Review: 'Ghost Wife' is an authentic supernatural love story-slash-Thai horror flick

Far too many films bill themselves as “supernatural romances” without actually examining the “supernatural” aspect of the romance. If the romance isn’t any different from that of two regular human beings, then why bother adding the “supernatural” element to it? That’s where Ghost Wife is markedly different — although it’s not billed as a romance, the horror movie’s plot is heavily driven by the love between two individuals.

The Thai film starts off fairly innocuously, with a teenage pregnancy that goes horribly wrong. A failed abortion results in the creation of a malevolent spirit that haunts an apartment complex, forcing its residents to take drastic measures. But it turns out that true love transcends all, with a completely unexpected outcome.

The love story in Ghost Wife may seem stereotypical, but it’s probably the most authentic one you’ve seen in horror films. What makes it all the more unique is the youth and wisdom of the characters involved, and the lengths they would go to for each other. For Nard (Supawadee Kitisopakul) and Mac (Chitiwat Wattanasiripong), it’s not about exacting revenge or lashing out at those around them — but about being together, which is the essence of almost every relationship.

While the romantic plot is somewhat heartwarming, the accompanying soundtrack is so in your face that you can’t help feeling that Ghost Wife is trying to bludgeon you with its love story, lest you forget that it exists. It’s not a gentle, lingering song in the background either — it’s a loud and jarring song that actually detracts from the romantic scenes, and is the main reason why the love story feels terribly cheesy at times. It blares at you every time there’s any hint of romance, which, ironically, kills any and all romance in those scenes.

But what about the scares? Given that Ghost Wife has to juggle a love story and a horror story, the scares are decent. You have the usual jump scares and shots of lingering tension. The SFX for the supernatural scenes is pretty well done, but you can tell that there are clear budget restraints for the effects. It’s not as scary as a pure ghost story, but it’s still not something that you’d want to watch alone in the cinema.

The supporting cast is a delight to watch, and their chemistry is evident on screen. Mint (Nattana Kuwongwattanaseree), Jae Joy (Kamolphat Thanwong) and friends are hilarious to watch on screen, and they provide a refreshing change of pace when the film gets too heavy. In fact, they are arguably the characters that anchor the film and make it more relatable to the everyman, what with their gripes about life and normal concerns that virtually everyone can connect with. They’re a fun lot who elevate the film past the regular, inaccessible horror story that takes place in a foreign land.

However, it must be said that the film has an odd moral to share, given how it concludes. Yes, it has some semblance of a coda, but it’s definitely a twisted moral when you think about it. Granted, Ghost Wife‘s depth isn’t one of its strong suits, so perhaps its message shouldn’t be taken too seriously either.

There’s also the issue of some plot holes, especially given the solution that’s ultimately proffered by the film. The permanency of the solution is highly in doubt, given the fact that the apartment building looks pretty dilapidated as it is. It may be a relatively compassionate ending, but it makes you wonder what will happen in the long run.

Ironically, Ghost Wife doesn’t have an actual marriage in the film. That doesn’t spoil the film’s supernatural ghost story, nor does it dampen any of its other elements in any way. For a feel-good horror film that has a large romantic plot, Ghost Wife checks off all the boxes. It’s probably the best supernatural romance we’ve got out there this season.

Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.

Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? If you like horror and romance.

Score: 3.3/5

Secret ending? No.

Running time: 99 minutes

Ghost Wife is a Thai horror film.

The plot revolves around a failed abortion, that results in the creation of a violent and malevolent spirit that haunts an apartment complex. However, the spirit has oddly human motivations, and getting rid of it may mean having to sacrifice another innocent life as well.

Ghost Wife is directed and written by Mate Yimsomboon, with additional writing credits for Nattanan Piyasongsooth. It stars Supawadee Kitisopakul (Nard), Chitiwat Wattanasiripong (Mac), Nattana Kuwongwattanaseree (Mint), Kamolphat Thanwong (Jae Joy), and Yotin Mabhobpan (Monk Prajak).

Ghost Wife opens in cinemas:
– 28 March, 2019 (Singapore)
– 8 January, 2019 (Philippines)

Marcus Goh is a scriptwriter, having written for popular shows like “Lion Mums”, “Crimewatch”, “Code of Law”, “Incredible Tales”, and “Police & Thief”. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find him on social media as Optimarcus and on his site. The views expressed are his own.

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