Reviews: "Inner Senses," "Apartment 1303"

So, last week C&C and I polished off "Inner Senses" and I watched "Apartment 1303" all alone (during a monsoon, which definitely added to the mood).

"Inner Senses" was definitely different in its own way. There is a definite distinction between the various Eastern countries' prefered way of portraying "horror". They;ve all mastered the art of heightening tension and suspense to the Nth degree (which, incidentally, is why I *heart* asian horror in the first place) and most favor the "long-haired female/silent child ghost bent on revenge" (or both, in the case of "Ju-on"), but the styling from each is very unique. "Inner Senses," like "Phone," straddles the line of "psychological thriller" and "supernatural horror" but manages to do very well in both. It follows a young woman, Yan Cheung, who finds herself rigidly and painfully shy because of her (alleged) visions of dead people. On the prompting of her cousin, she goes to see Jim Law, a psychiatrist (the last in a long line) who staunchily believes the spirit world is nothing more than tricks of the mind. After witnessing how badly these "visions" affect her and believing he can cure and thus make her life managable, he makes himself available 24/7. However Yan Cheung begins to take more than a professional interest in the doctor and, after assuming he feels the same, embarrasses herself by acting on those urges. Jim politely declines and severs the relationship only to realize weeks later that he'd grown fond of her too and that she'd managed to fill a void in his non-existent social life. The two reconnect and tentatively begin a rather sweet (and, oddly enough, believable) romance. Jim, however, becomes troubled when it seems that he's adopted her talent for seeing dead people.

This movie managed to surprise me with its turnabout. It wasn't chock-full of twists and shocks but the story was engaging enough that when it shifted its focus from the patient to the doctor in regards to ghostly visions, I was pleasantly intrigued. I won't say it was entirely successful - the ending, for example, teetered on the edge of melodramatic - but it didn't come across as a half-assed attempt at resolution either. Jim's past simply didn't get enough explanation until the final climax and I don't think there was quite the build-up it needed. But I really enjoyed Yan Cheung as a character and honestly cheered when she made the transition from depressing, reluctant medium to a more self-assured girlfriend who had the confidence to confront her new love.

As for scares, there were plenty of those, mostly in the beginning and the end. The middle part was dedicated to the changing relationship between the two main protagonists which I also really enjoyed. I was a little weirded out by the disconcertingly upbeat montage that played out to show their new romance. It was jarring in its positivity (and out-of-place, Pop-y background music) and such a drastic change from the overwhelming tension that had preceded it that I expected it to be some kind of surreal dream that took place in Yan Cheung's mind. Caroline and I found ourselves giggling at the bizarreness throughout the scene and I doubt that was the intended response.

Still, one of the better, more effective pieces of asian horror in terms of coherent, cohesive story-telling, genuine chills and believable characters.

"Apartment 1303" was pretty much exactly what I was expecting. And if you pick up the legal Tartan Asia release, you'll understand why. Touted (in large print) as coming from the author of "The Grudge," it's standard fare for anyone even remotely familiar with asian (specifically Japanese) horror. Long-haired young woman haunts a location, wreaking havoc on any soul unfortunate enough to step foot on the property. And while that doesn't make it bad, it does means it won't offer anything new, especially to those already familiar with the genre. It presents a good plot with few storytelling bumps and provides a good amount of fresh scares.

The plot is, as I said, familiar. A young woman, Sayaka, commits suicide unexpectedly (and in front of her friends) by jumping from the balcony of her new apartment. Unsatisfied with the police investigation (and after the urging of Sayaka's boyfriend), the victim's older sister, Mariko, decides to investigate the matter herself. With the help of a local detective who's been following the tragic fates of the previous tenants of 1303, Mariko discovers that years prior the six-month-old remains of a mother had been found in the closet of the apartment after the daughter had leapt to her death from the balcony. As anyone would probably guess, Sayaka was the not the first tenant to rent the flat who met their end in the same manner. And unless Mariko can unravel the mystery, she won't be the last.

While totally predictable, "Apartment 1303" was still pretty successful. There are some genuinely creepy moments; even the method of the ghost's killing is pretty unique and frightening (even if it can't escape the stigma of [another] "Ringu" wannabe). It's the kind of movie that understands exactly what it is - and what it isn't. The creators didn't even try to break new ground but rather took a tried-and-true formula and added their own signature. Because of that, it succeeds. It's a good introduction to asian (more specifically, Japanese) horror for those who might not know it. But if you're a jaded viewer looking for something other than just another "Ringu" knock-off, you won't find it here. If you're in the mood for a competent, enjoyable horror film that most people can watch without needing a primer in cultural and cinematic tendencies in Asia, "Apartment 1303" delivers.