Review | Pee Nak film review: Thai horror comedy is a zero-star abomination from beginning to end
- A trio of would-be monks encounter a handsome apparition at a remote monastery; flanking the bland lead character are two friends – cartoonish gay figures
- More a string of ill-conceived vignettes than a film with a narrative thread, and scarred by its crude stereotyping, this could be the worst film of 2019 so far
0/5 stars
Vulgar stereotypes, terrible performances and a rambling, incomprehensible plot are just some of the problems with Pee Nak, a horror comedy from Thailand that makes a strong claim for the title of worst film of the year. A smash hit at the Thai box office, where it earned 150 million baht (almost US$5 million), Phontharis Chotkijsadarsopon’s tale of spooky encounters at a haunted monastery is a torturous, incompetent slog.
Nhong (Paisarnkulwong Vachiravit) is 25 years old and struggling to stake his place in the world. After narrowly surviving a fatal bus crash, he decides to get ordained as a Buddhist monk. Unfortunately, his obnoxious college friends First (Bhuripat Vejvongsatechavat) and Balloon (Witthawat Rattanaboonbaramee) tag along for the ride, despite knowing little about what the ritual entails.
No sooner have they arrived at the remote religious retreat, staffed only by an elderly abbot and his young novice, than the trio experience a series of supernatural encounters with a handsome apparition (Chinawut Indracusin).
It’s common for young men in Thailand to seek ordination as a monk, even for just a brief period. A rite of passage that could be perceived as the spiritual equivalent of military service, it is a way to honour one’s family for the sacrifices they have made. In Pee Nak, however, ordination is little more than a narrative hook for lowbrow, fish-out-of-water high jinks.