Visible Secret

After meeting an enigmatic woman, a man tries to start a romance with her which goes well enough at first that he tries to overlook a condition that allows her to see and talk with ghosts, but when this starts to become far more dangerous to the relationship tries to save her from their intentions.

Overall, this one was a pretty enjoyable feature. One of the brighter aspects here is the strong setup that allows for numerous strong elements to come into play. Starting life as a romantic comedy between the two by arranging for the quirky charm of their meeting in the club and subsequent date around the city which fits that genre wholeheartedly. Realizing that he is a bit more restrained and introverted compared to her more outgoing and free-spirited nature, the desire to find her after the first meeting and integrate himself into her life feels natural and earned. The spell she weaves over him thus feels far more earned as the burgeoning relationship is challenged by all the ghostly visions and encounters that go on as the skill to be able to see them interacting around us that she possesses feels quite intriguing the more they hang out together. As the romantic interludes continue with him trying to learn more about the condition and how to stop them from continuing. This strong mixture of romantic comedy and haunting ghost movie features is used to build a fun relationship at the core of the film. With this established, the film also scores quite nicely with the ghostly interaction. Starting nicely with a brutal decapitation scene in the middle of a crowded service station with a standout gag of the severed body wandering into the crowd looking for its severed head as if it doesn't realize it should be dead, the activity throughout might not match but still comes off worthwhile. Other scenes here featuring the two confronting possessed individuals being controlled by a ghost to try to return his lost property, providing not just a mystery to unravel but also some frantic action in the attempts to rescue each other from the supernatural powers of the person they've encountered. The body-hopping nature and randomized targets make for a nice change of pace whenever it occurs and there are often enough interactions as a whole to get some nice jolts out of everything, leaving the film with quite a lot to enjoy about it. There are a few factors that hold it down. The main issue is a disproportionately more favorable storyline structure that favors romantic comedy than ghostly hauntings which might be somewhat discerning for some viewers. While glimpses are featured throughout the running time of the ghosts following her, that's the overwhelming majority of them while far more time is spent on the two of them engaging in dates or hanging out. The two are fun together and it builds organically into a fine romance before the more intense hauntings later on, but the proportion is skewed heavily the other way in the first half which can have the effect of appearing more like a romantic comedy with ghostly hauntings to spice up their chances. This also causes the storyline about the true spirit haunting them to come out of nowhere with the incident featured so heavily later on its connections feel tenuous at best. It also results in an overlong running time padded out with flimsy attempts at comedy or other unnecessary antics trying to spell out the relationship and get back together which adds unnecessary time to the film, making for the issues that bring this one down.

Rated Unrated/R: Violence and Language.

Well, I saw this movie during the last San Sebastian Film Festival. The reaction to it was...let's say as funny as the movie unintetionally is. It happened that they showed a copy with terribly wrong spanish subtitles. They seemed to be a translation from chinese to english and then to spanish. It was all confusing, the genders were switched (girls appeared as boys and boys as girls), and my friends and I remember great lines... but because they were so absurd. All in all not a good movie, but if they ever show it on tv, and you have nothing to do, and if you want to laugh (again, not so much with the movie) then go ahead, "Visible secret" is your film.

The unemployed Peter encounters the shadily unusual June when clubbing one night, and straight away the two fall for each other. However since June has entered Peter's life, things has turned out rather strange and she reveals to him in a erratic manner that she can see spirits with left eye. Through her, he learns that a headless loan shark ghost that was killed in a traffic accident, is possessing citizens of Hong Kong seeking revenge on those people and their families that he thinks is linked to his death.

More so a touching drama with supernatural elements, blossoming romance and oddball hilarity is how to describe this handsomely haunting, but evocative treat for the senses. Even with its familiar premise idea (think of "The Eye" and "The Sixth Sense"), this Hong Kong feature turns in one curiously textured screenplay, which is intelligently crafted to get you intrigued, where everything finally falls into place after pulling you into many different directions and possibilities. The central point of Kwang Abe's story is one of those character finding themselves devices, which is learning to first respect who they are and throw in some meaningful character relationship building. There's a twist or two in there. While, the twists might be predictable, but elaborately effective nonetheless. However at times it does feel episodic and leisurely ticks along, before letting the mystery really fold out. Also it might feel a little too long when coming to its long-winded, if underwhelming resolution. The morbidly quirky humour and visual gags worked in, feel right at home to the material, characters and situations.

What it has going for it, is its moody direction and atmospheric locations with sublime shadings, lighting and detail. Director Ann Hui paints many surreal images which float between slightly grisly to beautifully melancholy. The eloquently inventive framing from Arthur Wong's crisply dusky cinematography sets the dreamy tone and a creepy ambiance settles into Tommy Wai Kai-Leung's stirringly unhinged music score. Make-up is well-displayed and special effects admirably creative and fitting to the style of the film.

The two leads are equally splendid with the extremely wonderful Shu Qi's vividly plucky turn as June and Eason Chan's perfectly sombre performance as Peter. The support cast are reasonably low-key and more there for the story's progression, but what is offered up is colourful bunch with the likes of Sam Lee, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, James Wong, Yiu-Cheung Lai, Jo Kuk and a memorable Tony Liu. Everyone's performances gel together, to make believable and emotional ties.

A charming, offbeat little winner. Maybe too long in its story, but the novelty and atmospheric tone works from the get-go.

Visible Secret's directed and produced by one of the greatest living film-makers, Ann Hui. Ann's won numerous awards - best director, best film, etc. - and if you aren't acquainted with her, well, go see Visible Secret and you'll know why she's so good.

The leads are pretty good. Say what you like, Shu Qi - the sex-pot - is a good actress. I particularly liked her in the early karaoke scene.

But look out for the supporting actress Hui Ying Hong, the mother of a little boy called Hsiao Hsung in the movie. She's a famous Hong Kong actress with real kung fu skills. Here, she's not called on to display her fighting prowess, but, boy, can she act. In one scene, you can literally see the veins on her temple popping out, so intense yet natural is her facial expression; it reminds me of Lawrence Fishburne's very fine facial expressions as Morpheus in The Matrix, when he was interrogated by Agent Smith.

Visible Secret is an intelligent movie - you've got to concentrate on the plot or you won't understand the ending. Everything ties together at the end, and if you understand it THEN - I couldn't, and a friend had to explain to me certain aspects of the movie even after a second viewing - you'll agree the story's superb.

Though principally a horror movie, Visible Secret has some of the finest comedic moments I've ever seen on the silver screen. I caught it at preview, and the audience appreciated one funny moment so much a few persons actually applauded.

Visible Secret's a real scary movie. And the best thing is, it doesn't rely on sudden, loud sounds to frighten you, which the lousy horror flicks resort to.

Incidentally, the poster for the movie, which shows a row of seated people in an underground train, was banned by the MTR in Hong Kong as being too scary. I don't think the poster's too scary, but I do think it's very clever. The tagline "What's that sitting next to you?" is eye-catching.

Watch out for the movie's play with sounds. It's nearly as good as The Ring in its use of sound to create an eerie mood. Incidentally, I don't know of any director who uses sound as well as Ann. PAY ATTENTION TO HER USE OF SOUND.

One of the hallmarks of good movie direction is proper pacing. Director Ann excels at it.

The original score is excellent.

Many of the scenes are hauntingly beautiful.

I believe Visible Secret will go down in movie history like Gattaca - good but underrated. Don't be put off by anyone who's seen the movie and says it's lousy - they just don't get it.

Go see Visible Secret. You won't be disappointed. 10/10

The first thing you will notice about VISIBLE SECRET is its strange sensibilities. Even the film's rhythm is slightly "off", making it very different from the current rash of Hong Kong "I See Ghost" movies of late. Although the premise is overly familiar by now (Shu Qi plays a woman who can see ghosts -- but only with her left eye!), the movie works as an effective human drama (especially the lead's relationship with his brother and father) and as a quirky comedy (the movie is oftentimes very funny). As a ghost story, it falters badly, and there's a twist at the end that, if you weren't asleep during the previous 90 minutes, you can see coming about 50 miles away.

One other thing: VISIBLE SECRET has almost no scares in it. There are some attempts at mood and atmosphere, but for the most part the laughs and over-the-top hilarity overcomes the thrills and chills, which comes across as more mundane requisite than anything the filmmakers were interested in putting into their movie.

7 out of 10

(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of the film, and reviews of other movies in this genre)