Hashima Project (DVD) (Thailand Version) DVD Region 3

The film opens following a group of film school graduates, who after their latest found footage horror short becomes a YouTube hit accept an offer from an oddball producer to head to Hashima Island to shoot a television program. Lead by Off (Alexander Rendell), his girlfriend Nan (Apinya Sakulkaroensuk, Concrete Clouds), May (Sucharat Manaying), Nick (Mike Pirat Nipitpaisalkul) and Dog (Mek Mekwattana) set off to explore, despite being warned by locals about a curse revolving around a jilted Japanese woman who died on the island years back. Though their trip seems to go well, the group find themselves beset with misfortune, and when Off runs into trouble with some unpleasant loan sharks things start to get out of hand.

While Hashima Project starts off like a found footage shocker, it quite quickly shifts gears, and for the following forty minutes or so spends most of the time simply depicting the young film crew having a fine time visiting tourist attractions and trying to work their way through their various romantic complications. Though there's something to be said for character development as a set up for more impactful scares, Piyapan Choopetch and scripter Adirek Wattaleela (who also worked with Choopetch on My Ex and its sequel) drag things out a bit too long, and most viewers will be urging them to hurry up and get to the island. When they do, things improve considerably, Hashima making for a fantastic setting, the abandoned housing blocks providing an ominous atmosphere and a feeling of eerie impending doom. Though there's no denying that the film takes a liberal and exploitative approach to the island and Japanese culture, focusing on kimono wearing spirits and a dubious claim of Hashima being one of the top five most haunted places in the world, as a location it's effective and fun, and Choopetch gets suitable sinister mileage from lingering shots of the decaying, shadowy buildings plus a few nicely choreographed jump scares.

The film is certainly at its best during this middle section, and after the crew return from the island things settle into a familiar pattern that draws heavily upon Ringu and Ju-on, with plenty of the usual ghostly goings-on and half-shocks. To be fair, the earlier investment in character does pay off somewhat as the film builds towards the end, as Off in particular starts to self-destruct and the subplot involving him and his gambling debts comes to the fore, and the film is engaging and moderately tense. Wisely, Choopetch does loop things back to the island for an exposition-heavy set piece and reasonably satisfying last act twist, though the film suffers from an over long running time of two hours, and would have definitely enjoyed more of a final punch with some tighter editing and pacing.

Nevertheless, Hashima Project is entertaining enough for a youth ghost horror, and without doing anything new or straying from the well-trodden path should be enjoyed by fans of the form. Benefitting from some excellent location work on the island during a strong second act, it's a generally worthwhile Thai genre pic that mostly hits the right buttons.

by James Mudge - EasternKicks.com