Cats are sinister creatures in horror tales. And director Byun did a good job in exploiting this matter in this film. The cat related shocks are combined with more traditional Asian ghost film motifs, with a bob-haired child ghost providing most of the scares and sudden jump frights. There are also a few gruesome moments and effective jolts scattered throughout. A couple of neatly staged mass feline attack sequences and the ghost getting the chance to use some nasty looking face shredding claws. All of this works pretty well. Overall, this is a beautiful K-Horror. Expect nothing new or exceptional. The story was pretty simple & decently plotted with a typical Asian flavor. Loved it.
17 Reviews
Too common to be noteworthy - too much animal cruelty to be palatable
I_Ailurophile31 May 2022
To be perfectly honest, this feels like a hard sell. I love cats more than my own life; that's what drew me in to 'The cat,' or 'Goyang-i: Jug-eum-eulboneun dugaeuinun' - and when all is said and done it may be the best thing the movie has going for it. At the same time, there's a lot of imagery of dead animals, or animal cruelty or neglect, and there's a lingering question in my mind as to how some scenes were filmed. Cats don't growl, hiss, or pin their ears back out of fear or agitation without provocation; I can only hope instances of cats in this state were simply very advanced CGI, and not the result of abuse to capture a shot. The line of text "no cats were harmed in the making of this film," that begins the end credits, isn't sufficiently reassuring.
Equally troubling, and arguably more substantially, much more so than not this feels like a very conventional and unremarkable horror flick. We get jump scares, grotesque makeup work, creepy and unnatural presences or movement, sometimes questionable special effects, and a protagonist with a troubled past and a personality trait that puts her at a disadvantage. As I watched I kept hoping for something to leap out and be more grabbing and deserving of my attention, but I'm sad to say this just doesn't really make a big impression.
Sure, 'The cat' is well made. The direction is fine, and lighting, cinematography, sound design, shot composition, acting (in purely common genre roles), sound design, blood and gore, and so on. The writing is broadly serviceable. Only - excise the further feline factor, and there's nothing about this to let it stand out in a crowd. There's no meaningful suspense, or thrills, or fright, and the best this feature can actually inspire is mild unease. Love them or hate them, horror movies should elicit a visceral reaction from audiences, or heightened feelings. 'The cat' does not. So what, then, is its worth?
There may be one thing: I do quite like the core of the plot, the underpinnings of the course of events that are revealed in the last third or so of the runtime. While protagonist So-yeon's anxieties fit too neatly into the course of events, feeling contrived, there are some good ideas here. Why, though played off with a very different tone, there's a similar theme to outstanding 1977 horror anthology 'The uncanny.' 'The cat' could have been a suitably compelling horror-thriller as it presents, with a terribly sad, tragic beat at its center. But it's clear that from every angle the production was geared toward being a straightforward fear factory, and in that capacity it's just too ordinary to work.
This isn't outright bad. There was definite potential. Yet as a horror film it's just too common to be noteworthy, let alone frightful as is intended, and though it's the emphasis of the story, the animal cruelty on display is far too prevalent and graphic to sit well with me. I don't altogether dislike 'The cat,' but it doesn't succeed in its goal, and is too unsavory to otherwise enjoy.
Not truly bad. Not really recommendable.
Equally troubling, and arguably more substantially, much more so than not this feels like a very conventional and unremarkable horror flick. We get jump scares, grotesque makeup work, creepy and unnatural presences or movement, sometimes questionable special effects, and a protagonist with a troubled past and a personality trait that puts her at a disadvantage. As I watched I kept hoping for something to leap out and be more grabbing and deserving of my attention, but I'm sad to say this just doesn't really make a big impression.
Sure, 'The cat' is well made. The direction is fine, and lighting, cinematography, sound design, shot composition, acting (in purely common genre roles), sound design, blood and gore, and so on. The writing is broadly serviceable. Only - excise the further feline factor, and there's nothing about this to let it stand out in a crowd. There's no meaningful suspense, or thrills, or fright, and the best this feature can actually inspire is mild unease. Love them or hate them, horror movies should elicit a visceral reaction from audiences, or heightened feelings. 'The cat' does not. So what, then, is its worth?
There may be one thing: I do quite like the core of the plot, the underpinnings of the course of events that are revealed in the last third or so of the runtime. While protagonist So-yeon's anxieties fit too neatly into the course of events, feeling contrived, there are some good ideas here. Why, though played off with a very different tone, there's a similar theme to outstanding 1977 horror anthology 'The uncanny.' 'The cat' could have been a suitably compelling horror-thriller as it presents, with a terribly sad, tragic beat at its center. But it's clear that from every angle the production was geared toward being a straightforward fear factory, and in that capacity it's just too ordinary to work.
This isn't outright bad. There was definite potential. Yet as a horror film it's just too common to be noteworthy, let alone frightful as is intended, and though it's the emphasis of the story, the animal cruelty on display is far too prevalent and graphic to sit well with me. I don't altogether dislike 'The cat,' but it doesn't succeed in its goal, and is too unsavory to otherwise enjoy.
Not truly bad. Not really recommendable.
My oponion
markloberto2 June 2021
A Nutshell Review: The Cat
DICK STEEL31 August 2011
With a bland title like The Cat (with a Korean subtitle as funky as "Two Eyes See Death" according to Google Translate), it just about signals how blasé horror films can be these days especially when they dip into the generic bag of scary tricks to assemble a horror feature film by stringing together a series of cheap jump scares, and then finding an excuse to weave a narrative around the usual mystery cum unfinished business cum body to be found and exorcised type of storyline.
Granted the premise and set up is something begging to be done, and done it is with this Korean film, otherwise we can make a film called The Dog and have the dog howl at every suspenseful instance to signal some supernatural presence, which doesn't really work that well. Cats usually have this connotation to witchcraft and its eyes being quite creepy to look at especially in some form of darkness, so in the animal itself you have a ready made plot device in which to weave a narrative around. Here the chief pussycat called Silky belongs to a plump woman who was found dead in the lift to her apartment, and for reasons only cat lovers can identify with, So-Yeon (Park Min-Young to wide-eyed perfection) who worked on and groomed the animal before its owner's demise, got stuck with the feline.
As if one warning isn't enough, expect to see a whole slew of bodies turning up, usually accompanied by the shadowy appearance of a little girl, played by Kim Ye-Ron, whose sister Kim Sae-Ron had in recent years become a child acting force to be reckoned with in films like A Brand New Life and The Man From Nowhere. I'd wonder what made her sister take this path early in her career being decked out in face paint and acting all creepy, but herein lies the expected back story as to why and how this little girl and her cat, are out there trying to spook and become avenging angels against all cat abusers, which in a way seemed noble enough a reason to do what they did.
Ultimately writer-director Byun Seung-Wook does little except to showcase that he's as capable as other directors before him who have executed the usual suspense build up, and the typical jump scares to make audiences squeal, complete with sudden loud noises, light and shadow play, and tapping upon the expertise of makeup artists who applied the feline face of death look which is inspiration for anyone wondering just how to dress up during this year's Halloween. And to make matters worse, without the numerical advantage in getting characters bumped off, or have random bodies appear just to spook, The Cat would betray that it's actually all of a short film only, being extrapolated just because of its repetitive scare tactics to introduce another dead body under extraordinary circumstances.
The Cat will thrill anyone who hasn't seen his or her fair share of Asian horror films, otherwise to horror fanatics, this is yet another film exercise for the fimmaker to chalk up a genre film under his belt. This is one weak pussy after all.
Granted the premise and set up is something begging to be done, and done it is with this Korean film, otherwise we can make a film called The Dog and have the dog howl at every suspenseful instance to signal some supernatural presence, which doesn't really work that well. Cats usually have this connotation to witchcraft and its eyes being quite creepy to look at especially in some form of darkness, so in the animal itself you have a ready made plot device in which to weave a narrative around. Here the chief pussycat called Silky belongs to a plump woman who was found dead in the lift to her apartment, and for reasons only cat lovers can identify with, So-Yeon (Park Min-Young to wide-eyed perfection) who worked on and groomed the animal before its owner's demise, got stuck with the feline.
As if one warning isn't enough, expect to see a whole slew of bodies turning up, usually accompanied by the shadowy appearance of a little girl, played by Kim Ye-Ron, whose sister Kim Sae-Ron had in recent years become a child acting force to be reckoned with in films like A Brand New Life and The Man From Nowhere. I'd wonder what made her sister take this path early in her career being decked out in face paint and acting all creepy, but herein lies the expected back story as to why and how this little girl and her cat, are out there trying to spook and become avenging angels against all cat abusers, which in a way seemed noble enough a reason to do what they did.
Ultimately writer-director Byun Seung-Wook does little except to showcase that he's as capable as other directors before him who have executed the usual suspense build up, and the typical jump scares to make audiences squeal, complete with sudden loud noises, light and shadow play, and tapping upon the expertise of makeup artists who applied the feline face of death look which is inspiration for anyone wondering just how to dress up during this year's Halloween. And to make matters worse, without the numerical advantage in getting characters bumped off, or have random bodies appear just to spook, The Cat would betray that it's actually all of a short film only, being extrapolated just because of its repetitive scare tactics to introduce another dead body under extraordinary circumstances.
The Cat will thrill anyone who hasn't seen his or her fair share of Asian horror films, otherwise to horror fanatics, this is yet another film exercise for the fimmaker to chalk up a genre film under his belt. This is one weak pussy after all.
Solid if unremarkable South Korean ghost effort
kannibalcorpsegrinder28 February 2017
Taking on a strange Persian cat, a troubled woman begins to find that the series of strange events surrounding her and her friends is related to a mysterious cat that she sold in a pet shop and must find the cause of the events before they succumb to its power.
This one wasn't all that bad of an effort. What this one really gets right is the rather enjoyable and overly impressive amount of accidental deaths featured here which really signify her being haunted. The fact that this one pretty early on features the idea that the woman is tormented, there's a great deal of fun to be had here with the changeover in the animals' behavior around her from the way the cats suddenly begin to cower away in fear and start viciously hissing at her which is quite nicely established here by being such a change of pace compared to previous interactions she's had with the animals that it becomes worthy of mention. Other great stuff includes the work of the ghosts in how they're targeting others around her, which includes some rather fun times with the initial elevator encounter that starts it all to the rather freaky sequence in the bedroom of the ghost emerging from the closet which becomes part of the big payoff at the hospital that is rather good. Given that the majority of this is carried off with the police investigation which brings about a lot of great stuff as well from the discovery of the elevator victims' fate to the individual hauntings threatening the different officers involved who are brought onto the case who suffer some really brutal fates themselves. From being trapped in the elevator shaft to finding themselves face-to- face with the ghost in the basement furnace and the one detective coming across the girl alone in the storage room, there's plenty of solid scares to work off of while still maintaining a solid enough mystery that needs to be investigated themselves which is a nice enough story. Going alongside this with the rather creepy ghost with the blackened skin and utterly creepy cat eyes the film does have a lot to really like here even if it does have a few flaws. The film's biggest issue is the fact that this one is so utterly played out and repetitive in it's dishing out of scares that it really feels way too familiar quite easily. This one really falls on the trapped character alone in a room only to find themselves beset by loud noises or startling light and then meeting up with the killer ghost which sounds decent enough for the most part if it didn't run through a vast majority of these tricks elsewhere. These scenes are a rather troubling rehash of a lot of genre efforts and it doesn't do a whole lot of interesting things with these tactics to really stand out. The last flaw here is the rather troubling reasons why the girl ends up with the cat in the first place as there's no real logical reason why they place the cat in her possession when she's unrelated to her and had no connection at all other than grooming the animal so it's pretty contrived how the murders here actually get started. Otherwise, this one was quite decent.
Rated Unrated/R: Violence, Language, children-in-jeopardy and strong animal abuse.
This one wasn't all that bad of an effort. What this one really gets right is the rather enjoyable and overly impressive amount of accidental deaths featured here which really signify her being haunted. The fact that this one pretty early on features the idea that the woman is tormented, there's a great deal of fun to be had here with the changeover in the animals' behavior around her from the way the cats suddenly begin to cower away in fear and start viciously hissing at her which is quite nicely established here by being such a change of pace compared to previous interactions she's had with the animals that it becomes worthy of mention. Other great stuff includes the work of the ghosts in how they're targeting others around her, which includes some rather fun times with the initial elevator encounter that starts it all to the rather freaky sequence in the bedroom of the ghost emerging from the closet which becomes part of the big payoff at the hospital that is rather good. Given that the majority of this is carried off with the police investigation which brings about a lot of great stuff as well from the discovery of the elevator victims' fate to the individual hauntings threatening the different officers involved who are brought onto the case who suffer some really brutal fates themselves. From being trapped in the elevator shaft to finding themselves face-to- face with the ghost in the basement furnace and the one detective coming across the girl alone in the storage room, there's plenty of solid scares to work off of while still maintaining a solid enough mystery that needs to be investigated themselves which is a nice enough story. Going alongside this with the rather creepy ghost with the blackened skin and utterly creepy cat eyes the film does have a lot to really like here even if it does have a few flaws. The film's biggest issue is the fact that this one is so utterly played out and repetitive in it's dishing out of scares that it really feels way too familiar quite easily. This one really falls on the trapped character alone in a room only to find themselves beset by loud noises or startling light and then meeting up with the killer ghost which sounds decent enough for the most part if it didn't run through a vast majority of these tricks elsewhere. These scenes are a rather troubling rehash of a lot of genre efforts and it doesn't do a whole lot of interesting things with these tactics to really stand out. The last flaw here is the rather troubling reasons why the girl ends up with the cat in the first place as there's no real logical reason why they place the cat in her possession when she's unrelated to her and had no connection at all other than grooming the animal so it's pretty contrived how the murders here actually get started. Otherwise, this one was quite decent.
Rated Unrated/R: Violence, Language, children-in-jeopardy and strong animal abuse.
Great story and an actual scary film from Korea
clubberlang78623 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I don't get scared watching horror films usually as I've been watching them from the age of 5 and I'm over 40 now. I've watched everything from slasher movies, extreme gore splatter fests, monster movies etc but there was something about this film which was different from the norm. The acting was superb and the film well paced. The main character in the film suffers from claustrophobia which is a condition I too suffer from and perhaps this meant I could relate to the character on a personal level. The storyline itself was quite simple of a vengeful ghost of a girl seeking retribution for being buried alive. The special effects were simple but effective. The ghost looked scary and quite menacing and puts big budget Hollywood to shame. I loved the way the ghost was in the corner of the peoples eye and we didn't see too much of it. Also a nice touching ending showing the girl overcome her claustrophobia and still have her love of animals.
Not bad but was that real animal abuse???
dianefrias30 October 2021
Ummm.....most of the people who die in this movie deserved to die. I was too afraid of what I would find if I searched animal abuse in Asian movies so I didn't bother but eff man... This movie is not for cat/animal lovers. I would have given it a better rating if I wasn't so thrown off with how they used the animals.
Greenpeace as interesting
ferina-7782717 October 2015
Horror with a rare sense of the genre, but with a sense of horror and thought-provoking, and does seem to be something incredible. However, this is just such a movie - under the outer shell of a conventional thriller with special effects and deaths compulsory hides a deep social drama that reflects the simple truth - afraid not dead, far worse is living with their indifference, cynicism, malice. Lonely phantom standing guard over defenseless animals, not so terrible against the background of dirt, what is happening in the world of the living, it is even a kind is sympathetic, but in the end, and tears of pity as the main character and the viewer. The main character named Song Yong - gentle and tender-hearted girl with big sad eyes, claustrophobia suffering as a result of childhood trauma and adores cats. Taking on temporary care of another cat girl finds herself caught in the cycle of mystical events, which can only understand it. In this difficult task of helping her old friend Son Yong, a young police officer investigating the case about the strange death.
An unusual story, delivery and excellent acting kept in suspense throughout the film, frightening at the right moments and forcing empathize Song Yong, while maintaining the suspense almost to the end. Not to say that movies like connoisseurs of the genre - it is not enough for this terrible and too heavy in terms of moralizing, but personally I liked the movie and the time spent is definitely worth. By the way, this work is necessary to take note of all the fighters for freedom and protection of animals - after seeing it is unlikely someone would want to harm our younger brothers - do not let the gods then follow a well-deserved punishment.
An unusual story, delivery and excellent acting kept in suspense throughout the film, frightening at the right moments and forcing empathize Song Yong, while maintaining the suspense almost to the end. Not to say that movies like connoisseurs of the genre - it is not enough for this terrible and too heavy in terms of moralizing, but personally I liked the movie and the time spent is definitely worth. By the way, this work is necessary to take note of all the fighters for freedom and protection of animals - after seeing it is unlikely someone would want to harm our younger brothers - do not let the gods then follow a well-deserved punishment.
seen it all before
trashgang2 November 2011
There was a time when everybody was looking forward for the new South-Korean horror or Japanese flick or Eastern horror. We all remembered how The Grudge and The Ring did showed us something new. But of course after a while you have seen it all. And I am a bit fed up with that genre. It's always the same, some creepy white faced girl coming out of the dark with black eyes and weird movements. Here it's the same story only the girl has short black hair instead of long hair and has cat eyes instead of the black eyes.
The originality was the fact that they used real cats all over this flick and that must have been a hell of a time to shoot. But it clocked in way too long. There wasn't that much going on and it really never was that scary after all. It was even low on gore or blood.
I guess I must have seen too many of these kind of flicks that I have seen enough. Sadly I didn't enjoyed it. Watch it for the cats alone but don't be bothered by the story.
Gore 1/5 Nudity 0/5 Story 2/5 Effects 2/5 Comedy 0/5
The originality was the fact that they used real cats all over this flick and that must have been a hell of a time to shoot. But it clocked in way too long. There wasn't that much going on and it really never was that scary after all. It was even low on gore or blood.
I guess I must have seen too many of these kind of flicks that I have seen enough. Sadly I didn't enjoyed it. Watch it for the cats alone but don't be bothered by the story.
Gore 1/5 Nudity 0/5 Story 2/5 Effects 2/5 Comedy 0/5
Help me, I'm mad and cats keep killing people.
nick-yeo-main1 February 2012
Fragile, So Yeon works at a pet pampering parlour: where she puts makeup on unsuspecting animals.
There she starts to see the terrifying apparition of a young girl. Her psychiatrist tells her it is connected to her claustrophobia and gives her further medication, but when a customer mysteriously dies, in a lift, So Yeon takes ownership of her cat, and both deaths and apparitions occur with increasing frequency.So Yeon reluctantly searches for answers with childhood crush, turned cop, Joon Suk.
Is So Yeon delusional or are those pussy cats really demanding their money back, with menaces? For the answer, Watch this, or "ring" or "Dark water" or ........
There she starts to see the terrifying apparition of a young girl. Her psychiatrist tells her it is connected to her claustrophobia and gives her further medication, but when a customer mysteriously dies, in a lift, So Yeon takes ownership of her cat, and both deaths and apparitions occur with increasing frequency.So Yeon reluctantly searches for answers with childhood crush, turned cop, Joon Suk.
Is So Yeon delusional or are those pussy cats really demanding their money back, with menaces? For the answer, Watch this, or "ring" or "Dark water" or ........
If I had nine lives, I just lost eight of them to boredom...
paul_haakonsen20 February 2014
As much as I enjoy Asian horror movies, then it was really difficult to get into the mood while watching "The Cat", especially because it was anything but as captivating as I had initially hoped.
"The Cat" ("Go-hyang-i: Jook-eum-eul Bo-neun Doo Gae-eui Noon") is not like the standard typical Asian horror movies, and as such then it is a fresh breath of air in the genre. However, when that is said, it should also be said that the storyline in "The Cat" failed to be a captivating and interesting one, which ultimately lead to a less than mediocre movie experience.
The acting in the movie was good, and people were doing good jobs with their given roles, they just didn't have a fulfilling script to work with. And the effects were good as well, which worked in favor of the movie.
There weren't any scary moments throughout the movie, unless you are Asian of course, to which the standards of what is to be considered scary is significantly different from Western standards. And I must admit that I found it progressively harder and harder to keep attention to the movie, because the story was drifting and it lacked conviction and allure.
All in all, then "The Cat" scores a mere 4 out of 10 stars from me. There are far better Asian horror movies available. And for a Korean horror movie, then "The Cat" is well below the standards of what is to be expected from the Korean horror genre.
"The Cat" ("Go-hyang-i: Jook-eum-eul Bo-neun Doo Gae-eui Noon") is not like the standard typical Asian horror movies, and as such then it is a fresh breath of air in the genre. However, when that is said, it should also be said that the storyline in "The Cat" failed to be a captivating and interesting one, which ultimately lead to a less than mediocre movie experience.
The acting in the movie was good, and people were doing good jobs with their given roles, they just didn't have a fulfilling script to work with. And the effects were good as well, which worked in favor of the movie.
There weren't any scary moments throughout the movie, unless you are Asian of course, to which the standards of what is to be considered scary is significantly different from Western standards. And I must admit that I found it progressively harder and harder to keep attention to the movie, because the story was drifting and it lacked conviction and allure.
All in all, then "The Cat" scores a mere 4 out of 10 stars from me. There are far better Asian horror movies available. And for a Korean horror movie, then "The Cat" is well below the standards of what is to be expected from the Korean horror genre.
Korea: Keeping the Horror Flame Burning
wooargh16 December 2012
Dark Water is one of my favourite movies, and as far as I know it was the first of these "ghost with a grudge that randomly kills people" films that have been pouring out of Asia. The Cat is a pretty unashamed ripoff of Dark Water which should probably have annoyed me, but it was done well and managed to carry the same dark atmosphere.
The main girl is pretty, likable, and somewhat sympathetic. Her father has been institutionalised, she suffers from claustrophobia, and she works in a pet shop with a rather dysfunctional and mean owner. Yet she pushes on and still manages to find things that make her smile. The ghost is a little girl with green cat eyes who periodically launches herself at the screen making you scream out "ARGH! STOP DOING THAT!" Her story doesn't unfold quite as smoothly as it does in other films of this genre, but as always it is slow, sad, thoughtful, and perfect for a gloomy Sunday night. This is a Horror as it should be. Do not expect much cheer.
If someone copies your favourite album and the songs are good chances are you're still going to listen to it. If you liked some of the other Asian ghost stories that have come out you'll probably like this too.
The main girl is pretty, likable, and somewhat sympathetic. Her father has been institutionalised, she suffers from claustrophobia, and she works in a pet shop with a rather dysfunctional and mean owner. Yet she pushes on and still manages to find things that make her smile. The ghost is a little girl with green cat eyes who periodically launches herself at the screen making you scream out "ARGH! STOP DOING THAT!" Her story doesn't unfold quite as smoothly as it does in other films of this genre, but as always it is slow, sad, thoughtful, and perfect for a gloomy Sunday night. This is a Horror as it should be. Do not expect much cheer.
If someone copies your favourite album and the songs are good chances are you're still going to listen to it. If you liked some of the other Asian ghost stories that have come out you'll probably like this too.
An okay entry in the Asian horror genre
Robert_duder31 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Asian horror has absolutely set a certain bar when it comes to foreign films. Some of those movies are simply terrifying unlike anything else out there (Ringu being a prime example of the most terrifying Asian horror.) They just know how to take a good, solid concept, low budget and scare the living daylights out of you. So I was pretty excited to see The Cat which looked a little stereotypical right out of the gate but still aimed to give you some chills. One thing is for certain, you can't fault them for not telling a good story. The Cat is part murder mystery, part psychological thriller and part good old fashion scare-fest. The problem with the film is in its execution. It drags far too much towards in the middle and feels like it desperately wants to get to the point but has to fill in the feature length 90 minutes. The movie starts out great and within ten minutes it actually gave me a great scare and a "holy crap" moment that horror films rarely do for me. It is full of what I call cheap "jump" scares but sometimes that's fine if done in the right style and this one has a few of those moments. Another thing I really liked about The Cat was the story was really well done. It was very clear and concise and made sense and had a neat and tidy ending that suited the story very well.
Dong-wook Kim is our scream queen and she does pretty well in the role. She has a certain innocent look and certainly plays the proper intensity and emotions in the scenes as necessary. She seems almost too sweet to pull off the emotionally troubled angle but she does well in the role. The rest of the cast are all decent. No one particularly stands out because they are there to support our heroine and they do that well enough. There is a small sub-plot of a romance that is mostly unnecessary but serves a small purpose.
One reviewer on IMDb said it very well. This will definitely freak out and entertain those that don't have a lot of experience with Asian horror. There is far better out there. Still the creepiness and solid story is entertaining and fun to watch. There is nothing inherently bad about The Cat. It is simple and straightforward and doesn't try to stress itself too much. Given the film is really about killer cats on the surface level it could have been very very cheesy but shockingly it never is. It is just sort of forgettable but definitely worth a watch at least once. 6/10
Dong-wook Kim is our scream queen and she does pretty well in the role. She has a certain innocent look and certainly plays the proper intensity and emotions in the scenes as necessary. She seems almost too sweet to pull off the emotionally troubled angle but she does well in the role. The rest of the cast are all decent. No one particularly stands out because they are there to support our heroine and they do that well enough. There is a small sub-plot of a romance that is mostly unnecessary but serves a small purpose.
One reviewer on IMDb said it very well. This will definitely freak out and entertain those that don't have a lot of experience with Asian horror. There is far better out there. Still the creepiness and solid story is entertaining and fun to watch. There is nothing inherently bad about The Cat. It is simple and straightforward and doesn't try to stress itself too much. Given the film is really about killer cats on the surface level it could have been very very cheesy but shockingly it never is. It is just sort of forgettable but definitely worth a watch at least once. 6/10
Cats Need Not Watch This Emotionally Powerful, Character Driven Feature
totalovrdose5 February 2015
Why do I rate The Cat so highly? In no way is this the scariest film I have ever watched, nor is it the greatest. But the acting, coupled with the feature's ability to blend great emotional depth, alongside developed characterization, a mesmerizing plot and a spooky atmosphere, make this a film that certainly ought to be experienced.
Slightly similar to the Grudge and Dark Water, the title of the film should have been pluralized, because there sure are a lot of puddy cats that occupy the feature. So-yeon (Min-Young Park) works at Kitty N Puppy, a pet store that not only sells animals, but is dedicated to the grooming and cleaning of our four legged friends.
Suffering the affects of claustrophobia after experiencing a childhood trauma, So-yeon goes out of her way to ensure her life is free of the obstacles that heighten her condition. The fear she often feels is well articulated on screen, and is further accentuated through the terror that begins to haunt her so.
After Silky, a cat So-yeon recently pampered inexplicably dies, the cat finds herself temporarily without a home. Her friend, Jun-seok (Dong-wook Kim), a police officer investigating the peculiar death, asks her to take Silky in for the time being. Immediately after So-yeon agrees, she finds herself plagued by nightmares, and whilst awake sees images of a little girl.
Unlike stereotypical Asian horror, the ghost of the young girl is not equipped with a head of hair in need of immediate trimming. Rather, what separates her from other ghosts are her unique cat eyes, and even when she is hiding in the darkness, those eyes of hers, so bright and haunting, are clearly visible, and add to the feeling of being watched. This is further implied by the camera, which is occasionally from the perspective of the girl herself. The way the ghost is portrayed, and how she can unexpectedly jump out at the audience is excellently developed, providing a good number of jump scares.
When So-yeon's friend Bo-hee (Da-eun Sin), alongside other people who encounter cats they bring into their lives, begin to witness the ghost as well, it becomes clear that she is no illusion. When people's lives begin to be put in jeopardy, So-yeon discovers she is going to have to combat her own fears if it means uncovering the truth behind the ghost, and the connection with the cats.
Unlike other horror films, where deaths are often the same, though there is more than one occasion when a body is contorted in terrifying fear, other times the deaths are quite surprising, with some combined originality. Though it becomes predictable to know when a character will die, it is how, that will always keep your interest.
Though the Cat is not the most terrifying feature ever encountered, despite the effective ambiance, what audiences will occasionally find most shocking is the treatment cats receive when in the care of animal shelters and other such accommodations. The lacking dignity and humility provided to the cats really hits home about the cruelty that takes place behind closed doors, and one scene, when a cat is put to sleep, the look of terror upon the poor animal's face is wretchedly heartbreaking. In this sense, The Cat is a film that requires viewing, if not for the story or character relationships, then for the brutal honesty of the environments cats are often forced to endure.
The Cat is bound to keep you on edge from the opening credits, through to the final scene, the tension and mystery surrounding the plot been pivotal to the success of the movie. The emotional depth is as equally satisfactory, and by the film's conclusion, you will want to curl up next to your kitten and give them a great big hug.
Slightly similar to the Grudge and Dark Water, the title of the film should have been pluralized, because there sure are a lot of puddy cats that occupy the feature. So-yeon (Min-Young Park) works at Kitty N Puppy, a pet store that not only sells animals, but is dedicated to the grooming and cleaning of our four legged friends.
Suffering the affects of claustrophobia after experiencing a childhood trauma, So-yeon goes out of her way to ensure her life is free of the obstacles that heighten her condition. The fear she often feels is well articulated on screen, and is further accentuated through the terror that begins to haunt her so.
After Silky, a cat So-yeon recently pampered inexplicably dies, the cat finds herself temporarily without a home. Her friend, Jun-seok (Dong-wook Kim), a police officer investigating the peculiar death, asks her to take Silky in for the time being. Immediately after So-yeon agrees, she finds herself plagued by nightmares, and whilst awake sees images of a little girl.
Unlike stereotypical Asian horror, the ghost of the young girl is not equipped with a head of hair in need of immediate trimming. Rather, what separates her from other ghosts are her unique cat eyes, and even when she is hiding in the darkness, those eyes of hers, so bright and haunting, are clearly visible, and add to the feeling of being watched. This is further implied by the camera, which is occasionally from the perspective of the girl herself. The way the ghost is portrayed, and how she can unexpectedly jump out at the audience is excellently developed, providing a good number of jump scares.
When So-yeon's friend Bo-hee (Da-eun Sin), alongside other people who encounter cats they bring into their lives, begin to witness the ghost as well, it becomes clear that she is no illusion. When people's lives begin to be put in jeopardy, So-yeon discovers she is going to have to combat her own fears if it means uncovering the truth behind the ghost, and the connection with the cats.
Unlike other horror films, where deaths are often the same, though there is more than one occasion when a body is contorted in terrifying fear, other times the deaths are quite surprising, with some combined originality. Though it becomes predictable to know when a character will die, it is how, that will always keep your interest.
Though the Cat is not the most terrifying feature ever encountered, despite the effective ambiance, what audiences will occasionally find most shocking is the treatment cats receive when in the care of animal shelters and other such accommodations. The lacking dignity and humility provided to the cats really hits home about the cruelty that takes place behind closed doors, and one scene, when a cat is put to sleep, the look of terror upon the poor animal's face is wretchedly heartbreaking. In this sense, The Cat is a film that requires viewing, if not for the story or character relationships, then for the brutal honesty of the environments cats are often forced to endure.
The Cat is bound to keep you on edge from the opening credits, through to the final scene, the tension and mystery surrounding the plot been pivotal to the success of the movie. The emotional depth is as equally satisfactory, and by the film's conclusion, you will want to curl up next to your kitten and give them a great big hug.
Not bad, not THAT good!
Patient4448 October 2011
Well I see there are only 2 other comments before mine, one that praises the movie like it is written by a 12 years old and one a little more serious, but maybe too hard nevertheless. "The cat" starts out nicely, a fast first murder, followed by mystery, decent jump scares and then sadly it hits rock bottom: the so called twist is practically delivered in the second half of the movie, way before its ending.
After it, you get some second hand special effects, the tension is beginning to wear off and if you think there is nothing else that can go wrong, well you find out the reason for all those murders: AND DEAR GOD HAVE I EVER SEEN A DUMBER REASON??
So if I am to agree with one, I'll find myself next to DICK STEEL after all, maybe a few steps further, cause I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Final idea: you could do a lot worse than this one, but I guess you could do much better also! Your risk!
After it, you get some second hand special effects, the tension is beginning to wear off and if you think there is nothing else that can go wrong, well you find out the reason for all those murders: AND DEAR GOD HAVE I EVER SEEN A DUMBER REASON??
So if I am to agree with one, I'll find myself next to DICK STEEL after all, maybe a few steps further, cause I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Final idea: you could do a lot worse than this one, but I guess you could do much better also! Your risk!
For the love of ... cats
kosmasp20 October 2022
No pun intended - and I reckon if someone is on the edge or not sure what to make of cats ... well the movie may not be helping make a positive decision ... at all. But the movie is very well done. Cinematography is really well done, the acting is good, the effects are really good too. Jump scares are thrown every now and again and while not every one of those is a dream or gets explained ... they fit into the movies theme.
I do like Korean movies and this is no different. Are there better horror movies than this one? For sure - but there are also worse one. I liked the movie and even if I kind of guessed where this was going ... I still was "entertained" by it. The international title is way shorter than the original title by the way ... almost tempted to go to translate to see if the original title is giving away too much ...
I do like Korean movies and this is no different. Are there better horror movies than this one? For sure - but there are also worse one. I liked the movie and even if I kind of guessed where this was going ... I still was "entertained" by it. The international title is way shorter than the original title by the way ... almost tempted to go to translate to see if the original title is giving away too much ...
So-so "K Horror" film
george.schmidt29 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
THE CAT (2011) ** Min-Young Park, Da-eun Sin, Ye-ron Kim, Min-jae Kim, Da-eun Kim. So-so "k" horror flick about a claustrophobic pet groomer who becomes the heir apparent to a possessed cat with supernatural events enrolling her into a mystery that threatens her very sanity. While I am not a fan of the Asian 'j-horror' this "k-horror" also borrows many of its set pieces (i.e. a deathly ghostly pallored dead child with inky black facial markings; ENOUGH!!) the chiller has a few nice moments like the death in a pet crematorium yet on the whole very predictable and not so satisfying for a spine-tingler that at best may have been a weak episode of "Tales From The Darkside"
(Dir: Seung-wook Byeon)
(Dir: Seung-wook Byeon)
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