of the missing brother.
At times, this movie will remind you of The Sixth Sense. This is director, Sol Cheng Pou-Soi's third attempt at making horror movies and he still has room for improvement. Still viewers will be kept wondering whether there are ghosts out for blood right till the end of the movie.
