If Lurk 1 is just generally good-looking, then Lurk 2 is wonderful. The plots of the two movies are just like a tenon and a mortise. I didn't expect ghost movies to be able to play like this. The holes dug in the last part are all filled in this part, and the story is quite well rounded. While frightened, the audience could not resist the temptation of curiosity and wanted to follow the protagonists to find out the truth.
The underworld does not distinguish between time and space, and the theory of the psychic Elis in the first part has been perfectly practiced in this part. Josh's soul travels freely between the present and the past. When he returned to the first film, he stopped the evil spirits from intruding on his family, explained the reason why the siren opened up and why the evil spirits left so honestly; he even went back to thirty years ago. Seeking the truth from his childhood self solves the doubts that have plagued Elis for many years. This kind of interweaving and overlapping of the underworld and the yang, the present and the past presents a very shocking effect, which makes me very excited.
However, this kind of time-space staggering technique in ghost films was not first created by Wen Ziren. As far as my own experience of watching ghost movies is concerned, I saw it in The Grudge many years ago, but the Japanese director Takashi Shimizu was just trying it out, and Director Wen showed this to the fullest (there is a story in The Grudge 3). The woman could always hear a thumping sound from the wall at the same time every night, but there was no occupant next door. Confused, she was hanged by an evil spirit a few days later. The time happened to be the moment when the strange noise was made every night. The foot slams against the wall with the familiar thud, thus completing an upside-down causal cycle). All in all, Wen Ziren used two hidden films to lay out a very delicate game, and opening this game little by little is the greatest joy of this movie.
Another highlight of the latent is naturally the consistent warmth and positive energy rarely seen in ghost films. These elements make this work more than just a simple scary horror film.
I remember that in the last movie, a father bravely ventured into the underworld to rescue his lost son, but this time it was his son who came to find his father. The love that flows between families inspires extraordinary courage to face all evil and terror. And the psychic Elis is a reassuring existence like a sea-fixing needle. In the midst of despair, her appearance was like a ray of sunshine shooting into the dark world, rekindling hope in everything. Although this movie is full of various evil spirits and demons, there is also absolute justice like Elis. She told us that the world has never lacked the power to fight against the darkness, and even if it ascends to heaven, it will come back to help people. This venerable and lovely old lady even stayed in the world and continued to eradicate demons, which is very remarkable.
As for the big BOSS bride in black gauze, I thought he looked like Manson in the last movie, but I didn't expect this guy to be a big boss in women's clothing. His mother named him Marilyn, so was it really Manson who was the inspiration? After all, this evil spirit actually has a very tragic past. He was dressed as a girl by a paranoid mother since he was a child, and suffered double abuse both mentally and physically, so he distorted human nature and turned into a perverted murderer. After death, he is still under the control of his mother. Even if he occupies Josh's body, he cannot lead a normal life. As long as he is bound by past memories for one day, he will never be able to get rid of the blood and pain, so in a sense, Yili Destroying his mother's hut and erasing the memory of the origin is actually a relief for him.
Finally, I have to talk about the male protagonist Josh played by Teacher PW. This role is very difficult, and it is equivalent to one person playing two roles - Josh trapped in the underworld and Josh possessed by evil spirits - the latter also disguised as Josh himself. The three performances are clearly layered, allowing the audience to distinguish them without difficulty. I've seen him play a lot of roles before - a cowardly and painful man in the closet, a kind and warm uncle, a handsome and gentle aristocrat, a criminal policeman with a strong sense of justice, and a arrogant and violent king - they each have their own merits, but so A dark and evil character was seen for the first time, and he played it so well. The deepest impression was the smirk he showed when facing the psychic uncle, which was simply too scary. Even though I am quite familiar with this actor, I still feel creepy, and the acting skills are evident. PW can always hide himself behind the character and make the audience forget him. It can be said that he is very malleable. No wonder Director Wen likes him so much.
Of course, Wen Ziren's directing and screenwriting skills are also excellent. Personally, I really like his transition shots and his sense of composition. The possessed male protagonist stood at the door against the light, his face blurred, while his wife and children looked up at him facing the light. His wife and children were shrouded in invisible terror as if they were being held. As the evil spirit's corrosion on the male protagonist's body increased, his appearance became more and more old and terrifying, and he became more and more hidden in the darkness. At this time, the determination of the evil spirit to harm people has been identified, and the whole atmosphere has reached a terrifying level. the highest point. Director Wen's camera language is very effective in creating atmosphere, and the thrilling soundtrack complements the actor's full-hearted performance.
I have to say that Wen Ziren is very suitable for making ghost films. Although he is gradually transforming into a commercial film director, I still hope that he will not let go of lurking and evoking souls completely. If you have the chance, please come back and perfect the two universes that he built. The combination of Director Wen and PW is a match made in heaven, and the two can always work together to produce great works.
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