Product Description A veteran female detective, So-Young, and her rookie assistant are investigating a recent series of bizarre and horrifying murders. All of the victims seem to have died due to an acid unleashed inside of their bodies. As the two detectives discover more about the case, they soon realize the serial killings may have something to do with a death that occurred ten years ago in a salt house. Before long, So-Young becomes plagued by nightmares in which the dead girl appears and the horrific killings continue to confound. .com Made during the 2006 horror boom in South Korea, Arang is a stylish and well-made variation on the theme of the vengeful ghost that has proved so popular in Asian genre films. Horror fans should note, though, that the supernatural element is the least interesting aspect of writer-director Ahn Sang-hoon's feature; anyone who's seen the Japanese or American versions of The Grudge or The Ring will be disappointed to find here yet another take on the long-haired, water-logged female ghost with painful revenge on her mind. Instead, it's the framing device that catches the most interest; the discovery of the ghost is precipitated by the horrific murder of two young men, which leads hardboiled detective So-yeong (Yun-ah Song) and her rookie partner (Dong-wook Lee) to the scene of a forgotten rape and murder from years ago. The crime has particular resonance for So-yeong, who is the survivor of a similar attack, and this subplot adds a layer of drama and realism to an attractively photographed but otherwise by-the-books Asian horror title. The DVD includes commentary by Sang-hoon and members of his cast, and the filmmaker is surprisingly candid about what works and what doesn't in his movie. A small selection of deleted scenes, as well as two behind-the-scenes featurettes and the theatrical trailer, round out the extras. --Paul Gaita
B**N
An astondingly good Asian movie!
Arang was like no other Asian horror film I have ever seen, but I don't think calling this a horror movie is the right category. It is more a thriller/detective story than a horror film. It begins with the story of a detective So-young and her new rookie partner Hyun-gi on a string of homicide cases; only to soon find out they are connected with each of the men being sent a website right before their deaths. It seems as though the homicides in question, stem from an unsolved disappearance of a high school student named Min Jeoung. Who seems to be coming to the men involved and murdering them through the revenge she rightly deserved. Only later will you find that it is not due to a vengeful spirit, but through the crafty twists and turns this movie uses to get to the true murderers and what happened to Min Jeoung.I know many will see this and instantly think of it as a rip off of Ringu and Ju-on, but this story is original in its own way. It keeps you interested the whole time, wanting to know what happened to Min Jeoung and the story behind both detectives. The way the main actors portray their characters keeps the suspense high throughout the movie until the shocking conclusion when you finally find out all who are involved. I can't lie and tell you that I didn't feel very bad for what did happen to Min Jeoung in the end, even shedding a tear for her. This is a movie I will always recommend to people who want to see a great foreign movie that will both scare and surprise most that will get to see this great movie.
L**6
South Korea is making some great films!
This is one of many Asian horror films I have seen and have to agree that the girl-ghost-with-long-hair-thing is definitely getting overused, but the story was still finely crafted with several good twists and turns. So-Young is a veteran female detective that is partnered up with an eager but inexperienced forensic investigator to solve a series of murders. The thing that links these murders-their friendship, is only one of several links. There is also the fact that they died from a poison that originated from inside their bodies, leaving the detectives with a lot of questions. There is yet another link that will be discovered with time. This film has it's supernatural overtones but is really a thriller-murder mystery and, in my opinion, a very good one.
S**K
Good Movie
Good storyline not accustomed to subtitles
L**S
Overall a good watch...
If you buy this movie hoping it treads new horror territory, you're in for a dissapointment. There's nothing here that you haven't seen or heard before. Nevertheless, the movie is anchored by solid performances, a good pace and an interesting plot that has a few twists and turns that actually make sense. Overall it's pretty good.The extras and behind the scenes footage are very good.
J**E
Absolutely Terrible!!! :(
After reading the great reviews, I decided to purchase this movie as I absolutely love a good scare. Not only was this movie not scary AT ALL, it was downright boring, predictable, and somewhat laughable. There was just so much wasted potential and honestly the visuals were not gory or scary enough to match the marketing and expectations. Instead of buying this, look for "A Tale of Two Sisters" or even "Cinderella".
C**L
Good movie
The story was refreshing, but it had the typical asian ghost. I also enjoyed the actor's commentary.
D**U
Three Stars
Interesting
J**R
SCARY
I BOUGHT THIS PRODUCT BECAUSE IT'S BEST THING IN THE WORLD I FREAKING LOVE IT CAN'T DO WITHOUT THANK YOU.
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