The challenge of making a film like this is that any average horror film fan pretty much knows what to expect going in, so the quality of the viewing experience depends a lot on the execution of a well-worn plot line and the professionalism of the ensemble cast. On the plus side, we have a suitably creepy and foreboding atmosphere of a long-defunct mental institution after midnight, and the actors sell the scares pretty well, too. On the negative side, the viewer has to be very patient before the inevitable ghost shenanigans get rolling.
Call me impatient, but I was frustrated by the long set up and character development. Frankly, I couldn't wait for these annoying 20-somethings to get their comeuppance, so consequently, I was rooting for the ghosts by the half way point. Since my sympathy for the characters was practically nil when the horror elements were finally unveiled, I actually chuckled when the "scariest" moments finally made their entrance.
I think the film would have been much more powerful if it was a bit more tightly edited; even just lopping off ten minutes from the first act would have been an improvement. Still, for a low budget Asian horror film, not bad.
Call me impatient, but I was frustrated by the long set up and character development. Frankly, I couldn't wait for these annoying 20-somethings to get their comeuppance, so consequently, I was rooting for the ghosts by the half way point. Since my sympathy for the characters was practically nil when the horror elements were finally unveiled, I actually chuckled when the "scariest" moments finally made their entrance.
I think the film would have been much more powerful if it was a bit more tightly edited; even just lopping off ten minutes from the first act would have been an improvement. Still, for a low budget Asian horror film, not bad.