23:59

Jump scares and all that. Is that something you look forward to? The story itself is intriguing to a degree. But overall this is as generic as you probably expect it to be. Now that is not necessarily a bad thing. But it also is not something that will challenge anyone who has seen a couple of movies (especially in the horror genre of course).

Acting is not a strong suit either, but the movie does more or less satisfy if you set a low bar and just want a snack. Not all movies have to be exceptional or fantastic. If you can dig that, watch it, if not you may feel this being a waste of time

To the Western audience this may seem strange or slow or lacking in the frights. It certainly isn't big budget at all. However the basic storyline is good. I think it suffers a bit in translation culturally but on the whole it is a really good effort for a very low budget. The concept was superb and if more money had v-been utilised I think it would have improved the outcome. I don't mean doing the big Hollywood thing either as that gets done to the point where many films are just ridiculous.

The movie sets up the basis for the spirits, but in two ways, and then throws in a third. One is that a villager was killed in the past by a recruit, so at 23:59 its spirit comes forth. The other is that if a pregnant woman commits suicide, she and her daughter will come to haunt. And the recruits do see spirits. The movie has a group of recruits in training. There is a suicide, and another one dies under mysterious circumstances, so they are on edge. Their Sgt even provides them with talismans and later a medium is brought in. While all the recruits have similar and short haircuts, the Sgt has a very bushy do, and the officer certainly isn't regulation. That is a detail that should have been trivial to know and fix. The movie is decently done, although if what was shown was reflective of their training, not much of a fighting force. It simply is not that interesting although if one was familiar with the legends, perhaps more so.

Has a nice creepy factor to start with but quickly goes downhill. The middle and end of the movie you have trouble realizing what is happening or what is even the plot at all. Editing and pacing is definitely off after 15 minutes, almost like they ran out of budget and had to get to the finish line. Several of the main actors seemed like cardboard caricatures.

To understand this show, you have to be a local and must have serve NS to know the plot driving it.

This basically deals with the things that all NS men are told or share around the bunk like in the starting scene. Tales and folklores whispered and shared about what they have been told or have overheard etc.

For myself, the suspense build up is good as I can relate to it partially but the final third bit is a bit of a let down when most of the plot is revealed. I feel it would have been better if it was kept in suspense and with glimpses instead of the director/producer trying to tie everything up.

Other reviewers have commented that there are some loose ends. For me, the most obvious is that how the heck did the Sgt and recruits manage to locate the shack.

But in the end, this movie is definitely worth a watch if nothing more then to reminisce about them good old army days!