Ju-on: White Ghost

JU-ON: WHITE GHOST is an hour-long follow up to the original GRUDGE films that was made back-to-back with companion film JU-ON: BLACK GHOST. These films continue the same mythos as in the first two feature-length movies, adding in new characters and allowing them to get haunted by the ghost from the original.

Let's be fair: these are straight-to-video short films so quality-wise they're not going to be on par with the first two features. But JU-ON: WHITE GHOST isn't too bad. The central female ghost is watered down and CGI-ed up since the original, so not as frightening, but is acceptable for a straight-to-video horror flick.

At an hour long you can never get bored by this, and the story plays out as a bunch of five minute vignettes that only begin to make sense towards the climax. Indeed, trying to work out the film's mixed-up chronology keeps the interest level high. The acting is of a strong standard throughout and there's a mix of scary and gory moments to keep viewers watching.

The only Ju-on movie I've watched so far, I think this one is okay. There are a lot of scary and brutal moments at the beginning, but one of the worst things about it is that the final 20 minutes aren't really that scary. I hope to give Black Ghost a try soon.

Format: Amazon Prime - Language: Japanese (English Subtitled)

Released: 2009

Director: Ryut Miyake

Starring: Hiroki Suzuki, Ichirota Miyakawa, Naysuki Kasa

Where to start? Well it's short, which is a blessing!

To be strictly fair to the film it does start out well enough, with the initial building up of tension that I have come to expect from Japanese horror films; then sadly, rather then building on the initial success, the whole thing falls apart.

Ju-On: White Ghost is the story of a house that was the location of a brutal mass murder. The film consists of a series of short segments, each one showcasing the history of a different character and setting out why they eventually come to their various unfortunate ends, as well as giving the background to the murders.

As a direct to DVD film it is very low budget and it shows, badly. Yet for all the appallingly bad and cringe-worthy acting there are occasional moments of great, outstanding performance; for all the unbelievably poor stories there are some strong, genuinely creepy tales.

At an hour long it is worth sitting though the rubbish mainly because when this film gets it right, even with the cringe fest that some of the actors put us through, it delivers some genuine scares. It just unfortunate that director, Ryuta Miyake, comes across as not having the slightest clue about how to make/direct a film.

Like this film this is really all I can think of to say on the matter, short and pretty much lacking in any direction.

Even tho "White ghost" does provide some very, but very tensioned moments, I found it hard to take it seriously. I mean, after watching it, it's rather difficult to say that this one is worthy of a grade over 6, cause let's face it, for a cheesy Asian fun, it does the job, but if you in for some real scares with a over the top plot and development, "White ghost" looks like a cartoon!

Again, don't get me wrong, dunno how, but when I saw it, it scared me out of my mind, cause the execution is very good, but if they were able to put it on screen like this, why didn't they try harder on the script part? Get a decent idea, make use of it, and put your name up there, with the rest of Asia's greater horrors! They did everything better than most such films, again, the plot is what killed it for me. Check it out and you'll see what I'm talking about!

Cheers!

This film is about a series of interconnected events, that tie a number of people- and the tragedies that surround them- together.

As we follow a curse, as it passes from one person to another, leaving death and destruction in it's wake.

It's a bit hard to follow, at first...due to the fact that it jumps back and forth from person to person, on various different timelines.

But it all comes around in the end.

And, man...is it ever twisted.

It all begins when things go awry for a young man, who is sent to deliver a Christmas cake to a house, that seems empty at first...but turns out to be very, very haunted.

As a number of brutal killings had very recently taken place there.

Leaving him to walk in on the aftermath of a massacre.

And, thus, inherit "the curse".

That is, however, only the beginning of how the plague of this curse will spread across the town.

Because it is also transferred to a taxi driver...who gives the killer a ride to the place where he will commit suicide, after the fact.

He goes missing shortly after dropping his young daughter off at school.

Though...not before she puts her hand in some ectoplasm like goo, left behind by a bag carrying the decapitated head of the niece of the demonically stricken killer- a girl he had been molesting, prior to his murderous outburst- who happens to be her best friend.

Fast forward to her teenage years...when some of her friends ask her to participate in a ouija-like game...because she has "special abilities" (that allow her to see and hear the dead).

It is through this "game", that she taps into the supernatural realm, which enables her to connect with the ghost of her deceased friend...who shows her how the curse was, inevitably, passed down to her father.

Thus providing us, as viewers, with the backstory we need to put the previous pieces of the puzzle together.

While watching how the curse has affected the others who have also come in contact with it.

And the aftermath that ensues, from thereon out.

It's all rather creepy, and convoluted.

Both of which play into the air of mystery the film exudes.

This could make things confusing for less attentive viewers.

But it does make sense, in the end, if you are able to reflect upon it.

You've got to commend writer/director Ryûta Miyake for constructing a rather complex storyline and plot structure...that works so well...in a film that is, quite literally, only an hour long.

It doesn't give you a whole lot of time to mess about.

And he makes every second count.

Tying up a majority of the loose ends.

While strategically leaving one part of the storyline open-ended, so as to leave room for a continuation of the series.

I'm, personally, not super knowledgeable about the whole Ju-On universe...however...I imagine the house- in which the curse originates here- ties back to one of the other Ju-On prequels or sequels.

This wouldn't surprise me at all.

And would make it an even more impressing endeavour than it already is.

I am aware that it ties in with it's counterpart Ju-On: Black Ghost...which, I'm hoping, will provide context for the only thing I didn't understand in this film...that being the shot of the ghost boy meowing at the dog toy.

That being said, White Ghost is a very solid- and extremely creepy- sequel, that greatly exceeded the expectations I had going into it.

And, thus, is an excellent addition to the Ju-On series (which I should definitely go back and watch more of, after this).

7.5 out of 10.