Ghost of Mae Nak 2005

In this Thai horror film, writer and director Mark Duffield updates the legend of Mae Nak--which many Thai people reverentially believe in--adds a bit of J-Horror styled makeup and shock-cuts, and then ups the ante with a few well-choreographed gore stunts. Due to budgetary issues, the gore stunts rely less on bloody chunks, and more on creative lighting, timing, and framing to deliver chilling tableaus of vengeance wrought by the ghost of Mae Nak. And she can certainly get pretty nasty when anyone gets in her way.

Along the way, Duffield maneuvers through the Thai cultural nuances of family and society skillfully  to keep the story moving for Western audiences not accustomed to seeing young people turn to elderly family members and Buddhist monks for help and guidance. In Western horror movies, it's usually your family and the authorities that are either ignoring your pleas for help, or trying to kill you; so it's a refreshing change to see grandmothers who believe in ghosts and take you to blind seers for help. He also tones down the  usually exaggerated acting common in Thai films to more polished performances here.

Nak and Mak are soon-to-be newlyweds, so the pressure is on. Not only do they need to find a place to live fairly quickly, they also must cope with the usual pressures of work and doting families while preparing for their wedding in present day Bangkok. Mak is also coping with  prescient nightmares regarding one disgruntled ghost with long black hair and a hole in the head you could drive a bus through.

When they find a fixer-upper of an old house in the Phra Khonang section, the unscrupulous, and very superstitious real estate agent pressures Mak into signing the contract without reading the fine print. Two thieves have also staked out the old house, patiently waiting for Nak and Mak to move in with  their wedding presents. The old house also contains one previous tenant not mentioned in the lease--possibly the original owner--late of this world,  but still looking to fill the void left by the loss of her husband and child. Mae Nak, the ghostly tenant, takes a fancy to Mak and haunts his dreaming and waking moments.

On the plus side, Mae Nak goes after anyone who tries to hurt Mak. So when the real-estate agent tries to execute the fine print clause that would force Nak and Mak out of their new home, the ghost follows him. The poor fellow winds up losing more than he bargained for. Now let's see, what about those thieves? Sadly, they also experience a crushing reversal of fortune, but not before they put Mak in the hospital with a coma.

Then there's the shady attendant to the astrologer that Nak goes to for advice. My, my, my, so many unscrupulous people around, what's a vengeful ghost to do? In the film's best horrific scene, the attendant becomes a decorative window, to the horror of passers-by. It's a one-two-three stunt that ends with a doggy treat; a nice example of timing and coordination.

But Mak is still in a coma, and Nak is being hampered in her attempts to help him by Mae Nak, who apparently wants Mak for herself, which means he has to die. Buddhist monks are called in, and in two lively scenes involving levitation, Mae Nak puts up quite a fight. Nak must fight against time as the monks prepare to release Mak's possessed body by performing trepanation--a similar surgery done on Mae Nak to appease her restless spirit. I wonder what the co-payment is for that?

Duffield uses ambiguity here, as the legend of Mae Nak is ambiguous to begin with. On the one hand, Thai people revere her for the endless love story surrounding her, but then threaten misbehaving children with the mention of her name on the other. Unrequited love or not, she does have a reputation for a nasty temper. This ambiguous nature of Mae Nak extends to her actions in the film. While she does dispatch anyone threatening Nak and Mak, she has a choke-hold on Mak and tries to stop Nak from freeing her soul. So what's it to be? Freedom from ghostdom, or recapturing a lost love through Mak? It's a difficult decision for Mae Nak, which Duffield reflects in the conflicting actions she takes while both helping Nak to free her, but stifling Nak's actions to help Mak.

Another interesting ambiguity that runs through the film is  modern Bangkok filled with old traditions. Seeing Buddhist monks called into a hospital is a form of alternative medicine rarely seen in the West. Duffield's audio commentary is filled with informative comments about these traditions shown in the film, along with his rationale for choosing scenes and their setup--including why you never really see Nak ever kiss Mak in the film. The extras also include the director's video diary of the filming, and the theatrical trailer.

The ending is a sequelization-antic that actually works, and sets up the premise for more Mae--don't get in my way or else--Nak films (hopefully with Nak and Mak). But before the ending, there is an unexpected twist you may or may not see coming. Director, writer and cinematographer Mark Duffield, as well as a talented cast of actors and crew, delivers an effective and modern ghost story based on an old tale of love found, love lost, and love sought, and adds a few surprisingly good dashes of visual horror to spice it up.