Seuseung-ui eunhye

Dae-wung Lim's 'Seuseung-ui Eunhye' is pretty much another East Asian slasher flick made in the traditional fashion. It starts off slow and drags on. For a slasher flick, there isn't that much slashing which isn't necessarily a bad thing provided that the story's good enough. But, once the slashing starts, it goes on until almost the end. The torture scenes are quite creative and well executed. Unlike the Hollywood slasher flicks, the story here has layers and at least some of the twists make sense. Yet, it's not without its share of flaws. Plot holes are abundant and the pacing is poor. The dialogues do ramble on at some point. The performances, especially those of Seong-won Jang and Mi-hee Oh are better than what one usually expects from such movies. This certainly isn't the best of East Asian horror and slasher but it's not a bad suggestion for those who enjoy this kind of stuff.

South Korea. Now and then there is a movie coming out of that country worth watching. And let me say, this one is a gem of that country. Be warned, you will have to go a bit into their traditions, and the way they are making movies. What is good about Bloody Reunion is the fact that there is a strong storyline. Just when you think you know the killer the director or screenwriter tricks you. It isn't all about the horror. The story takes you far beyond that. What Grotesque misses this one has, a story. Grotesque was all about torture, this one delivers more. An old woman being a teacher ones is dying. She gathers some old students to say goodbye but those who came to the reunion would like to say how they feel about her and their lives. It starts a bit slow with the arrival of the guest and then getting into the characters. Slowly we glide into terror that becomes horror. Ones we know who the killer is the movie changes from horror into suspense. But let me tell you, it all works and by the sudden changes into the plot you will watch it without being bothered by the language, it's spoken in Korean. Be sure to catch the full uncut. It's sometimes gory in the typical Eastern tradition. I wouldn't say it's HK III but for some it will be a bit brutal.

That is to say, this movie wasn't great. Some genuine horror, one in particular involving razor blades was particularly disturbing, but I felt the story and the twist ending didn't jive well. I like to have a chance to possibly guess the twist but sometimes that twist is more just a complete 180 out of the blue that almost negates everything you just watched.

All the same the story itself, that unravels during most of the movie, is a reunion of students who visit their now sick and aged teacher, all of whom have issues with how she treated them as well as issues with each other. As I said above, the actual events of this reunion that unfold rather well into a very interesting story of bitterness and revenge are almost negated by the movies twist ending.

Still worth a watch if you are a horror fan.

Tartan's new release, Bloody Reunion (a.k.a. To Sir, With Love) is not a remake of the 1964 classic starring Sidney Poitier. It is a grimy, sadistic, South Korean foray into the slasher flick genre. In ways it is very reminiscent of early 80's Horror flicks like Jason or Sleepaway Camp. And just as those films are considered cinematic trash, Blood Reunion might also fit the same description. Fortunately for my viewing pleasure, I love Asian Trash Cinema! Bloody Reunion tells the story of a group of elementary students who return years later to visit their former teacher-who has recently took ill-in the countryside. Once the group arrives, the film briefly jumps back and forth between the past and present, showing us that this sweet teacher (Mrs. Park) had a cruel side to her. In fact as the film progresses we find out that most of her former students have murderous intentions towards the teacher. And their not the only ones with murderous intentions, as we soon find out. Someone in the group is systematically bumping off the students one by one in the most gruesome fashion possible.

That's pretty much the story, as the film's narrative kinda sputters out after the first 30 minutes and then degenerates into a slasher flick (literally). The film than takes you through a series of murders each more horrid than the next. This goes on for awhile, and if the film was just this,I would have probably liked it less. But just when you thought you've figured it out, the film twists into a way that you don't expect. And is pleasantly surprising.

The film has a lot of faults and loose ends. For one, the sub plot about Mrs. Park's deformed child never really pays off. The acting is substandard (but does anyone really expect good acting in a slasher flick?). And as I mentioned before the story kinda just stops and the viewer is left with a lot of unanswered questions. I guess it all depends on what your frame of mind when you watch it. Don't go into this with high expectations and you just might come out liking it. Also, if gore and violence aren't your thing, STAY AWAY from this film.

All in All, a decent horror flick with some genuine creepiness. Not as good as I had hoped, but it's nice to see a director depart from the long-haired ghost girl movies that Asian Cinema seems to puts out over and over

Korean horror movies are taking break from haunting-spirit-possessed-unanimated-object or long-haired-ghost. Instead, in To Sir, With Love (TSWL), director I'm Dae-wuong is revisited the 80's slasher intact with the very formula. Throw in some contemporary Korean thrill and drama, TSWL is surely to entertain and trust me, this nothing to do with Sidney Poitier's classic.

The story revolves around some twenty something people, groups for a reunion with their former teacher in a small countryside cottage. Most of the student obviously has a serious grudge against their teacher who's now is wheel-chair bound. As the event continues, the grudge slowly unfolded, even the teacher seems doesn't remember. When the night comes, someone wearing a paper cut rabbit mask start making bloody carnage, one by one, in a grisly body count. Anyway, you know the drill! If you watch a lot of horror movies, you will easily constructing the plot and even though there are hint of Jason Voorhees-like tale, where the teacher keeps his deformed child in the basement, you still able to figure out the killer is and it's including the twist the end.

Therein lies the problem with TSWL. The genuine story does never exist while some genuine scares are building well enough. Yes, the positive aspects are TSWL succeed in build the tension with some interesting set-ups. The gore it self is nicely done. Somehow we expect it just could be much better. The last Korean slasher I watched is 'Bloody Beach', which is fairly good. But it years ago. Now, comes the match, TSWL.

Despite the flaws, TSWL is definitely worth to watch, especially if you fans of Korean Horror. After some tired Sadako's clone invading the Korean cinema-scene, it's time for something new.