Studio: Shudder
Director: Kim Jin-won
Writer: Kim Jin-won
Producer: Won Jung-sim
Stars: Seo Ye-ji, Jin Sun-kyu, Ji Yoon-ho, Cha Yub, Kim Bo-ra
Review Score:
Summary:
Desperate for inspiration, a struggling filmmaker becomes caught up in the urban legend of a cursed film supposedly shot by a ghost.
Review:
Any creative type who has ever felt the pressure of a deadline or living up to lofty expectations can sympathize with Mi-jung. Producers pinned big investments onto Mi-jung’s big dreams when she became a hot up-and-comer following a successful short in a film festival. Now the fledgling director has to fulfill that promise with her overdue horror movie script, and she doesn’t know where to find inspiration.
Mi-jung gets a good lead from her friend Joon-seo. Joon-seo vaguely remembers an urban legend about a cursed student film whose creator claimed it was actually shot by a ghost. Joon-seo can’t recall the name of the movie or the director, but he does remember a rumor about an audience fleeing in panic when they screened the project.
Her curiosity sufficiently piqued, Mi-jung starts sleuthing through film festival archives, online forums, and university student stories. At the end of the domino line, Mi-jung finally meets the man who made the fabled film. Physically and emotionally scarred, Jae-hyun is just a shadow of the upstart cinema student he was ten years ago. He responds to Mi-jung’s questions concerning his mystery movie “Warning” only with cryptic gibberish and violent threats.
Undaunted by his deterrence, Mi-jung’s fascination with Jae-hyun’s film evolves into obsession. That obsession compels Mi-jung to steal a hard drive containing footage from the movie. With help from Joon-seo, Mi-jung starts scouring clips for clues about what really happened in the abandoned theater where Jae-hyun shot “Warning.” Mi-jung may have finally found the scariest horror story imaginable, but it may come with the cost of becoming a murderous ghost’s next terrified target.
“Warning: Do Not Play” is simultaneously difficult yet somewhat simple to review. It’s both of those things for the same reason. Essentially, “Warning: Do Not Play” is such a straightforwardly streamlined little haunter, it doesn’t leave a lot to really dig into with detailed discussion.
Completely competent in technical terms like cinematography, lighting, editing, etc., no one thing in “Warning: Do Not Play” stands out as particularly remarkable, although I don’t mean that in a belittling manner. It’s just a challenge to come up with anything eloquent or entertaining to say since “it’s fine” suffices as a summary for almost every element of the movie.
The story basically boils down to a standard yet serviceable Asian ghost yarn. In addition to the bit about being based on an urban legend, you’ll see beats that typically go with this territory including a wronged woman who turns into a stringy-haired phantom and some squishy scares involving an eyeball popping up for sudden staredowns. The “cursed film” component covers trampled ground too, though it makes for macabre milieus including a spooky scavenger hunt to uncover the truth, a crackpot hideout for the demented director, and light “found footage” pieces to fill in the blanks.
I’m down to two remaining sentences in my scant screening notes, which is uncharacteristic considering how furiously I usually type or write while watching a film. One of those notes is only an observational aside about the movie’s odd penchant for having the director physically assault Mi-jung whenever he gets angry, with no less than three separate scenes featuring his hands around her throat. Honestly, I think my inability to come up with anything clever or constructive to add speaks more to the wispy impression “Warning: Do Not Play” leaves than my inability to contribute meaningful insight.
I’m not sure I can say more about the movie without sounding like a high school student effectively shrinking the margins to make it seem like I hit the minimum word count. The basic concept tells fans familiar with Korean horror what they’re in for, which is a medium temperature thriller favoring atmospheric suspense built from breadcrumb trail plot progression over frightful sights and visceral shocks. Set expectations no higher or lower than “average” and the film will meet you right there in the middle.
Underpants will stay dry. Socks won’t leave your feet. Your mouth might widen in a yawn well before your eyes ever do the same out of shock. “Warning: Do Not Play’s” casual creepiness can cash checks for a momentary goose pimple or two. Your mind and your memory will merely have moved on to more resonant matters by the time you wake the next day.
NOTE: The film’s Korean title is “Amjeon.”
Review Score: 55
While the movie works as an atmosphere-building slow burn, the lack of substance in the story makes “Black Cab” harder to get into as a narrative.