Jeremy's Reviews Blog

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

The Locker (DVD review)

This is actually 2 movies on 1 DVD, The Locker and its sequel, imaginatively titled The Locker 2. (In Japan, it's called Shibuya Kaidan)

It's a Japanese horror movie. While not exactly like The Ring, it's one of those creepy ghost stories (and so more like Ju-on/The Grudge). In this case, it's a mysterious locker. There is an urban legend that if you put something in the locker, you will find true love or good luck. (Or something like that).

The first movie deals with 6 college students (or 20-somethings). They go on a camping trip, and on the way back they apparently stop off at this locker and make an offering. Then one by one they start mysteriously dying. Sorta. Some die, some go missing only to turn up walking around as crazy people.

It's not super-original, but the ghost in it is creepy as all heck. And it's very well directed, some really nice shots. Fair amount of tension. And some of the killing scenes are pretty neat. (Spoiler: For instance, this guy is sitting a restaurant, and he starts nodding. Like he's got some sort of nervous tick. But then you see the reflection of the scene in the street window, and it's actually a ghost whipping his head back and forth.)

The second movie picks up immediately after the first. It's not as good as the original, as it focuses mostly on the minor characters from the original, and adds a few more (school mates of one of the minor characters from the first). It was interesting to watch in terms of wanting to see how the story ending, but the directing wasn't as creepy or interesting, nor were the characters that intersting.

B+ for the First, C for the 2nd