The Uninvited (2009/I)


The Uninvited (2009/I)

The Uninvited (2009/I)

The Uninvited (2009/I)

The Uninvited (2009/I)

The Uninvited (2009/I)

The Uninvited (2009/I)

The Uninvited (2009/I)

The Uninvited (2009/I)


The Uninvited (2009/I)


Director: Thomas Guard


Cast: Emily Browning as Anna, Arielle Kebbel as Alex, David Strathairn as Steven, Elizabeth Banks as Rachel, Maya Massar as Mom, Kevin McNulty as Sheriff Emery, Jesse Moss as Matthew Hendricks, Dean Paul Gibson as Dr. Silberling, Don S. Davis as Mr. Henson, Lex Burnham as Iris, Matthew Bristol as David, Danny Bristol as Samuel, Heather Doerksen as Mildred Kemp, Alf Humphreys as Priest (as Alfred E. Humphreys), Ryan Cowie as Orderly #1



I haven't seen the original Tale of Two Sisters by Kim Ji-woon to begin
with so I won't be able to do any meaningful comparisons. But if a
remake is any indication of how the original is generally miles better,
especially if done by Hollywood, hen it probably is worth my while to
put the Korean horror movie in my to-watch list. After all, Kim
Ji-woon's film is one of Korea's top box office draws when released.

There have been more misses than hits when Hollywood adapts what it
thinks could be instant box office gold with its fountain of Asian
content, and since there have been only a limited number of successful
Asian horror releases in recent years, it had looked inwards and
cannibalized on remaking its own shock/slasher films. This one took a
long while to translate to The Uninvited, and I guess taking some 6
years indicated the filmmakers wanted to do things right instead of
rushing through and come out with crap.

As such the directing duo of the Guard Brothers Charles and Thomas
managed to find some balance between telling a psychological thriller,
and moments where they can properly employ tricks from the usual
formula book to scare an audience, with the usual light and shadows,
smoke and mirrors, warped beings, decomposed bodies and jump cuts with
ghouls staring down at you. Surprisingly it didn't rely on sound or
lack thereof to add a further sensory dimension to set pulse racing,
which I thought was a little let down in its moments to build up to the
next "Boo!" If anything, the acting duo of Emily Browning (Lemony
Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, with pouty lips to rival
Angelina Jolie's, and given special attention too in this narrative)
and Arielle Kebbel shine as skimpily clad sisters Anna and Alex
respectively, who have to rely on each other as they uncover the truth
behind the death of their mom (Maya Massar). It doesn't help of course
with Anna just being certified sane and safe to be released from a
mental institution, and their suspect happens to be their
nanny-turned-new-step-mom-to-be Rachel (Elizabeth Banks) whom dad
(David Strathairn) intends to marry. Given the short run time of under
90 minutes, the pace is kept compact with little room wasted to pump in
unnecessary subplots (unless set up just to provide an additional
avenue to unleash horrific mayhem), focusing very much of the
relationship between the two sisters, and their strained one with their
father. Emily Browning, as the lead, of course had enough latitude to
showcase a double-head snake role in being "nice" to Rachel, in order
for some fishing of information.

That isn't to say there isn't any loophole that a jumbo jet can't fly
through. Even if you have no background knowledge gained from the
original Korean film, it is easy enough for sharp-eyed viewers, or
those whose cinematic staple is horror films, to stay one step ahead
and deduce just what is exactly going on. Which makes me wonder just
how much it'll take for shockmeisters to scare seasoned audiences since
they're getting savvier, and easily bored with the same old bag of
tricks.

If anything, The Uninvited would have piqued your interest in the
original, which has a longer run time and in all likelihood, the
exploitation of mood and atmosphere that are quite standard tools for
horror films from Asia, which is sorely lacking in this version.
Nonetheless it's still one of the better Western remakes of Asian
horror attempted.

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