Review of Haunters

Haunters (2010)
8/10
Gleefully Over-the-Top and Charming
3 August 2011
Review In One Breath: A man who can control people's minds (as long as they are within his line of vision) encounters a person who is immune to his powers. After an unfortunate death, they square off against each other. Within the opening 15 minutes you'll know that this one is gonna be crazy. Realism is not a priority, which means that this roller-coaster ride aims simply and solely to entertain. The premise allows for some very unique sequences that are refreshingly different, shocking, and damn exciting. The psychic's victims move in a slow, methodical, creepy manner that creates an ominous mood.

I'm quickly becoming a fan of Dong-won Gang, who starred in "Woochi", "M", "Secret Reunion" and a few other films. Here he plays the villain with panache and charisma. The scriptwriting in "Haunters" could have added more character development, but it's still a lot of fun to watch. My favorite scenes are the car chase and the office balcony sequences. The premise itself is fascinating and the film did a good job in terms of executing some thrilling interaction between the protagonist and antagonist, which does get over-the-top at times but is charming so.

Some have complained that the origins of the characters' special abilities were not explained, but what kind of ridiculous explanation should we expect? Another generic biological mutation that we see in superhero movies? Sometimes it's better just to leave the exposition alone because any attempt at a scientific explanation would be flat out preposterous anyways. I think it's best to approach this film like one would approach those old school Hong Kong action flicks that throw logic into the wind while focusing on pure entertainment. Sit back with a cappuccino and relax. You'll enjoy it.
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