I have no issue with movies that to one degree or another take their time to progress. Indeed, as abnormal occurrences increase throughout the length in this case, there's perhaps a thin sense of plot development until about halfway through the length. In the meantime, however, 'The imp' is still suitably well made and engaging, and only ever more so. Overseen by director Dennis Yu, the production makes excellent use of lighting, effects, and cinematography to fashion an unnerving ambience. Aided by an enjoyable, tense original score, the picture ably crafts a measure of atmosphere through each successive scene of odd goings-on, and to that end the production design and art direction are splendid, too. Not everything comes off quite as well; the second death scene reminds so much of modern B-flicks like 'Slaxx' that I had to suppress the urge to laugh. For any peculiarities that may present, though, far more so than not I think this is a great bit of fun.
Plenty of horror movies around the world play fast and loose with various systems of belief to help build the stories they tell. Maybe it shows my lack of knowledge of Chinese or Hong Kong cinema, but I feel like feng shui, yin and yang, and other aspects of Chinese mysticism and folk lore have been employed to such ends much more rarely. This title, however, is full of it, genuinely and sincerely; no matter how earnest other features may be in exploring superstitions, the treatment here nonetheless feels like a breath of fresh air. With that said, somewhere between the writing, direction, and perhaps the editing there's sometimes a feeling of directness in the progression of the course of events that makes one aware of our suspension of disbelief; some scenes, story beats, and character relationships appear to be Just So as they present. Again, however, this seems more like a quirk than an outright flaw, for by and large the screenplay strikes me quite strong - cohesive, complete, and fairly compelling.
One might reasonably argue that 'The imp' spreads itself a little thin at times, becoming unfocused. It should be reiterated, too, that the film distinctly paces itself: for as much as the movie plays with supernatural horror - evil spirits, unnatural violence, and death - not until the climax does it achieve such a major peak of vibrancy as we expect from the genre. Yet for all that is done well here, including costume design, hair and makeup, blood, sound design, and more, the feature unquestionably builds a pervasive air of mounting dread and unease. At large the production seems relatively straightforward and low-key, without the same tendency toward special effects and utmost visualization that is common to American or European genre fare. It says much, however, that this manages to deftly navigate and inhabit the same spaces without the same premier advantages. When all is said and done, I rather think that I would stand 'The imp' next to its international brethren without any reservations, for it very successfully accomplishes the same desired extremes of the cinematic experience.
With complements to the filmmaker, cast, and crew, I wasn't sure what to anticipate when I first sat to watch, but this proves itself over these 95 minutes. More than worthy enough of its own merits, in my mind it earns favor as well for broaching topical areas that aren't often touched upon in genre flicks. In whatever way you're able to watch it, as far as I'm concerned 'The imp' is a terrific, engrossing slice of horror that deserves more recognition. Two thumbs up from me!
