Japanese ghost story movies tend to be long on atmosphere, chills and short,sharp shocks, and short on coherent plot development and characterization. Pray is no exception. Actually, when you think about it, those are really the defining qualities of ghost stories everywhere. The point of the ghost story is to scare, not involve you in an uplifting literary experience. Pray does its job well, just don't expect it to be more than it needs to be. A group of young hoodlums does a kidnapping caper but things begin to fall apart when the victim turns out to be something spooky. The film keeps several plot developments hanging around unexplained until the end, and this helps keeps the suspense level up. There is a lot of running around in dark hallways and in and out of empty rooms with the wind whistling eerily in the background. There is not much gore unless the sight of a severed hand is particularly disturbing for you. The denouement is a little flat when the nature of the creepy little girl is explained but it's very Japanese.
9 Reviews
Pray
Scarecrow-8822 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Mitsuru and Maki(Tetsuji Tamayama & Asami Mizukawa)are looking for a big pay day fast and kidnap a girl asking for a heavy ransom, but are in for a wallop of a surprise..the girl they kidnapped is said by her family to be dead for exactly a year on the letter!! Well, it isn't as simple as that in this intriguing ghost story whose ambition outweighs it's execution. The setting is a now-closed down school where our couple believe to be a good enough place to hold a child hostage until they get paid. But, as the story develops, we get an understanding of who this spooky girl really is. But, not just that..we find out who REALLY done the selecting to begin with. Right away the girl shows an eerie attachment to Mitsuru. She doesn't want him to leave her but often plays disappearing acts with Mitsuru and Maki. The first fifteen or so minutes shows them trying to find her throughout the halls, but we soon find that it isn't they who do the finding but she who allows them to see her. Soon, Mitsuru's "buddies" come to the school, but how they got their information of this location comes in play with a plot twist that changes the whole relationship between our couple's life together. An important thematic element..Yasuda(Mitsuyoshi Shinoda)is the major source of conflict and his relationship with a certain girl(s) will come to major importance as the film comes to a close. Yasuda puts pressure on Mitsuru to get the ransom so that he can pay for drugs. This shows how far Mitsuru has sunk in his life. A key turning point in the film comes when we actually find who this girl really is, what happened to the girl Mitsuru and Maki were supposed to have kidnapped, and the reasons behind several murders and spooky goings-on in the school.
The setting and it's selection, not to mention the girl's fascination with Matsuru's "not leaving" are key components in the overall scheme of things in this ghost story. The deaths that occur to certain characters who get what's coming to them is secondary to a surprise ending which gears more towards a sad closing between two people who make peace with themselves. That final fifteen minutes will probably not work for most people because it's quite a mood changer that really creates a bit of an unevenness, but overall the film provides some good creepy moments as characters search dark hallways as something hiding in the distance lurks. Overall the film doesn't quite hit the high marks like it wishes, and we question who was actually killing all the people in the film.
The setting and it's selection, not to mention the girl's fascination with Matsuru's "not leaving" are key components in the overall scheme of things in this ghost story. The deaths that occur to certain characters who get what's coming to them is secondary to a surprise ending which gears more towards a sad closing between two people who make peace with themselves. That final fifteen minutes will probably not work for most people because it's quite a mood changer that really creates a bit of an unevenness, but overall the film provides some good creepy moments as characters search dark hallways as something hiding in the distance lurks. Overall the film doesn't quite hit the high marks like it wishes, and we question who was actually killing all the people in the film.
No Prayers Here...
wkduffy9 June 2006
I know the Asian Wave of Filmic Horror long ago crashed to shore and receded into the murky depths of mediocrity, but I had pinned big hopes on this flick. On paper, it seemed to have all the right clichés--an abandoned school as a setting, a ghostly girl lurking about the place, questionable characters needing a good supernatural come-uppance.
Well, skip this one. It's weak--the characters are thin and irritating, the setting is samey and gets tiring after 30 minutes, and the ghostly girl isn't ghostly at all. There are some nice choice effects here and there (some blood, a decaying corpse), but nothing surprising or jolting or even impressive. In fact, it occurred to me that this film must have REALLY been shot on a shoestring and very quickly, considering it practically takes place in one uninteresting location and includes very little in terms of atmospheric effects. The ending tries desperately to tug at the heart strings, but it simply comes across as sappy and (transparently) manipulative. The plot goes round and round--the circumlocution is evident as quickly as the 15-minute mark--and it goes nowhere for the entire run.
Hmmm, and I just ordered "Cello" from YesAsia will somebody stop me, please?
Well, skip this one. It's weak--the characters are thin and irritating, the setting is samey and gets tiring after 30 minutes, and the ghostly girl isn't ghostly at all. There are some nice choice effects here and there (some blood, a decaying corpse), but nothing surprising or jolting or even impressive. In fact, it occurred to me that this film must have REALLY been shot on a shoestring and very quickly, considering it practically takes place in one uninteresting location and includes very little in terms of atmospheric effects. The ending tries desperately to tug at the heart strings, but it simply comes across as sappy and (transparently) manipulative. The plot goes round and round--the circumlocution is evident as quickly as the 15-minute mark--and it goes nowhere for the entire run.
Hmmm, and I just ordered "Cello" from YesAsia will somebody stop me, please?
Understated but effective...
poe42619 November 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Effectively creepy exercise, with a punch-to-the-heart kind of ending that harks back to THE ORPHANAGE, PRAY is well worth seeing. Audiences whose tastes have been dulled by decades of worthless slasher flicks will find it nigh impossible to appreciate something genuinely scary. As with many of the Asian imports, PRAY often relies on understatement and sheer creepiness to enthrall- and it works. The fact that the kidnapping victim turns out to be a young girl ALREADY DEAD is, in and of itself, enough of a twist to move PRAY to the front of the (must-see) line: it pulls you in and holds your attention (unless you have the attention span of a fruit fly) and, in the end, delivers on an emotional level. What more can one ask from a fright film...?
Good, but not great.
neko_shahal21 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
It was a really good movie. It kept me guessing and trying to figure out what happens. A few things weren't answered though, so I counted against that. It wasn't very gory at all (lest someone believes blood to be very gory). If it were longer and had more scenes I believe it would be way better. Being a 2005 movie the computer graphic parts could have been way better, there were some cheesy parts that just made me giggle. I'm certainly not used to Japanese horror movies, because American's rely mainly on suspense. They should have given a few of those actors a bit more air time, and not everyone should have died. The main guy should have gotten out of it alive, but thats my opinion (he was cute after all). I rented the movie, but I certainly would buy it any chance I got. I like it enough though, two thumbs up.
Creepy and gory!
Muviegirl24 February 2006
This movie is really creepy and gory! It's kind of stereotypical on a lot of levels, which I will explain below, but still seriously freaky! Basically, it's about these two people who want money for drugs, so they decide to kidnap this girl and ransom her back to her parents to earn money. The only problem is - the girl is dead. She died a year ago!! In my opinion it's a really cool premise. Now, here's where the stereotypes come in. The little girl has long stringy black hair, there's obviously a supernatural element to her, she seems invincible, the sight of her means potential death, etc., etc. We have all seen this type of stuff before. Remember the Ring? But, it really does never cease to freak me out, or a lot of other people, which is why I guess it has become such a successful and consequently stereotypical villain particularly in Asian horror. But anyway, in my opinion it works well as a good horror film, not so much as an original piece of work, despite the intriguing premise.
Dull
Michael_Elliott27 February 2008
Purei (2005)
** (out of 4)
Japanese horror film has an interesting set up but half way through the film hits a wall and never recovers. Two drug dealers in desperate need of cash decide to kidnap a young girl and ask for a ransom. When the dealers call the girls parents they learn that the girl died a year earlier. I had really high hopes for this ghost film and things started off well but went straight downhill pretty quickly. The storyline is very interesting and should have made for a creepy film but the director never really builds any atmosphere and the screenplay is full of annoying characters that it becomes hard to really care what happens. The first twenty-minutes contain a few creepy scenes but after this the film relies on flashbacks and a side story with the girls parents, which move at a snails pace.
** (out of 4)
Japanese horror film has an interesting set up but half way through the film hits a wall and never recovers. Two drug dealers in desperate need of cash decide to kidnap a young girl and ask for a ransom. When the dealers call the girls parents they learn that the girl died a year earlier. I had really high hopes for this ghost film and things started off well but went straight downhill pretty quickly. The storyline is very interesting and should have made for a creepy film but the director never really builds any atmosphere and the screenplay is full of annoying characters that it becomes hard to really care what happens. The first twenty-minutes contain a few creepy scenes but after this the film relies on flashbacks and a side story with the girls parents, which move at a snails pace.
mysterious ending
Ely_Jacob13 June 2008
a really interesting movie but i didn't quite get the end.. let's see who can understand the ending :P I mean, the story line is interesting even if at the beginning nothing really happens... or at least that's what it seems there will also be a scary moment but I won't say where at the beginning you believe there is just one ghost but the event will take a sudden turn and the one that is very intriguing is the ending pay attention at what the small girl says at the end and what happens to the other girl? I guess you have to see the movie and maybe then you will tell me what's the whole point with the ending... you should watch it... anyway about the title "pray" i guess the real pray must be the friends of the main character; the main character seems bad but in the end you will understand why he behaves like he does.. I also found this comment about the movie: This is better than a lot of the very recent straight-to-video horror I've recently reviewed. It is easily superior to Ghost System in both plausibility and impact, and comes across as far more mature and developed than even the best of the Kadokawa Horror series (in which Mizukawa Asami likewise appears) or any similar collection.
But this remains squarely in the B-Grade tier, leaving a bit to be desired in terms of narrative creativity, overall dramatic acting, and cinematic style. Regarding style, this film seems quite dark (literally) throughout. The stylistic reason for this, of course, is to juxtapose the brilliantly lit flashback/supernatural scenes so as to create greater visual/emotional impact. But that said, you will undoubtedly wonder why the vast majority of this storyline takes place in incredibly under-lit settings. In terms of acting, I felt Tamayama Tetsuji did a fine job. This was the first time I've seen his work and won't be surprised if he reappears in future films reviewed here within the hallowed halls of SaruDama. The other cast, by and large, come across as mediocre at best and I myself was about to start haunting Mizukawa Asami due to her over the top hysterics and constant scream-whining. And finally, as regards narrative creatively, I won't go into detail any further than I already have when I noted that the creativity here involves solely the (perhaps unique) interweaving of otherwise established themes into an interesting whole.
But this remains squarely in the B-Grade tier, leaving a bit to be desired in terms of narrative creativity, overall dramatic acting, and cinematic style. Regarding style, this film seems quite dark (literally) throughout. The stylistic reason for this, of course, is to juxtapose the brilliantly lit flashback/supernatural scenes so as to create greater visual/emotional impact. But that said, you will undoubtedly wonder why the vast majority of this storyline takes place in incredibly under-lit settings. In terms of acting, I felt Tamayama Tetsuji did a fine job. This was the first time I've seen his work and won't be surprised if he reappears in future films reviewed here within the hallowed halls of SaruDama. The other cast, by and large, come across as mediocre at best and I myself was about to start haunting Mizukawa Asami due to her over the top hysterics and constant scream-whining. And finally, as regards narrative creatively, I won't go into detail any further than I already have when I noted that the creativity here involves solely the (perhaps unique) interweaving of otherwise established themes into an interesting whole.
Class Dismissed...
azathothpwiggins15 November 2021
PRAY is another ghost story from Japan, and is therefor compared to its predecessors (i.e.: RINGU, JU-ON, PULSE, etc.). However, it deserves to be judged on its own merit.
As a supernatural tale, it has many chilling scenes and plot twists that help to move it along. The abandoned elementary school setting is perfectly barren. The main characters are solid, though, as expected, the side characters are basic ghost fodder.
The idea of kidnappers grabbing a child, thinking they're in control, only to discover that they're in danger themselves, is effective. Said "child" is pretty creepy.
Enjoyable, and worth watching...
As a supernatural tale, it has many chilling scenes and plot twists that help to move it along. The abandoned elementary school setting is perfectly barren. The main characters are solid, though, as expected, the side characters are basic ghost fodder.
The idea of kidnappers grabbing a child, thinking they're in control, only to discover that they're in danger themselves, is effective. Said "child" is pretty creepy.
Enjoyable, and worth watching...
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