Updated Review #9: Shutter (2004 Thai original)

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: After a couple hits a woman, and flees from the accident, they find themselves seemingly haunted by the woman's ghost.

Review: For my 500th post I figured I'd cover something special, and this is a movie I've wanted to revisit for a long time; my first review only scratched the surface of the things I wanted to discuss. So...not only is this the best Thai movie, the best Asian horror movie, but it's the scariest movie of all time! As I've stated numerous times, this is my favorite scary movie and one of my favorite movies in general. It makes me happy to see more and more people discover this amazing film when it hardly receives the recognition it deserves. It certainly didn't help that critics, at the time, were especially harsh on this film seeing it as nothing more than the next entry in a long chain of "Ringu" wannabes. They couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, there is one, especially--how shall I say--infuriating review I once read that talked so much shit and kept idiotically referring to this as J-horror. You ignorant fuck! Makes me want to use their head for a bowling ball--not because they disagreed with me, but because they are paid to be stupid. Well...that escalated rather quickly.

I remember one night, in 2005, casually browsing through a list of Asian horror movies trying to find one worth my time when I stumbled upon an interesting enough plot line. The comments said the movie was really scary, but that's what people said about "The Doll Master" so I wasn't exactly taking that shit seriously. There I am, sitting in the dark, alone, around 1 AM, when I get a glimpse of Natre for the first time. To say that I was frightened during my initial viewing of "Shutter" is not the proper way to describe it--I had become unsettled. The entirety of the film I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure no one was there. By the time the scene with Natre at the end of the bed showed up, I was like, "Okay I'm sleeping with the lights on!" Movies like this set my imagination on fire, and I'm freaked the fuck out. Except this didn't stop after a night...or a day...I was kinda creeped out for the week. On occasion, I still think about her lurking in the shadows. Natre haunts me for life!

This leads me to my first, and biggest, point: Achita Sikamana's awesome performance as Natre. She perfectly captures that creepy, obsessed, stalker-ish vibe. At the same time, she has a naturally, unusual face that is hard to describe. I'm not saying Ms. Sikamana is ugly--she just has the look of someone who would be standing over you while you sleep with a sadistic smirk; I mean that in the best of ways! Although, I've seen recent photos of her and she has developed (or always had) a slappable ass. It all makes sense now why Tun was interested! Anyway, the makeup effects are fantastic and complement Ms. Sikamana's facial features. They do change up the makeup throughout the movie which I suppose has to do with her rage making her look less and less human. In essence, Natre is one of, if not, the most scary ghost you could imagine coming after you. But this isn't to say that all there is to Natre is her scare-factor. She is surprisingly one of the more sympathetic antagonists out there, and, by the end, you will probably feel her revenge was justified. She may have been an outcast loser with emotional problems, but she was taken advantage of by the person she loved most, humiliated, gang-banged, and driven insane. Also, unlike other evil spirits with questionable motives, Natre doesn't involve collateral damage and goes as far as to help the Jane character. At the end of the day, Natre might be the scariest ghost out there, but she sticks to a purpose.

Ehh...I'd still, maybe, date her. She looks like a girl with a sense of humor.

Connected to Natre is the usage of the scares and the momentum of the movie. The pacing is solid as each scare increases in intensity leading up to a crescendo of nightmarish proportions. This aspect is where a lot of horror movies falter as they blow good scares too soon, but "Shutter" starts off slow, raises the stakes as it goes along, and then unleashes a relentless stream of scares at the climax. Setting aside the generic appearance of an Asian female ghost, the scares feel original, innovative, and with a lot of effort put into them. The film balances jump scares, set pieces, and outright terror effectively so as not to get boring. Yes, Natre remains the source, and you must be scared of her, but plenty of the scenarios would be horrifying no matter what you would substitute for Natre. The ghost photo concept is implemented to great effect as well; this movie isn't called "Shutter" for nothing (an obvious play on words though). The photography isn't simply a gimmick either as it has a certain relevance to the characters, the plot, and, especially, the final twist. Beyond that, the film highlights subtle plot details when referencing poignant facts about photography. This makes rewatching the film that much more worthwhile.

Not to be outdone by the scares, the story is strong as well. The film toys with you quite a bit as we slowly realize what is really going on and what motivates Natre. I thoroughly enjoyed the bait and switch at the beginning as you don't fully know Natre's connection to the characters. Those main characters, Tun and Jane, are likable enough and feel like any regular couple in a good way. The actors, Ananda Everingham and Natthaweeranuch Thongmee (yeah...I have no idea how to pronounce that), turn in respectable performances. Their journey of being tormented by Natre is engaging, and you want to figure out the mystery alongside them.

Don't mind me, the creepy Asian girl at the window.

Finally, it's the little details that set this apart from the vast array of Asian horror movies. The story intersperses moments of humor to lighten up the mood so as to lower your guard when the next big scare comes along. The film quality has a certain grain, I've mentioned before, that adds a visceral presentation to the scenes; it heightens the look, tone, and atmosphere for the viewer. The music, while typically focused on the ambiance, enhances the adrenaline rush during the best scenes. Another important factor, often screwed up, is in regard to the ending. "Shutter" leaves you satisfied and with a sense of closure which is atypical to most films' unnecessary inclusion of the final zinger bullshit.

Oh, hello there!

Overall, this movie is simply amazing. Everything about it just works--from the technical aspects to the engaging story. This is the kind of horror others in the genre should strive toward. Although many movies have a local flair or a cultural context, you do not need to know anything about Thailand to appreciate "Shutter" to its maximum potential; that's simply great, universal storytelling. The actors all shine with special attention to Ms. Sikamana for pulling off the creepiest woman alive (or undead). The originality and elaborate scares are sorely missing from the majority nowaday so it's refreshing to know filmmakers out there can still pull it off. If you love Asian horror, any horror, or have a passing interest in movies in general, I cannot recommend checking out "Shutter" enough. This is one instance where you should believe the hype. Just be very careful if you watch it alone!

Notable Moment: Natre at the end of the bed never gets old. This movie really didn't want you to sleep afterward.

 Hey, you never know, this could have made for great foreplay.

Final Rating: 10/10