The Ghost

Another in the apparently endless supply of Asian supernatural psycho-thrillers, this generically-titled Korean film (already acquired by Dimension Films for a U.S. remake) is about an amnesiac college student named Ji-won, who begins researching her blank past when high school friends begin to die under mysterious circumstances. From a purely visual standpoint, Kim Tae-kyeong's The Ghost is expertly lensed and loaded with creepy atmosphere, but in narrative terms the film is disappointing. The key to the plot revolves around the close-knit group formed earlier by the heroine and her three pals and their mistreatment of a poor girl desperate to break into their circle. The flashback sequences, which gradually explain the unhappy end to the schoolgirls' clique and Ji-won's memory loss, are balanced by material set in the present involving Ji-won's mother (who is desperate to reconnect with her daughter), and a young man who exhibits a protective interest in the girl so strong that it's positively suspicious. As usual in such stories, the last reel adds a major twist that strains not just credibility but also simple common sense. In comparison to the best pictures in this genre, The Ghost is mediocre, but it offers some striking images and is sure to satisfy aficionados. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include a “behind-the-scenes” montage (2 min.), interviews with cast members (6 min.), and a trailer. Bottom line: a sparse extras package for a so-so Asian horror flick.] (F. Swietek)