Starring: Ekin Cheng Yi-kin, Shawn Yue Man-lok, Fiona Xie Wan-yu Director: Kelvin Tong Weng Kian Category: IIB (Cantonese)
Few if any rules of the Asian ghost movie genre are broken in this stylish but unthrilling thriller. Singaporean director-writer Kelvin Tong, in his first Hong Kong-based feature, plays by similar rules as the Pang brothers and other masters of suspense, with atmospherics that do little to distract from the plot's contrivances. Fortunately, Tong's directorial skills help with the more implausible moments.
There is an uncharacteristically dark performance by Ekin Cheng (right) as Inspector Wong, an alcoholic cynic who heads the police force's Miscellaneous Affairs Department. He has the thankless job of following up on the public's paranormal emergencies and finding the rational explanations behind them.
'Rule number one is there are no ghosts,' he explains it to newly appointed underling Sergeant Lee (Shawn Yue, whose low-key delivery makes for a good contrast with Cheng's theatrics).
Wong's transition from wounded patrolman to ghost-busting sharpshooter takes place as the two investigate a number of odd cases. Or, rather, odd for the denizens of Rule #1, but not terribly shocking for fans of the genre.
That translates to plenty of blood-splattered corpses, screeching moans, and zombies, accompanied by sound effects that cue squeamish viewers to cover their eyes.