Monkeyrockworld

It’s good sometimes to discover that somewhere people are still doing good horror movies. And it’s not America!! This time is Thailand.
In a time when the Star Striped movie industry is dying on its last legs and “borrowing” (to say the least offensive) here and there, especially from the Asian markets, it’s quite inspiring to find that the source of if not original, at least brilliant thrills, is now centered in the East.Phobia 2 (5 Praeng) is the follow up to 4Bia and, like a fall 00′s  Creepshow, is composed by 5 different episodes shot by different directors. Wisoot Poonworraluck, Songyos Sugmakanan, Paween Purijitpanya, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom are the cream of the crop of Thai horror, and have already shot very good and scary movies like Shutter, Alone, Dorm and the first experiment of this serie, 4Bia.

We found this movie by chance at the local DVD store. Kit Yeng is often looking for cheap video thrills, so she pointed me the cover of this one, and honestly looking at it I didn’t give it a chance, but we got it anyways. Once at home, and realized that this was a movie made up of several episodes (an idea that, don’t know why, always excited me, being a fan of short stories), I looked up for the trailer online and I decided this movie needed an immediate try. Oh boy, I was so wrong at the dvd store!!

The first story I watched, as obvious, was Backpackers: total retarded horror movie genius. This could be a short story by Joe R. Lansdale or David Schow put into frames, with all the blood, guts and horror you can ask, and even more. God, if just this thing happened more to the real English backpackers polluting the Kingdom, I’d be the happiest man in the world.

But that was actually the third episode, so we got back o the first one, called Novice. Without spoiling the great plot, let’s just say that when a mother drops his kid at a far-flung monastery, she’s trying to do it for his own good. This story is definitely scary, and very much kudos to it because it’s the first horror story I see exploring the world on Buddhist monks and monasteries. Ace.

Second comes Ward, which is probably the weakest of the 5 episodes, but still a pretty entertaining one. Beware who you sleep with, it’s always best to sleep alone.

After Backpackers, my favorite (yeah, I love zombies man!) comes Salvage. The story’s about a woman who’s making shady business with her car dealership, re selling vehicles that have been previously torn in deadly accidents. Useless to say she’ll have to put up with more than just a pissed off client, being the ones from beyond even more pissed. Good, solid and with great special effects, among which the best is definitely the boy wrapped around a car tyre… scary!

The last of the bunch is In the End, showing the making of an Asian ghost movie that ends up terribly wrong. This last one is very funny, and ease the tension out with some good chills and laughs.

Overall, when the quality of the stories is so high, Phobia 2 definitely becomes a movie to look after and devour literally. Before it devours you. This is the time for Asian film makers to dig up the vaults of horror and make something good about it, before the sick twist disappears once again. It’s just so awe-inspiring to know that most of hese movies are available here, for so cheap, and will get my addiction fixed. Long life to blood, guts and gore!!! And kudos to Thailand… but kill off more of those backpackers, please!!!

Check out the trailer here: