In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Sunday, 16 November 2014

Shadow of the Wraith (2001)

aka: Ikisudama

A lesser known anthology J-horror from director Toshiharu Ikeda (Evil Dead Trap). Divided into two stories linked by one character, in the better first half we meet Ryoji, stalked by the obsessive Asaji whose evil doppelganger kills in order to keep him to herself. The horror is tame but the practical sfx are impressive for such a low-budget venture. It creates a few genuinely creepy scenes with the use of ghostly makeup and stark colors. The second half follows Ryoji's brother as he aids his girlfriend in stopping a nasty spirit in their apartment building. This time the sfx are silly and the horror ineffective. One girl is dragged away repeatedly by a skeleton hand! As a whole the film is uneven. If they had fleshed out the first story to feature length, it could have been a worthy gem.

1½ blood bubbles out of 5

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