Detention

There is novelty in the film Detention, it tries to be political, tries to be ideological and tries to be romantic. All of these elements are present and works, but the film is also messy and problematic, perhaps due to the film trying to stay loyal to the film. The film explores a fascinating piece of history in Taiwan that is not often talked about, but maybe if the setting could be done in a non-horror film format it would have worked better, because everything else is really good.

It's classified as a thriller, but what catches my eyes is the plot and the awesome choice of the actors and actresses. Even if you don't understand Taiwanese history, the movie is still deserved watching. I expected to be frightened When entering the theater, but end up crying when leaving.

The movie shows what Taiwan was like back when KMT government refused to give citizens the rights of freedom, as a Taiwanese I'm so grateful that Taiwan now is a liberal and democratic country, thank you "Detention" for showing me how precious freedom is.

Let's get off with the negatives first, because I couldn't find more than two... First, the quality of the CGI falls short, which does acts as a deterrent in overall experience, as visuals are a critical component in the storyline here and two, like many other reviewers, I too have found the conclusion a bit unsatisfactory and believe it warranted a more skilful resolution.

With all that being said, I am genuinely impressed by how the writing aptly blends metaphor and psychological elements within a narrative that primarily addresses the dark, oppressive era of "White Terror" in Taiwan in 60s'.

While "Detention" is fundamentally a historical period drama, it is infused with a level of technical excellence typically associated with horror productions, which, in my opinion, enhances its appeal. Another commendable aspect is the acting, which as we all know could significantly influence the efficacy of a narrative, regardless of the literary and technical expertise available.

I would also like to appreciate the honesty and dedication demonstrated by each member of the cast, particularly Gingle Wang as Fang Ray-shin. Portraying a complex character like that is no easy feat, yet she effectively conveyed the anger and resentment that are deeply ingrained in her personality, her performance undoubtedly leaves the biggest mark!

In the White Terror period of Taiwan, a female student and several colleagues trying to keep a secret book club that reads forbidden foreign propaganda away from the authorities find the area being haunted by wrathful spirits and tries to find the cause of the hauntings to ensure the safety of her friends.

There was a lot to like at times with this one. Among the better features present here is the film's setup that enables for a generalized setting of the period this one takes place. Focusing on the political turmoil prevalent at the school, ranging from the military takeover banning everything that contained a different form of ideological viewpoint, torturing those who practiced or performed any action that was perceived as threatening to their ordered control allows us to dive into this world rather quickly and efficiently. The need to do their book club in secret under the ruins of the school for fear of being discovered, the constant threat of being captured and forced to confess their actions and constantly worried about being monitored for their actions is all brought together to form a rather enjoyable environment to set this one in. As well, the film has a lot to like with the haunting scenes that take place as the horror elements here are quite enjoyable. The scene of the girl wandering through the darkened school hallways with only a candle for light while chasing after a colleague only to come across a ghostly figure coming after her serves this rather nicely with a lot of suspense of the ghost coming slowly after her all the while it's nearly impossible to tell if it's a dream or not. A later scene of several students having to hide inside the school ruins to escape a strange creature following them, a race to get away from a monstrous figure chasing them through the campus which allows for some nice action while the finale has some of the most genuinely chilling and creepy sequences in the film as the purpose of the hauntings tying into the political control angle from the first half. It's action-packed and quite intense, making for the film's overall likable qualities. There are a few issues with the film. One of the main problems is the traditional overlong running time common in Asian horror where this one focuses on unnecessary side plots or sequences that don't need to be here. From the girls' romance with the soldier to the bland conversations focusing on their secret group of students and soldier trainees trying to keep their operations quiet, these scenes don't go anywhere original or clever which is a real shame. Likewise, they tie into the other big problem with the overbearing political tangents where the military in charge of the school is constantly reminding people about their purpose for being there and the overwhelming sense of nationalistic duty is the predominant factor in the film instead of the ghosts. It's somewhat easy to forget they're even a factor in the film at all based on their lack of attention throughout here despite how creepy their scenes are, making for a troubling time overall.

Rated Unrated/R: Violence and Language.