Alone (aka Faet)
Review by the Film Fiend
Siamese twins, simply put, freak me out. It doesn’t matter if they’re connected at the hip or the head or the hiney; my skin starts to crawl almost immediately after laying my lazy eyes upon them. I know this is a very un-PC statement to make in this day and age, but it’s also the truth. Heaven forbid I speak my mind freely without some shady human rights organization desperately chasing me through narrow Hong Kong alleyways in order to label me as a cruel and unusual movie-watching bastard who has trouble taking the feelings of others into consideration. If not for my formidable wushu skills, no telling what, exactly, they would have done to me.
My complete and utter aversion to conjoined twins obviously played a huge role in my thorough enjoyment of Thai directors Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom’s terrifying 2007 horror flick Alone (aka Faet), their stunning follow-up to 2004’s supernatural masterpiece Shutter. It’s one of the few motion pictures in recent memory that managed to snake its way under my overly desensitized skin, causing more than a few girlish shrieks to slip from my lips over the course of its easy, breezy 90 shock-stuffed minutes. Are you of the belief that genuine terror doesn’t exist anywhere within the genre? Think again, my friend.
Thailand, apparently, knows how to do it right.
The emotionally-charged story follows former Siamese twin Pim (Masha Wattanapanich) and her beloved husband Wee (Vittaya Wasukraipaisan) during their unexpected journey back to Thailand to visit Pim’s ailing mother. Before you can boldly shriek “Freaky Deaky!” from the rooftops of your city’s tallest skyscraper, Pim begins seeing her long-dead sister Ploy around her dusty childhood home, leading our heroine to believe that this deceased sibling is deeply bitter about their surgical split oh-so many years ago. Given the circumstances of this strange separation, you’d be a little cheesed off, too.
At the insistence of her concerned husband, Pim begins seeing a stuffy four-eyed psychiatrist, a man who believes these gruesome visions to be the product of his patient’s overactive imagination. However, as Pim’s paranoia continues to mount, so does the demented intensity of these ghostly manifestations. Is poor Pim completely losing her mind, or is something much more sinister lurking just beyond her mental facilities? If you can withstand the film’s unbearable tension, perhaps these secrets will reveal themselves to you. Assuming, of course, you’re willing to take a chance on another Asian horror film.
Talented directors Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom have once again injected some much-needed creativity into the standard-issue ghost story with their highly-anticipated spook fest Alone. This insanely creepy film continues in the supernatural footsteps of their previous critically-acclaimed 2004 shocker, providing prospective viewers with 90 spine-tingling minutes of solid grade-A terror, the kind that tends to linger within your jaded psyche long after the film has run its course. Additionally, if this flick fails to provide you with several seat-soiling jolts of unadulterated fear, perhaps its time move on to other cinematic pastures.
The secret to Alone’s success, however, goes beyond its strong script and brilliant spot-on direction. If not for the wise casting of several top-notch actors, including Colic heartthrob Vittaya Wasukraipaisan and former pop star Masha Wattanapanich, the film wouldn’t have been nearly as affecting as it currently stands. Wattanapanich is easily the picture’s strongest asset; since we spend the majority of our precious time with her disturbed, off-kilter character, her finely-tuned performance provides an incredibly sturdy foundation for Pisanthanakun and Wongpoom to build a handful of stylishly razor-sharp shocks. Huge creepy kudos to all involved.
Without revealing too much in the process, I should take a brief moment to mention the film’s inevitable twist, an element which many will see as a severe disappointment, I’m sure. Like Alexandre Aja’s Haute Tension before it, Alone pulls the rug out from under your feet just when you think you have everything figured out. As a result, several earlier flashbacks and revelations become moot. You could call these moments red herrings, I suppose, though others will be quick to label them as completely misleading. Have I said too much? I sincerely hope not.
Fear not, naysayers: Alone has arrived to restore your faith in Asian horror. This baby’s got sharp teeth, dear readers, and it wants to take a meaty chunk out of your jugular before all is said and done. Is it as soul-shattering and nerve-shredding as Shutter, you ask? Probably not, but don’t let that vague response prevent you and your dysfunctional family unit from seeking out this title for yourselves. The scares are aplenty, the atmosphere is thick and creamy, and the ever-increasing tension may result in several broken teeth. As long as you’re willing to watch this entertaining opus with an open mind, definitely pencil this shocker into your leather-bound planner.
Then call your mom. She’s worried about you.
Popularity: 10% [?]
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