The Witching Hour is Unusually Creepy in 23:59: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: a DVD screener of this film was provided by Magnolia Pictures.

Director/writer: Gilbert Chan.

Cast: Tedd Chan, Stella Chung, Philip Hersh, Henley Hii, Lawrence Koh, Tommy Kuan, and Josh Lai.

23:59 is an effectively shot horror thriller from Singapore. Gilbert Chan takes on dual roles as writer and director, in his third feature. And, Chan has developed a local legend into a creepy film. Mostly shot in two locations: a barracks and a nearby jungle, 23:59 brings a few chills to the screen. Many of these thrills are brought about by an interesting shooting style, which utilizes some of Singapore's lush scenery. 23:59 is a great ghost story and horror fans should take notice of this release.

The story, this time, revolves around several new army recruits. They are stationed on an isolated island. Rumours suggest that a spirit haunts this island. And soon, recruits begin to go missing, another is possessed by a demon, while the protagonist is forced to confront his spiritual beliefs. All of these conflicts are being orchestrated by a being that lives deep in a nearby jungle.

Recruit #5 is an evil ghost (background).

That jungle has a personality all of its own. Chan is able to use some effective night shooting to create a creepy atmosphere. The jungle seems to come alive at night, despite the fading of colours. Also, Chan lights the night as if the moon is full and the lighting, continually, looks natural. The jungle is almost an entity as it grabs characters and pulls them into its bowels. Lighting, rain and other atmospherics keep this external setting interesting and much of the film's story is centered on what lies, hidden, in this jungle.

From the special features, Gilbert Chan discovered this story through research on a local Singaporean legend. Much of his tale focuses on a mother and daughter duo, whose identity and past hardships should remain in mystery. However, the focus of the story relies on these two antagonists, who are best described as witches. Their powers grow as their backstories are revealed. And, their must be some truth behind this story as the delivery comes across as believable. 23:59 brings one legend to life, in an eerie fashion.

23:59 was released earlier in June and this film, while short at 78 minutes, is recommended. Chan creates some challenges for his protagonist and the villains are given enough attention to create for a curious and malevolent group of entities. The jungle acts as a third evil presence, which sucks in many of the film's characters. The night shooting is well prodiced and 23:59 will be remembered by this film fan for its creepy tones, which are amplified by the visuals onscreen and by Darren Ng's ominous music.

Overall: 7.5 out of 10 (lots of conflict, a solid story, interesting characters and a few loose ends near the ending).

*this title was released on DVD and Blu-Ray June 4th, 2013 in Canada.

The film's fan page can be found here:

23:59 on Facebook



 |  | 

Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA

Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis Email Subscription

Posted in: 2013,asian,asian horror movie preview,cast,crew,dvd,dvd artwork,ghost story,ghost story movie review,latest,movie,movie poster,movie review,plot,preview,review,story