Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tired of Horror Movie Snobs - This Movie Wasn't That Bad!!!, July 15, 2008
Ok, I hesitated buying this movie because of the reviews here and from what I had heard. I own the original Thai release of this movie and love it. I decided to buy this movie and I'm not sorry that I did. It is not that bad. The photography was good, the effects were good, the actors were good...the story is not original, it is borrowed...but then again so are most the stories out there. I liked the twist on the ending that this one had. Give this movie a chance and don't listen to horror movie snobs who probably only give a 5-star if peoples limbs are hanging on by a thread and there are buckets of blood and guts. If you want a good movie about a ghost haunting someone that did them wrong, then you won't be sorry with this movie.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Check It Out!, July 18, 2008
I wanted to buy this movie, so I figured I would check out some reviews here on Amazon.
After reading said reviews, I was somewhat discouraged and thought renting might be a better idea. Since I knew I would at least enjoy the location shots in Japan, renting wouldn't be a waste.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed this movie. It may well have some minor plot flaws, but what movie doesn't? All in all, I found it intriguing and pretty well-paced. To me it was as much a mystery as a horror flick. Having both those elements is what maintained my interest.
I've never seen the original Thai movie; however, now I intend to buy both versions. Even my husband and daughter liked it!
Maybe this movie isn't one everyone enjoyed, but sometimes it's a good idea to check it out for yourself.
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30 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
[1.5] "Shutter" won't make you shudder, but . . ., March 25, 2008
you may die laughing at what these filmmakers consider scary. What is scary is that anyone kept a straight face while filming this latest Asian influenced horror film.
**This review may contain some minor spoilers**
Simply put, with the focus on "simply", this is a tale of a newlywed couple that moves to Japan immediately after their wedding so that the husband, Ben Shaw (played by the wooden Canadian actor Joshua Jackson of Dawson's Creek), can accept a job as a high fashion photographer in a firm that is run by his buddies, Bruno and Adam, who quickly come off as both suspicious and somewhat seedy. Of course, all these young men in this film are once again played with the stereotypical "grunge" look of 5 o'clock shadows and wrinkled suits with no ties and we are again expected to believe these young professionals are "running" a company in Japan which is a country and culture that is known for formality.
Ben's wife, Jane (boringly played by Rachael Taylor from Transformers who was the British computer geek) is onto this quickly, but says nothing. In fact, her blank expression is the best one she has as an actress and only gives us a small snapshot of her "acting" ability near the end of the film. She is just a blank slate throughout most of this film and that is only part her fault as her director should have demanded more of her or he should have given her more guidance, but then again, the script is tremendously at fault as well and speaking of which . . .
On route to their honeymoon spot in Japan, Jane runs over a woman standing in the middle of the road to which her loving and compassionate husband eventually responds with "Don't let something like this ruin our honeymoon." He follows that up with "She's probably fine" since she didn't stick around --even though BOTH the front and back tires rolled over her, bouncing the car like crazy into a ditch. I kid you not. These lines were said; they are direct quotes from this incredible unbelievable and hugely unintentionally funny Asian influenced horror yarn that is beyond cliche-ridden.
After this "tragic" event that is nothing more than a blip on their radar scope, Jane "sees" the ghost of this woman she ran over in her husband's photographs, in misty images, and in reflections all over the place. So does her husband who seems to want to keep it all to himself and make his wife believe she is nuts as he's crawling around on the floor while attempting to allude this ghost in a sensationally and unintentionally funny moment that is followed up with a "Hi dear" when his wife discovers this episode. This film is filled with moments like this and I can't help but point out another one in which Ben takes a photograph of himself that includes the ghost . . . not kidding now . . . sitting on his shoulders and he runs around trying to get her off. Only Jim Carey could have done this moment funnier. I, my whole family, and the entire theater I watched this film in was dying with laughter. This is a horror film??????
Now add to this that the Japanese ghost easily reminds one of the ghost in The Grudge and that film has, unfortunately, been parodied to death. In fact, there is nearly nothing original in this film that copies almost every Asian horror flick known to man. Combine that with lackluster, nearly boring, acting by all involved, tiresome overused special effects, pedestrian direction and you get a film that is a real failure. The only positive thing I can really say about this film is that it gave me and my family a very unexpected laugh. It deserves the 1.5 star I gave it and below is my rating (or "ranting") scale in connection to food:
* = hopeless (may cause intense nausea or death)
* 1/2 = poor (you may survive viewing this film, but Pepto-bismol may be required)
** = mediocre (may leave a bad after taste in your mouth)
** 1/2 = acceptable (this is like eating your not-so-favorite cold cut sandwich - nothing special, but fills your gut)
*** = good (goes down easy enough, but you wish it was a better more substantial meal)
*** 1/2 = very good (you feel well feed after this one)
**** = excellent (glued to the screen while eating your favorite snack w/o guilt)
**** 1/2 = outstanding (you feel like you are at your favorite all-you-can-eat buffet)
***** = masterpiece (you feel like you are at your favorite all-you-can-eat buffet where you can't gain any weight . . . or the film is just a personal favorite and may not truly deserve a 5 star rating --lol) "
-Steve, 3/25/08
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