Friendship, love and jealousy are the three themes that thrive in this particular horror film, although don't let that fool you into thinking that lesbianism has anything to do with the plot, as it has previously. Familial love, love between two best friends, and love of academia and succeeding are frequently prominent. Set in an all girl's school (like the former titles), the film focuses upon Jeong-eon (Shin-ae Yu), who waits for her sister Eon-ju (Kyeong-ah Jang) outside of a building one night, only to have her tragically commit suicide by throwing herself from the roof of the same building.
But was it really suicide? The mystery behind this event is the driving force that keeps the viewer entertained in this incredibly complex story that is slowly revealed overtime in the form of flashbacks. The audience continuously remains uncertain of what led to the tragic circumstance, the way the truth is hidden been one of the strongest aspects of the feature.
Unlike the previous Whispering Corridors films, where we already have preconceptions regarding the deceased student from having previously witnessed her, in this feature, the first time we see Eon-ju is during the final seconds leading up to her demise. From the beginning, viewers are made aware Eon-ju's death is related to a suicide pact three best friends, So-Hee (Eun-seo Son), Yoo-jin (Yeon-su Oh) and Eun-yeong (Min-jeong Song) form, swearing that whoever does not partake in the ritual will inevitably be haunted by those who took their lives. Eon Ju's return as a ghost, haunting these young ladies, immediately makes it clear that she was somehow involved, and Jeong-eon is equally suspicious, continuously pressing So-Hee, Eon-ju's best friend, for answers. The secrecy between these three friends after Eon-ju's suicide leads the school body to conceive slanderous rumors about what may have happened.
Despite the friendship between So-Hee, Yoo-jin and Eun-yeong been fleshed out, the connection between sisters Jeong-eon and Eon-ju is not, and for the most part they seem like total strangers. Despite Jeong-eon's dedication to uncovering the truth, she sometimes appears less emotionally traumatized than one may imagine, while it is So-Hee who seems to bear a number of emotional scars, making their friendship appear more legitimate.
One of the biggest flaws in A Blood Pledge is its repetitive nature. Often, the film depicts the three friends communing together, then shows one of them been attacked verbally by students who blame them for Eon-ju's death, before revealing a scene where Jeon-eon confronts So-Hee, this series of events happening more than once over the course of the film, although occasionally the order is arranged in an alternative format. Besides this, there are a couple of decent jump scares that take place over the course of the plot, but at the same time, more than one of them has been previously encountered in former Whispering Corridors films, causing them to feel predictably stale.
For the most part. A Blood Pledge plays out similarly to a revenge story, where the ghost of the deceased returns to wreck havoc upon those who wronged them. At the same time, there is one particular occurrence that transpires during the friendship between Eun-ju and So-Hee (you'll recognize it when you encounter it readers!) that is largely unexplained, the impact of which is quite mountainous when it comes to some of their later decisions. Although at times beautiful, the lackluster degree of information provided in this circumstance prohibits the audience from becoming further involved.
Furthermore, the motivations behind a number of the deaths that transpire over the course of the feature are seldom provided sufficient detail on why it is they died. Though by the end we are able to make assumptions behind why these potentially occurred, it may have been beneficial to have a more detailed explanation. Moreover, the relationship between So-Hee and boyfriend Ki-Ho may have also benefited from additional material, and Ki-Ho's mother, who later becomes involved, deserved additional screen time too.
By the end, when the truth is finally revealed, though the sadness exhibited during this scene is incredibly powerful, it is not enough to adequately benefit the entirety of the film as a whole. If not for the repetitiveness, and if greater focus was emphasized on characters who, in contrast with the three friends, were largely overshadowed, the plot's depth would have been greatly strengthened. Where former Whispering Corridors films employed scenarios and ideas that caused them to feel uniquely fresh and entertaining, A Blood Pledge sacrifices originality for overused and sometimes cliché scenes and ideas that could inevitably be described as 'safe'. For a franchise that has made a habit of pushing the boundaries of horror, safety is the one element Whispering Corridors does not require.
