Yeogo goedam 4: Moksori

I haven't seen the third part of this series, although I have to say that it's better than the first and the second ones. I agree with the fact that this movie should be seen as a drama with supernatural details and not as a horror film. The atmosphere that this movie generates as it advances,turns to get you short of breath. This atmosphere is possible thanks to the sentimental aspect of the main characters and the suffering given off and not with frights in the style of Hollywood. Good performances and the excellent music help to get that atmosphere. The way in which the story is told makes audience be interested till the last second of it.

Thing that I can appreciate about this movie series is that it keeps reinventing itself with each movie. Even though the main premise always remains the same, they still manage to come up with new fresh takes on it.

This movie is perhaps the most original one of its series, when it comes down to its approach but at the same time I also really wouldn't want to call it the best one of the its series.

The thing that makes this movie original is its approach. Instead of being a typical ghost story, it tries to be a more emotionally involving one, by actually telling large part of the story from the viewpoint of an actual ghost. So people who are expecting an horror, with all of the thrills and scares that go along with this, will perhaps feel cheated and disappointed by this movie but those who want something 'different' for a change will surely be able to appreciate this.

But the movie itself is only half good really. So yes, it has an original approach to its genre but it is only able to do so much with it. The movie runs out of steam about halfway through and when the movie picks up pace again the story suddenly becomes needlessly complicated and hard to follow, which is also a bit in contrast with the rest of the movie.

Other than that this movie is one fine and originally done genre movie, that never becomes truly bad but in the end also never really stands out in any way, despite its original approach.

6/10

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While training after hours in her high-school, the aspirant singer Park Young-Eon (Ok-bin Kim) is mysteriously killed and her body vanishes. Her ghost is invisible and trapped in the school, but her best friend Kang Sun-min (Ji-hye Seo), who broadcast in the lunchtime in school, is able to hear her voice. After the suicide of their music teacher, Sun-min, aided by her mate Cho-Ah (Ye-ryeon Cha), finds that another student, Hyo-Jung (Hyeon-kyeong Lim), died in the same elevator trunk some time ago. Meanwhile Young-Eon recalls details of her life, disclosing why she died.

"The Voice" has an intriguing beginning with a scared invisible ghost trying to uncover why she died. The mystery is disclosed in low pace, but the revelation is very disappointing and confused. The ambiguity of Young-Eon contradicts her behavior along the story, and in spite of the explanation of Cho-Ah that ghosts recall only the parts of their past lives that they want to remember, I did not like her mean motives. Further, I have not understood the last scene when Sun-min looks herself in the mirror and then talks to her mother. In my opinion, the screenplay deserved an improvement. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

The image of a lone student, traveling the inescapable corridors of a school after dark is quite haunting, her silhouette visible through the windows of the campus, as an unidentifiable force toys with the school's lighting. Is the young lady to blame, or is there something more sinister at work? This is just one scene from Voice, the fourth film in the Whispering Corridors franchise, where a spooky and disturbing ambiance is accompanied by not only visual terror, but sound, that proves to be as equally fear provoking. Despite darkness often becoming clichéd and annoying in some horror films to halter the audience from seeing the lead antagonist, here, the tactic is effectively used, the childhood fear of the dark returning to haunt adult audiences and characters alike, the impressive use of effects adding to the terror, making Voice the most visually stunning of this particular horror franchise.

The cover art on the American release of Voice, depicts a hand violently tearing its way out from a woman's mouth. Although there are more than a couple scenes with blood, much like its predecessors, this stand alone horror film does not depend on graphic violence to shock its audience. Additionally, much like the previous features, themes concerning friendship, love and jealousy are prominent, and like Memento Mori and Wishing Stairs, the story is also equipped with lesbianism.

Characters are intellectually portrayed, with emotional connections between characters and the audience been effectively constructed to build a poignant storyline. This is heightened, again, in contrast with Memento Mori, where the viewer is provided with a beautiful scene, which is later revealed to be sad or gruesome once it's put in perspective. Initially it can be difficult to ascertain where these flashbacks fit within the story, originally feeling like a continuation of the central plot.

Seon-min's (Ji-hye Seo) best friend Young-eon (Ok-Bin Kim), is the most talented singer in an all girl's high school, her voice delightfully serenading viewer's ears. One night, she stays behind after dark inside the confine's of the music room to work on her vocal capabilities, only to be murdered by an unrecognizable assailant. Her body is no where to be found the following morning, many suspecting her to simply be absent, though Seon-min thinks otherwise, her thoughts eventually been confirmed.

Unlike other ghost stories where specters can be viewed physically, only Young-eon's auditory capabilities remain, and though the audience can clearly see her character standing beside her best friend, Seon-min is only capable of hearing her voice. This uniquely entertaining prospect is accompanied by the focus on the ghost, Young-eon's perspective after becoming an apparition been as equally focused upon as the other central characters. Unable to leave the grounds of the high school, we discover that she is as equally vulnerable to fear in her current state, as she was when alive, this vulnerability been transferred onto the audience.

As the story continues, the mystery behind Young-eon's death is unraveled, as Seon-min, alongside fellow student Cho-ah (Ye-ryeon Cha) investigate who killed her from the list of suspects, and why. By the end of the feature, some questions remain unanswered, but unlike other Whispering Corridors films, this doesn't always feel like a deliberate tactic, as much as it does an overlooked plot point. Sometimes shocking, sometimes surprising, and often unpredictable, Voice dares to ask its viewers, even in death, do we truly know who we are?

First of all, for those who expect to be scared out of their mind with this film - you will be disappointed but if you look at this film from a different angle, you will find this film really touches on how loneliness can alienate all of us whether we are alive or dead.

The film tells how a girl Young-eon, a talented singer in her high school is murdered by a music sheet (sounds ridiculous but it will make sense when you watch it) and ends up becoming a ghost - only her best friend can hear her and help her find out what happened.

What the film explores is the feeling of being lonely and also being remembered. The two lead actresses do a great job in portraying the emotions and confusion of two teenagers and also bring out their friendship in a believable way. The film I would say is more psychologically driven in the thriller mode and it's pace is more steady which gives you time to get to know the characters.

Some scenes are spooky, and the film has an ambiguous atmosphere (as most Asian horrors do) so they keep you watching till the end so you can uncover all the mystery of the plot. I prefer horror films where you can have some emotional substance as it can sometimes take a turn that just shatters you - this film doesn't do that but makes you sympathise with the characters as well as be slightly spooked out.

The ending perhaps is a bit cliché - and also makes you question the main protagonists position in her actions and if she would do that (so much for friendship - that's all I'm saying) but overall I enjoyed this film and didn't bore me compared to some other Asian horror's I've seen in the past few days (Doll Master for one).