Hey this is NOT the Wes Craven flick I ordered! ; -0.
Puzzle box | Kuwait | 04/03/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Not to be confused with the film done by Wes Craven with the same name, Red Eye was the latest Korean Horror film directed by Kim Dong Bin hes the same guy who did Ring Virus. The film brings us yet another supernatural thriller/horror from Asia, if your the type of person who's sick and tired of this genre then forget it cause this film doesn't offer anything new the only difference is that it takes place in a haunted train, but if you like these type of films then you might enjoy this I just thought it was average. The film's about a train haunted by the ghostly victims of a terrible tragedy, in the late 60's a horrific train accident results in the deaths of a hundred people and the cause of the accident is never determined so the case soon becomes unsolved. The film then flashes forward almost two decades to the present to find a new train attendant Mi Sun played by Jang Shin as she takes the last train of the day in a heavy thunder storm, things seem normal at first but suddenly the train stops every ten minutes but then resumes its course everything inside has changed and time and space seems to overlap and there are several hauntings. It seems like when characters were introduced they never appear again and its almost pointless like that frightened guy who talks infront of the camera to those film students or were they paranormal investigators? and what happened to that guy? it can be a bit confusing at times but soon became clear later on, it had several suspenseful moments and some nice photography but wasn't particularly that good. The plot twist at the end was kind of predictable its like I already knew what was going to happen next but I still thought it was interesting, worth a rental but nothing more."
Dark, creepy atmospherics
Dancing Ganesha | Bangalore, India | 02/02/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This horror film is a bit uneven at times, but in effect, it truly has some great spooky moments and some dark, creepy atmospherics. Also, the camera-work does tip towards the aesthetic, which is pleasing for fans of Asian Horror.
I think this film is certainly a lot better than the average "Ghost Train" that was released recently. Try this one out and see what you think!"
A nice and creepy Korean ghost story
Daniel Jolley | Shelby, North Carolina USA | 12/30/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Red Eye, or - to be more exact - Redeu-ai, is a 2005 Korean film that has nothing whatsoever to do with Wes Craven's film Red Eye and everything to do with good, creepy supernatural story-telling. It's the first film directed by Dong-Bin Kim since 1999's The Ring Virus. While the story features a number of confusing details, the overall effect of the film is quite good - and one that will appeal to a wide cross-section of viewers since there is comparatively little gore and a refreshing lack of cinematic scare tactics to distract you. Good creepiness percolates slowly, a fact which American horror directors sometimes seem oblivious to.
When a train wrecks and kills scores of people, it's just not a good idea to incorporate some of the less-damaged passenger cars into another train. Of course, economics has a way of overcoming superstition and common sense. When that second train takes its last journey on the same tracks the wrecked train took, you can't help but have some ghost train manifestations. Thus, it's no surprise that a couple of young ghost hunters, one of whom can see dead people, book passage on this final journey, or that certain other individuals connected to the tragedy also turn up in one way or another. Attendant Mi-Sun (Shin-yeong Jang) traded gigs in order to be there, even though it's her birthday. We don't know exactly why at first, but her connection to the train is made pretty clear by her ability (or curse) to see things that no one else sees - such as a creepy little boy artist and a ghostly supervisor with a bloody checklist who tells her that everyone on board is going to die.
Part of the confusion some viewers may carry away from Redeu-ai stems from the fact that there is more than one train involved in this story. One leaves the station, and just minutes later we see a late-arriving newlywed couple board another train. This second train has only a handful of passengers, so it's a little disarming when the film starts switching between the two - but not to worry because the twain (no pun intended, unless you think it's funny) is fated to become one after the first train makes a temporary emergency stop.
If you're looking for visceral horror, you won't find it here. Redeu-ai is a genuine ghost story with deliciously creepy overtones, the kind of film only being made in Asia these days. It may incorporate elements of films you've seen before, but those elements are brought together beautifully and the train setting helps define the film's individual identity. This isn't a must-see Asian horror film, but it's definitely worth seeing for those who appreciate a good, suspenseful ghost story."