Five Must-See Asian Horror Movies

redmangoreviews

March 2

Sommerleigh Pollonais, Horror Head Writer

When you've seen as many horror movies as I have, things can get a bit predictable. That's not to say I'll ever stop watching horror movies, hell, I'm hoping to haunt my local cineplex after I'm gone, but it does make it hard to find stories that genuinely engage or scare me.

This is where foreign films come in, specifically Asian horror movies. Every country has their own versions of what gives them the chills and outside of North America the standard tropes and rules don't apply, making for some entertaining and chilling genre entries. So, sit back, turn off the lights and turn on those subtitles as we take a look at Five Must-See Asian Horror Movies:

#5 Shutter, Thailand

Sue-Lyn! Get down from there this instant!

My introduction to Thai horror was Shutter, a movie that managed to scare the bejeezes out of me (not an easy feat, mind you) and the one that sent me seeking out what else Thailand had to offer in terms of horror. Although set in Japan and inspired by films like Ju-On: The Grudge, Shutter's story stands on its own and delivers not only an intriguing mystery but one gut-punch of an ending that will leave you breathless and instantly wanting to rewatch the entire thing, if just to see the clues you missed.

Remade multiple times within its own country and even India, as well as in the US under the same name, if you haven't seen or heard of this one until now, I highly recommend giving it a go.

#4 The Witch: Part 1 and The Witch: Part 2. The Other One, South Korea

That is one creepy smile right there. Yesiree Bob

Coming out of South Korea, I'm grouping the original and the sequel together because they both deserve to be seen. This is the story of a young girl whose peaceful life is upended when it's revealed she's special.

I'm deliberately keeping this one as vague as possible because I would love audiences to experience this the same way I did, completely unaware of the insanity that was about to unfold before my eyes.

A blend of action, science fiction and horror, these two films are splendid examples of, firstly, how NOT watching trailers can be beneficial and, secondly, how much awesome content you can miss out on by avoiding those "pesky" subtitles. You don't know what you're missing folks!

#3 Satan's Slaves, Indonesia

This Thriller homage video looks lit. Well, as well-lit as it can be in a cemetery. Puns, I got 'em!

Generic sounding title aside, this Indonesian horror has been on my watch list for a minute now (it was released back in 2017), but I'll admit the title kept me pushing it back because I figured it was just another by-the-numbers horror. Maybe if I had seen its Indonesian moniker Pengabdi Setan (which sounds SO much cooler) I would've watched it sooner. But as they say, "Better late than never," as I had an absolute time viewing this atmospheric and affective tale.

The cinematography and directing style are reminiscent of James Wan's The Conjuring and I could also see inspiration being pulled from some other genre entries as well. Still, Satan's Slaves does such an excellent job with its character development, your investment in this family's survival makes the more familial horror elements more effective than it would have been without it.

A sequel was released in 2022 and, while I'm yet to see it, if it's as good as its predecessor, director and screenwriter Joko Anwar might just have his very own horror franchise in the making.

#2 Rigor Mortis, Hong Kong

Have at you, fiend!

While the other movies on this list take their inspiration from more modern stories, what makes Rigor Mortis stand apart is its choice to draw from older movies like the iconic House as well as both Chinese and Japanese mythology. What we get is a highly stylised yet slow paced story that doesn't need a ton of blood and gore to keep your gaze glued to the screen.

I loved the "washed out" look of this movie, which is something that's usually used as a cheap way to convey horror, but it is smartly utilised here to convey how a haunted building inhabited by a myriad of spirits are slowly draining the living inhabitants of their zeal for life.

It is a straightforward tale of grief leading a loved one to make a terrible choice in trying to bring the dead back but even if you chose to completely ignore the story, Rigor Mortis could be viewed for the stunning visuals alone. Beautifully blending Japanese horror with Chinese folklore, if you appreciate your horror movies with a heavy dash of artistic flair, this is the movie for you.

#1 The Medium, Thailand/South Korea

Excuse me. I was just looking for the bathroom. ¿Dónde está el baño? ¿No?

Fans of Asian horror are already aware of the perfection that was 2016's The Wailing and Train To Busan is so well known at this point, the Americans are already working on giving it the remake treatment. With this list I wanted to focus on movies that even resolute viewers may have missed, and boy do I have a doozy of a movie for you!

Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun (Shutter, my number 5 on this list) and produced by Na Hong Jin (The Wailing) this Thai-South Korean horror uses a documentary/found footage type format to tell the story of Nim, a healer in her village who believes she embodies the spirit of a benevolent deity called Ba Yan. But is it Ba Yan? Or is it something much worse?

Of course I'm happy here. Why do you ask?

Possession has been done to death in the genre, so I was genuinely surprised at how effective The Medium was at tackling the topic. This slow burn may not be for everyone, but, like The Wailing, the pacing is deliberate and, like classic The Exorcist, the dread builds to palpable levels leading up to a conclusion that explores themes such as destiny, responsibility, and consequences for your actions.

While I still think The Wailing is the one to beat when it comes to Asian horror, any of the movies on this list would make for a great time and more importantly, it's movies such as these that remind me why I fell in love with the genre in the first place.

So that's my list. Any other Asian horror movies you think are a must-see? And you can check out more Asian horror movie reviews below:

Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I'll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More