The movie is Hellgate (2011) Written and Directed by John Penney, and staring among others, John Hurt. The movie was shot in Thailand, and shows off some of the breathtakingly gorgeous Park areas. Spoiler Alert: I'm going to discuss the picture. How would they pitch this? The Exorcist meets Stargate in Thailand, Throw in a bit of "living dead" flesh eaters from Mordor and you have a slight inkling of what this movie is about.
Does our man Jeff played by Cary Elwes, who after surviving an accident that killed his family, go through the normal stages of grieving? No, he sees dead people. In some odd kabbalistic type set up, At the moment his family perished, his soul joined them, but the body lives! and is tormented by visions of the "Shadow world", His Health care provider, the young and attractive Choi, played by Ploy Indachote knows just the right voodoo mama to cure Jeff's ills. He has to enter the, "Other world" through a portal, that can stay open only eight minutes, relive the car crash, rejoin his soul to his body, and then make a dash back before the portal closes. This is where Warren Mills, played by John Hurt comes in. He knows the terrortory, and will act as guide in helping Jeff regain his soul. The grand battle of Jeff vs the shadow-zombies is accomplished with the help of a the "High priests" of a Buddhist retreat located in Paradise. Thailand. Pretty as a picture.
This is an odd mix of a movie, Good production values, but following by now standard horror movie conventions, it's right up there flaunting the clichéd, "Shadow running in mirror reflection" sequence. as well as the familiar, "Shadow dart in front of the camera in a supposedly empty room" gag. The first voodoo lady Mae Noi, played by Viyada Umarin is another time honored horror movie cliché, Dating before Beatrice Straight in Poltergeist, namely,"The spiritual counselor who is in, way over her head."
Good production values, boasting an effective score by Nobuhiko Morino. add some unexpected nudity,and bright Location Cinematography, these are the high marks. On the other hand, the drawn out stab at suspense in the last reel just feels repetitive. Three out of Five "sappy ending" Stars.
Does our man Jeff played by Cary Elwes, who after surviving an accident that killed his family, go through the normal stages of grieving? No, he sees dead people. In some odd kabbalistic type set up, At the moment his family perished, his soul joined them, but the body lives! and is tormented by visions of the "Shadow world", His Health care provider, the young and attractive Choi, played by Ploy Indachote knows just the right voodoo mama to cure Jeff's ills. He has to enter the, "Other world" through a portal, that can stay open only eight minutes, relive the car crash, rejoin his soul to his body, and then make a dash back before the portal closes. This is where Warren Mills, played by John Hurt comes in. He knows the terrortory, and will act as guide in helping Jeff regain his soul. The grand battle of Jeff vs the shadow-zombies is accomplished with the help of a the "High priests" of a Buddhist retreat located in Paradise. Thailand. Pretty as a picture.
This is an odd mix of a movie, Good production values, but following by now standard horror movie conventions, it's right up there flaunting the clichéd, "Shadow running in mirror reflection" sequence. as well as the familiar, "Shadow dart in front of the camera in a supposedly empty room" gag. The first voodoo lady Mae Noi, played by Viyada Umarin is another time honored horror movie cliché, Dating before Beatrice Straight in Poltergeist, namely,"The spiritual counselor who is in, way over her head."
Good production values, boasting an effective score by Nobuhiko Morino. add some unexpected nudity,and bright Location Cinematography, these are the high marks. On the other hand, the drawn out stab at suspense in the last reel just feels repetitive. Three out of Five "sappy ending" Stars.