Shutter

Stars: Ananda Everingham, Nattweeranuch Thongmee, Achita Sikamana

Director: Parkpoon Wongpoon, Banjong Pisanthanakun

A slight departure from such Japanese horror films as The Ring and The Grudge, this Thai creeper still has well-signposted nasty bits and chalky, blood-spattered ghosts creeping up on their victims.

Crashing their car after apparently hitting a girl in the road, photographer Tun (Everingham) and graduate student Jane (Thongmee) drive on after he panics. Subsequently, mysterious steaks and smudges appear on Tun's snapshots of the graduation. He thinks one carries the half-image of a ghost.

It turns out that the unquiet spirit is that of Natre (Sikamana), a withdrawn girl who attempted suicide when Tun dumped her. Later, three of Tun's friends who were at college with him and Natre kill themselves by jumping off buildings.

Jane tries to help Tun, but she herself begins to see things and catch fragments of the dead girl on camera (though a 'motion' of the spirit 'moving' through the flicking of photos would require many more than the eight shots Jane has).

How Tun survives two huge falls is only one of the mysteries left unexplained and the Hollywood remake currently being shot will need some tightening and polishing. It is, though quite scary - notably in a scene where Tun is working in his dark room, and especially towards the end when the full horror of Tun's involvement in Natre's fate is revealed.

It also contains what might be the most overworked chiller line on record: 'Who's there?' Under the circumstances, would you really ask?

David Quinlan

Thailand 2004. UK Distributor: Contender Films. Fujicolor.
92 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 23 Jun 2007