S.L.I.F.F. Review: ‘Alone’

Jeremy:

‘Alone’ is the new horror film from Thai filmmakers Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, the directors behing ‘Shutter’. Â  ‘Alone’ offers much of the same that is found in your typical, Asian horror film. Â  There’s the brave yet sympathetic protagonist with a secretive past. Â  There’s the atmospheric sets, generally a creepy house or a dark hospital. Â  Both are found here. Â  There’s the sinister ghost, typically a female with long, black hair covering its face that pops up from time to time. Â  It’s all found in ‘Alone’, and the horror aspects of this film are not what make the film work. Â  The drama that surrounds that horror and the background story that goes along with what is happening is better than your average horror film.

The story follows Pim, played by the Thai-German pop sing, Marsha Wattanapanich, a woman who was born a twin, conjoined at the stomach with her sister, Ploy. Â  When the twins were in their teens, they were separated, and Ploy did not survive. Â  Years later, after hearing of her mother’s stroke, Pim returns to her home with her husband, Wee (Vittaya Wasukraipaisan). Â  There, Pim begins envisioning Ploy’s ghost. Â  No one believes her, but the spirit begins growing violent. Â  Throughout the film, we see several flashbacks showing us exactly what happened to Pim and Ploy leading up to their separation and why the ghost is haunting her.

If you just look at the horror elements to ‘Alone’, there really isn’t much to offer here. Â  If you’ve seen one Asian ghost story in recent years, you’ve seen a dozen of them. Â  The ones that offer something genuinely original are few and far between. Â  ‘Alone’ doesn’t even seem to attempt to be anything but a standard in Asian horror. Â  It never pushes itself any harder than it needs to in order to get the story across. Â  A lot more creepiness could have been implemented within the scenes with the ghost. Â  There could have easily been more tension built into the scare. Â  It’s mostly jump-out-and-scare you moments here and there with little between. Â  Because of this, there isn’t anything too scary about ‘Alone’, but that is not where this film’s positives lay.

The drama that surrounds that horror is very well done. Â  The acting between the film’s two leads, Wattanapanich and Wasukraipaisan, is very believable. Â  You really get the sense that these two legitimately care for one another, and, through that, you care for them, as well. Â  The story that unfolds through flashbacks offers the biggest surprises to the film, and that, alone, could have made for a decent film. Â  There really are some shocking moments that come out of these flashbacks. Â  You don’t know where the story is taking you until it comes right up into your face.

‘Alone’ is a film that works as an effective and surprising drama. Â  It deals with many pertinent subjects dealing with family drama such as loss, sibling rivalries, and the survivor’s guilt that keeps one from letting a lost family member go. Â  It is a shame that Pissanthanakum and Wongpoom felt the need to make this a horror film. Â  Even with the subplot dealing with the ghost, it would have worked better as a dramatic effort rather than horror. Â  There are several examples of Asian horror that are scarier and more intense than ‘Alone’. Â  There are definitely worse ones, but this is pretty standard fare when you stand it up to some of the better films in this category. Â  ‘Alone’ is a film worth watching, but not because it’s a good horror film. Â  This is fine drama in horror-based disguise.

[Overall: 3 stars out of 5]

Festival Screening Date: Saturday, November 15 @ 10:15 pm (Tivoli)