Alice Oscura, Featured Writer
Plot: Two doctors cross a dangerous line in order to collect scientific evidence that ghosts exist after witnessing a full-bodied apparition one night in the hospital.
Review: Ghost Lab is a supernatural Thai horror that has an extraordinary, unique story accompanied by a massive twist. However, it has an unnecessarily long run time of almost two hours! Yep, you heard right!
When did you get the X10? (Cr. Netflix © 2021)
Director Paween Purijitpanya is no stranger to the horror genre after having the likes of horror anthologies such as Phobia (2008), Phobia 2 (2009) and Body (2007) under his belt. The first half of the movie has the format of a paranormal investigation show, where the friends roam about the hospital at night with specialised equipment hoping to capture a ghostly apparition. The initial jump scare is extremely intense and well-executed but otherwise the first half of the movie trudges along a bit too slowly. The concept that it is impossible to capture a ghost’s physical form on any electronic device is super interesting as it would explain why when people try to take pictures during a suspected ghost manifestation nothing appears on film most of the time.
The low-budget special effects work in most areas of the film and in others it just seemed to fall flat. The two leads are excellent in their roles and there is a great balance between the development of their stories and the emotional, violent build-up towards an extremely surprising and touching ending. The accompanying score during the more intense, faster-paced sequences was a great choice to get the adrenaline pumping.
Somebody needs a vacation
The story provokes a lot of moral questions because both main characters cross over lines that seem to lack all sense of morality when their obsession takes full hold. The twist is totally insane when you really think about it, but then again how many scientists have died in order to prove that their theories could work? How many were willing to break the rules of humanity in order to obtain certain results? It gives a whole other meaning to the term “mad scientist” when you see just how mentally unhinged the characters become in their thirst for knowledge and proof. Viewers will likely cringe inwardly when the characters spiral out of control and continually make bad decisions that you just know are going to have some hefty consequences.
The new take on ghost lore is a refreshing addition to the film as it builds and builds into an astonishing crescendo that is going to shock the audience when they go overboard in their curiosity. However, Ghost Lab isn’t just about ghost hunting, and that’s what makes it stand out. Tied into the plot is the emotional and psychological effect that grief can have on loved ones left behind. At its core the film has a heart of gold because it goes out of its comfort zone to show the audience both sides of the coin. We sometimes forget that the sudden loss of a loved one can bring about an immense anguish that should be attended to because it can lead to irrational decisions, and this an issue that is explored in the film. The story also becomes a representation of testing the bonds of friendship.
Hello? Is anyone there? GHOST: No?
When the film hits its climax things gets decidedly creepy, fun, and scary. Viewers are guaranteed to go from being frightened to possibly shedding a tear or two.
Although the pacing of Ghost Lab is uneven, you get a mostly exciting and rewarding experience with a plot device which teaches that curiosity can be a dangerous thing if not controlled.
Dark Alice’s Score: 7 out of 10
You can check out more Asian horror reviews below:
All 8 Episodes of Netflix Horror Anthology ‘Goedam’ S1 Ranked
Chinese Supernatural Horror ‘Hospital’ Isn’t Worth Checking Into
Dark Alice has an old soul and a curious mind. I believe that anyone can be a hero and that the good guys should always win! I dislike cruelty to animals and think that they have far superior qualities to humans. My motto is there is no future without the past. I also have a weird penchant for Paranormal TV shows even though the slightest sound makes me jump. I enjoy writing reviews and throwing in fun facts to pique the readers’ curiosity. My ultimate goal in life would be to become a published writer one day. Read More