Rigor Mortis

For way too long have Korea, Thailand and Japan dominated the Asian market as far as ghost movies go. And it is really, really nice to see Hong Kong make a mark for itself in the ghost genre. Director Juno Mak has really managed to put together a really unique movie here.

Unlike other Asian ghost movies, then this is not a stereotypical ghost movie with a dead girl in a white dress and having her long, black hair covering her face. No, this is way beyond that. Sure it has that element as well, but it just takes it to the next step. And as if that isn't enough, then "Rigor Mortis" also throws in the element of the Chinese vampire mythology into the mix. Odd? Perhaps. Does it work? Oh yeah it does!

"Rigor Mortis" is a very visual and graphic movie, which is rather unlike most Asian ghost movies, and it is a much needed and most welcomed contribution to the genre.

However, a word of warning, "Rigor Mortis" is not just for everyone, especially not if you are set in the way of the traditional Asian ghost movies. But enter this movie with an open mind and leave yourself open to the impressions, but visual and subliminal.

The story in "Rigor Mortis" is about a troubled man who comes to an old and rundown building, where he rents room 2442 - a room with a dark and troubled past. Set out to take his own life and end his torment, it becomes clear that the entire building is a locale of haunts, gruesome tales, and dark magic.

Effects-wise, then "Rigor Mortis" is a visual treat, eye candy if you will. Why? Well, because the CGI effects were realistic and came off a believable, and really helped augment the story and the flow of the movie. And it was nice to see some Asian ghost aside from that stereotypical girl in white dress with her hair covering her entire face.

If you enjoy Asian horror movies, or perhaps ghost movies in particular, then you should without a doubt take a look at Juno Mak's movie, because it is rather amazing. Great entertainment, good story, nice effects and a great change of pace in this particular genre.

First of all this is a great great movie. Below are the point:

1) The story is based on Chinese believe and it's ghost mythology. So if you are not a Chinese you will not be able to understand all the funny funny things in it. My advise go and get a Chinese friend alone and let them tell you more while you were watching.

2) the story despite is an old vampire story, but pack with a lot of new story and believe in it. It doesn't make you feel like watching and old common vampire story.

3) you see a lot of ghost in it, which is perfect. In korean ghost story, you sometime only see the real ghost appear in the last minute.

4) The way they use the slow motion in the movie is also great.

5) the story line was great too. and this is what i need to comment most. A lot of ppl find it not understandable like the person on top of this review. This is because you need to understand Chinese culture to understand it. Everyone in the story play an important role, and every scene is co-related, so if u miss one scene, you will not understand the rest of the movie, which make this movie even better.

6)This movie really able to scare you off. Don't believe me..go and watch in the dark alone...dare you.

Rigor Mortis is not a horror movie that is eager to scare the pants out of people. As what the trailer suggests, it is a moody atmospheric horror movie that is borderline art-house. What may surprise audience is that it actually takes its time to develop the story.

The story: It is quite straight-forward. A man moves into a spooky apartment in a 'washed- out' building. It is expected as spirits inhabit the apartment and things happen. Hold on before you think this will turn into a thrilling and scary ride. In fact, this favours slow-burning thrills and pace. It doesn't move in a break-neck pace but strangely the slow-burning pace will urge you to find out more. It builds up to a visually stunning climax where a fight with the vampire ensues. The stylish effects including the slo-mo and a few brief fight scenes enhance the movie, adding a flavour to it. The moody atmosphere of the movie is commendable.

Overall: It is commendable that this breaks away from the other horror movies. Instead it is a bleak but stylish horror movie with a slower pace. Watch this movie without thinking too much and let the story reveal its truth in its own style.

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You probably wouldn't figure pop star turned actor Juno Mak for a serious filmmaker; after all, the singer cum fashionista is best known for being one of Gillian Chung's ex-boyfriends. That is precisely why his directorial debut 'Rigor Mortis' will take you by surprise. A visually stunning homage to the 1980s heydays of Hong Kong cinema when the vampire genre was very much alive (mostly in the form of the "hopping vampire" horror comedies), it proves itself to be so much more than a feast for genre fans, packing a surprisingly amount of emotional depth and establishing itself as a refreshingly different kind of meta- cinema.

Vampire aficionados will immediately recognise lead actor Chin Siu-ho from the opening scene, one of the last surviving alum of the classic 1985 'Mr Vampire' series (Mak dedicates the film to the two other deceased members, Lam Ching Ying and Ricky Hui) who plays himself as a washed-up movie star who moves into a dilapidated tenement building to commit suicide. That act of despair introduces him to Uncle Yau (Anthony Chan Yau, erstwhile drummer of the 1970s band The Wynners as well as Chin's supporting star from 'Mr Vampire'), a veteran Taoist vampire hunter who now runs his own food stall around the neighbourhood.

Besides Uncle Yau, Chin also gains the attention of the other mostly elderly tenants of the complex played by equally venerable veterans of Hong Kong cinema. Nina Paw and Richard Ng are a devoted couple whose bond of love is tested when one of them meets with an accident and winds up dead. Chung Fat is a local temple priest who happens to be dabbling in the backroom of his apartment in the dark arts. Kara Hui is a single mother to an albino boy whose tragic past is linked to the apartment which Chin moves into. And last but not least, Johnnie To regular Lo Hoi Pang is the building's sole security guard who watches the comings and goings of the block with a wary but watchful eye.

As one of the screenwriters, Mak (who co-writes with Philip Yung and Jill Leung) likes to keep his cards close to his chest. There is no hurry in the way he slowly reveals the backstory of each of the characters, opting instead to build an eerie and unsettling atmosphere of suspense and dread with every frame. While that does demand a certain level of patience from its viewer, Mak is surprisingly effective at getting under the skin of his audience with a strong visual style heavy with musty subdued colours. The influence by producer Takashi Shimizu of 'The Grudge' is undeniable, but Mak holds its own with some truly hypnotic images in slo-mo no less.

Borrowing a leaf from his 'Revenge: A Love Story' director Wong Ching Po, Mak stages the action sequences with a fair amount of graphic violence. Yes, more faint-headed audiences should take note - some of the scenes not only get bloody, but can get rather disturbingly violent, and will surely startle the more squeamish at heart. But even as Mak clearly intends for his film to appeal as well to a younger audience who crave for such vivid details, he never does get excessive, demonstrating a fair bit of restraint in scenes which could have easily been much more explicit.

Mak also pairs his gory thrills with a generous helping of visual effects, relying less and less on his natural surroundings and more on lavishly designed dreamscapes that only make sense if one understands the rituals at the heart of the film (indeed, that's something very likely to be lost on a Western audience). Truth be told, the VFX-heavy climax was somewhat alienating to watch at first, but eventually made complete sense when viewed in the context of the love-it-or-hate-it coda. Don't say we didn't warn you - it doesn't quite end the way you want it to; instead, Mak throws in a last-minute twist that will undoubtedly throw you off-kilter, but in our opinion, is a unusually elegant eulogy to a genre and its stalwarts who have long since gone out of fashion.

Unmistakable throughout the film is a distinct sense of loss and regret, whether in the form of a loving wife who tries all she can to preserve the life of her deceased husband or the inability of vengeful spirits to let go of their tragic past or even an individual's desolation at having f**ked up his life with his loved ones. The same could be said of the veterans who make up the ensemble cast; despite being icons in the past, they have largely been forgotten by modern Hong Kong cinema, and just going by each of their compelling performances here, reason to mourn for the passing of a significant era of the industry. Like 'Gallants' from two years ago, there is a palpable sense of nostalgia one gets watching these veterans take to the screen like they never left.

And 'Rigor Mortis' deserves to be appreciated in that very light, as a tribute to the 'keung si' genre as well as Mak's personal thoughts on their fortunes since. The fact that he is a newcomer to filmmaking makes this an even bigger triumph for Mak, who delivers a thrilling and unexpectedly poignant horror movie steeped in its own unique visual aesthetic. We're not denying that there will be those who dislike Mak for pulling the rug from under their feet right at the end, but it is to us a graceful and thought-provoking turn that makes it an unusual and inspired piece of meta-cinema.

Director Juno Mak brings us a horror HK movie like nothing else, a story about a former actor who makes his new home at a creepy, dark and depressed-looking Hong Kong public housing tower. There, he encounters a slew of ghosts and zombies.

It was nice to see a brand new horror movie from Hong Kong that pays homage to the classic Mr. Vampire and other ghost genre movies of the 1980s-1990s. Actors from the original Mr. Vampire series reunited to star in this film, including Chin Siu Ho, Anthony Chan, Billy Lau, Chung Fat and Richard Ng. They, including others in the movie, gave a very powerful and dramatic performance in their respective roles. Lai-yin Leung and Philip Yung wrote a very moody, dark and eerie story that, despite being a homage, provided a huge departure to the Chinese vampire/ghost movies of the 80s and 90s. The usual lighthearted humor and slapstick comedy seen in those movies were sorely absent in this film.

The darkness and gloomy atmosphere that surrounded this movie almost made it seem that the heydays of those classic ghost/vampire movies were long gone. Still, though, the setting and cinematography were a nice touch and it accentuated the horror and solemn drama felt in the film.

The plot goes at a fairly fast pace, keeping you engaged and intrigued. The main vampire in the film was executed very well and all the events leading to its appearances provided enough creepiness and terror to make the hair raise behind your neck.

While a pretty scary and intriguing movie, many of the plot points are confusing and the special effects team relied too heavily on CGI. The two female ghosts portrayed in the film seemed like a rip-off of The Grudge and the hopping vampire didn't really hop much - just gliding from place to place with heavy CGI influence. In addition, the bloody gore and adult themes were done overboard.

Overall, it's not a horrible movie. I prefer watching the Chinese vampires movies of the 80s and 90s, but this one is worth the watch at least once for a good scare and reminiscing.

Grade C-