Witch Board: Bunshinsaba

Being a big fan of Korean horror (Oldboy, I Saw the Devil, Hansel & Gretel etc.) I decided to look at a few lists of people's 'top 10 Korean horror movies' and found that a little obscure film, that I'd never heard of, called, "Bunshinsaba" was number 1 a lot of the time (or at least near the top). However, I was disheartened to find that it had a low average score on IMDb, so I found it on Youtube (didn't want to risk buying it), hoping that IMDb was going to be proved wrong, but unfortunately it wasn't.

Bunshinsaba was extremely disappointing. I liked the creepy opening which immediately set the atmosphere and had me feeling for the main character, but after that it seemed to be incredibly rushed through so I found it hard to get into. There are a lot of ideas pushed into Bunshinsaba that are skimmed over in a flash and not allowing for any sort of character development, thus detaching you from the story. There's also no discourse markers to let you know that the film is going to move on to a different idea, it just goes onto a different scene and it's as if a whole chunk has been cropped out.

The ideas are also not wholly original. It relies on the long-haired white-face ghost were creepy in The Grudge and The Ring, but have become over-used in Japanese horror films, and now it seems the Korean's have started copying them. Although, at least they had a go at constructing a fresh story instead of remaking one! There are also a range of recycled and over-used ideas in ghost films, you could count the clichés on your fingers: We've got the vengeful spirit, possession, exorcism, a secluded town etc. All that have been done to death, and Bunshinsaba doesn't even try doing them in any new or exciting ways.

However, that's not to say that Bunshinsaba is a terrible film, because it's not. Its strongest moments lay in the flash-back sequences, which take upon a slower pace which is much better suited for the film. The back-story is also genuinely interesting, and I found myself gripped to those scenes. There is also some exciting moments dotted around the film, I just wished it had been more original and had taken a slower and more meaningful approach.

It also got a little too confusing at the end and I found myself, just leaning back and watching what unfolds without really knowing what's going on, because the film doesn't allow any time for the viewer to work it out. Bunshinsaba is an OK film and does pass the time on a rainy Friday night, but it should not be the main aim of your life to see this film. It's nothing we haven't seen before and haven't seen done more effectively.

My girlfriend and I were staying in Utah for the Sundance Festival, and one night back at home, we found this movie on the On Demand digital cable. We dig the Asian horror genre, so we went for it. And I was thinking it would have the potential to be really crappy, but to my delight, it was actually pretty good. It kept me entertained, and it was pretty creepy. So if you like Asian horror, and you don't demand that every movie be Citizen Kane or whatever, then you should like this. Unfortunately, it's probably a moot point for anyone here in the US, because it doesn't appear to be for sale? But you could try one of those Asian-DVD places like Red Sun or something. I had a difficult time finding this on here, because the alternate titles were a mess... the cable company listed it as one thing, and the English translation in the opening credits had something else. But good ol' powersearch eventually brought me home.

Totally thought this would be a garbage throwaway movie, but was pleasantly surprised. If you like Ringu or Ju-on you will love this movie. The number of times that the people in the theater gasped or shrieked was surprising. The row of young people (was this in Singapore) next to me watched the whole movie through their hands or with the collars of their shirts ready to cover their eyes. Excellent. Creepy and atmospheric, with enough twists to make you follow it to the end. Heathers meets Freddy.

Top Notch.

Another "ghost seeking revenge" story set in a small Korean town.

This movie has low ratings but the fact is, I managed to watch the entire thing through without getting bored.

I don't really think this movie is all that scary. It takes a lot to give me the shivers and I wasn't even once scared. I've been conditioned/used to Asian horror like Ringu and Ju-on so it might be scarier for those who aren't so used to this kind of horror.

However, this movie was entertaining. Its fast paced compared to most of the Asian horror out there and the story is somewhat interesting. I thought the ending was too predictable.

7/10 Not scary but entertaining

Bunshinsaba is your typical long-haired ghost-girl trope horror movie, that runs out of steam really fast. It has a very good first act, and is well directed, well lit, and does not rely on special effects. It also has an original premise, and is well acted. I especially liked the opening, which wasted no time to get right to the premise of the movie. The problem is, that the movie quickly turns into a paint-by-numbers of The Ring. A lot of the foreshadowing (if you can even call it that) is so obvious, that if there were any surprises or twists in the second act, they are long gone before you even get there. The movie also over-indulges in dramatic lightning strikes during close ups, and shows the ghosts way too much. This sucks the suspense right out of the movie. Halfway through the film, it started to drag, and I just wanted the movie to end. One of the movie's main problems, is that there are no stakes in the third act. The main characters have no means of stopping the ghost, and thus there is no tension. We're basically just watching the ghost kill a lot of characters that we don't like any way, with no means for the main characters of stopping her. No stakes or likable victims, means no suspense. It's a shame, because the movie is well directed, well shot, and has great use of scene lighting. I even liked the music that played over the ending credits, before it was interrupted by a standard Asian pop song. But I can't really recommend this movie. It's not bad, it's just sub par.