Review: 'Fatal Frame' fails to scare
The Camera Obscura. (Encore Films)
Marcus Goh is a former Singapore television scriptwriter. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. Tweets/Instagrams at Optimarcus and writes at marcusgohmarcusgoh.com. The views expressed are his own.
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 105 minutes (1.75 hours)
"Fatal Frame" is a Japanese horror movie based on the Fatal Frame franchise of video games. It centres around a mysterious haunting in a convent school that is said to target only girls. But as the curse begins to claim more lives, traumatised student Aya must set out to solve the mystery of the haunting. It stars Ayami Nakajo (Aya Tsukimori), Aoi Morikawa (Michi Kazato), Yuri Nakamura (Mayumi Asou), Kodai Asaka (Takashi Asou). It is rated NC16.
Disclaimer: I played the first Fatal Frame game, at night no less, and so I’ve been looking forward to the movie adaptation for quite a while. But notice anything strange about the synopsis for “Fatal Frame?” It’s not that there’s no ghost, it’s that there’s no mention of the occult camera that the title “Fatal Frame” references. The camera appears for all of ten minutes, perhaps. So don’t hold your breath looking for the Camera Obscura.
The ghost (Ayami Nakajo) begins her haunting. (Encore Films)
So what’s good about “Fatal Frame?”
The haunted school atmosphere
One aspect that’s very well done is the shooting style and setting. It establishes the boarding school setting by creating a sense of camaraderie between the students (there’s no family around), limited boundaries (through the school campus), and well dressed sets. Yet in the supposed safety of this haven, a girl’s ghost lurks, and this contributes to the feeling of a sanctuary has been tainted by the supernatural.
Several twists in the tale
Towards the end of the movie, the revelations hit hard and fast. The antagonists show themselves, motivations are unearthed, and the nature of the haunting is explained. It’s in stark contrast to the first two Acts, where the movie takes its time to slowly build up the atmosphere and relationship between the characters, and it’s a welcome change that ramps up the action level in the film.
The consequences of the haunting. (Encore Films)
However, there are several problems with “Fatal Frame’ as a whole.
It’s not scary
The movie feels more like a tragedy than horror. There’s no disturbing sense of unease, neither do you feel worried for the characters at any point. There are a few loud shocks, but those feel like clumsy scares than actual horror. The ghost never feels threatening at any point because of the nature of the plot, and all that’s left is the sad story of a young girl’s death.
Languid pacing
The movie begins slowly, which is expected, since it eases you into the setting and characters. Unfortunately, it continues at a snail’s pace, and soon loses your attention. It garners curiosity at first (why does the ghost look like Aya?), but fails to provide answers until long after the focus is lost. Several scenes felt indulgently artistic but slow, and the repetitive nature of the disappearances wears thin by the end of the first Act.
The denouement comes out of nowhere
After the climax, the film decide to spring a surprise on the viewers by revealing the true villainess of the story. This is done through a lengthy monologue and some indecipherable flashbacks that don’t quite make sense. It’s a twist, true, but there’s no set up, no foreshadowing, and virtually no clues in the film that pointed to this outcome. It feels like this scene was surprising for the sake of being surprising, instead of adding to the plot. It was a disappointing twist.
Victims of the curse. (Encore Films)
"Fatal Frame" was a disappointing adaptation of the franchise. Even ignoring the absence of the camera which the title lends significance to, the style is a mismatch for the genre and the plot itself is a draggy high school tragedy. For viewers who want to try a horror film that’s not too intense, "Fatal Frame" would be an ideal starting point. For everyone else, this movie is a tragic drama with a few supernatural elements sprinkled in.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? No.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? If you truly want to see a “Fatal Frame” movie adaptation, but be prepared for a drama, not horror.
"Fatal Frame" opens in cinemas 23 October 2014 (Thursday).
