The film is about an accident that causes shock on a single country road. It is an accident that changes course and causes dire consequences for the Bangkok photographer and his fearful wife. Together, the couple begins seeing a mysterious character chasing the background of his photos.
The first-time directors, Parkpoom Wongpoom and Banjong Pisanthanakun, might not have names that roll off the tongue, but they have a way of getting noticed.
Familiar though it may be, the film is well made and contains more than its fair share of supremely creepy moments, plus there's a clever twist near the end that you really won't see coming.
The latest in the line of hairy hauntings, Shutter, for the most part conforms to expectations, although it has a pay off which lifts it above the pack.
Don't let the over-familiar nature of the plot fool you. This Asian horror thriller rises above its flaws to deliver a tightly constructed, affecting, and downright terrifying ride.
If some of the shocks come off feeling as dated as last summer's Polaroids, it's a small price to play for a picture that manages to be scary and unsettling without resorting to cheap thrills and gore.
The jury is out on whether we need another J-horror scare story, but it's not an open-and-shut case. And with the re-make in the works, the file remains open.
