Zensha Reviews

Son: The Guest (2018)

Best Korean Horror Series

[9/10 · 20 September 2023]

Watched this when it first came out. Watched plenty of Korean supernatural series before and after this, and so far none of them have managed to surpass this masterpiece.

Unlike their horror movies, Korean horror TV shows rarely possess a clear sense of direction. Most of them just can't seem to avoid the clichés of a typical K dramas. The characters are either unrealistically "cool" (overpowered main character with a tragic past in over-the-top CG fight scenes) or way too melodramatic.

The Guest really nails the character development. There are no super humans, no silly ghosts, or unrealistic fight scenes. The suspense draws you in keeps you guessing till the end. A must watch if you're a fan of a show of this genre.

6ixtynin9: The Series (2023– )

Thai version of Snatch

[7/10 · 7 September 2023]

The title pretty much says it all. "6ixtynin9" is a story about a woman who recently got laid off from her job and finds a mysterious parcel outside her door. This event triggers a ripple effect that affects the lives of many groups of people in the span of just 24 hours.

It's an eccentric and delightfully dark and offbeat series that exceeded my expectations, with the occasional well-known Thai humor that lightens the mood. While it ventures into the realm of being downright absurd at some parts, there isn't a moment that bores me.

You'll like it if you love quirky and dark films like "Snatch."

Jirisan (2021)

Disappointing

[5/10 · 22 May 2023]

I don't know why the scores for Korean Dramas on IMDB are alway s so misleading. I can only assume that most reviews/ratings are paid.

First of all let me say that I'm a big fan of the cast and a prolific reader of the Missing 411 cases. I've warned myself not too have too high of an expectation but yet this show still managed to utterly disappoint me.

The whole story is so disjointed that I don't even know where to begin... The nonchronological narrative is a nightmare. Most episodes are fillers that add nothing to the major plot. The ghost bit is completely unnecessary. The Red Herring trope is as clear as day. The revealing of the murderer is a huge letdown.

The whole script is just so lack of focus and tries to be everything all at once, which ultimately leads to it being a failure.

From (2022– )

Typical Idiot Plot

[3/10 · 22 May 2023]

You know a show's bad when it can easily be cut short in half if the characters have half the brain and communication skills of a normal person. That's the typical idiot plot. It requires idiocy for plot progression.

Season one is easily an 8, but season two hardly deserves a 5. Concept is 9, execution 2. It's extremely frustrating because the mysteries are multi-layered and rich enough so there is absolutely no need for all the petty drama, miscommunication, and additional idiots even if they're obviously trying to drag this show on for a few more seasons. I had such high hopes for this show. Talk about squandered potential.

Dragon Quest: Your Story (2019)

This one hit hard

[8/10 · 29 August 2021]

I went in blind and went on an absolute rollercoaster ride... I can't say much without somewhat spoiling the story so please stop reading if you hate spoilers.

At first it was just one anime cliché after another, but I persevered and it paid off.

I can totally understand why this would seem terrible to most people. I gave it an 8 not because it was particularly good or anything, but because I came from the Dragon Quest era and spent a good part of my childhood "living" in these RPG worlds. It really tugged on some heartstrings there. This of course would appeal only to a very niche target audience so I totally understand why most people would call it pure trash.

Tribes of Europa (2021)

My only complaint is the crossbow

[6/10 · 6 April 2021]

Really? Crossbow? I think I've seen that somewhere before. Other than that it actually turned out to be way better than the 1/10 rating some people gave here. Decent acting, dialogue, and pacing. There wasn't anyone annoying and dumb enough to frustrate me so that's a good start. Looking forward to second season.

Spectral (2016)

Would have been a solid 8/10 20 years ago

[7/10 · 2 August 2020]

Yes, it would have scored way higher than 6 in the pre-internet days. Education has ruined the enjoyment people get out of this old school cliché of an action movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it though, maybe because I wasn't expecting anything even close to hard sci-fi. I expected good CGI and action and decent acting (borderline) and I got what I was after. 7/10 from me.

Voice (2017–2021)

Script with potential ruined by clichés and subpart acting

[5/10 · 5 March 2020]

I like Jang Hyuk as an actor, but I didn't even feel a little guilt or sadness from him when his wife died. He was just busy trying to be the cool guy like he always has in every other show. And why is the one-look-throughout-the-entire-show female lead always whispering?! Seriously, even the supporting actors and actresses show more emotions than both male and female MCs.

In episode 3, the drug Midazolam doesn't work like this... You don't need to swallow it for it to take effect. All you need to do is drip it in your mouth. He had it in his mouth for like a minute before he spat it out. It would've taken effect.

Exactly how inefficient are the cops in Korea? 15 mins on a smartphone with names and you still can't pinpoint the person's location? Even my friend locator app does better than that.

And how can she tell which direction a sound is coming from through a mono walkie talkie? She doesn't even know which direction the walkie talkie is facing. Even god can't do that. "It's on your left" my bottom!

Singapore Social (2019)

Doesn't even come close to representing Singapore

[1/10 · 29 November 2019]

These pretentious and self-entitled young "Singaporeans" don't even come close to representing the average Singaporean one bit. Most of us don't even talk like this, act like this, and share the same values as them. Please don't get me wrong, I'm in no position to judge them nor their values, I'm just saying that the title is extremely misleading which if you're not a Singaporean should definitely only take with a pinch of salt. I don't blame the youngsters but the producers/director for this disaster of a show.

Final Space (2018–2021)

Rollercoaster ride

[9/10 · 28 November 2019]

Like many comments here, I thought it was going to be horrendously silly but boy oh boy was I wrong. They have totally got storytelling done right. The goal, motivation, and conflicts were on point and the whole series was chaotic, hilarious, emotional, and totally out of the box imaginative. Definitely give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.

Sense8 (2015–2018)

Breaks all boundaries

[7/10 · 4 April 2019]

I've never been as confused as how I'd rate a show as I had been with any other series. It was a rollercoaster ride of positive and negative emotions all the way to the finale, challenging my moral standards and my tolerance for the slow but at times emotional buildup.

Acting from the main cast was average, nothing outstanding really but certainly wouldn't be considered as bad.

I admire the director and screenwriters' efforts in making such a complex plot to be even watchable at all. Usually when a story branches out too much with so many leads it gets really diluted and messy and you start losing interest, which was what happened in season 1 for most parts. Some of the backstories of the leads were interesting but some extremely soapy and mundane. I can understand the message that they were trying to convey and the wide spectrum of social issues and differences they were trying to cover, and I was touched in many scenes, but the whole plot kind of got a little messy. Having said that, I doubt anyone could really tell a better story based on this premise.

So why is my rating 7? Because season 2 was their saving grace. It was intense and didn't let the buildup of season 1 go to waste. I get that warm fuzzy feeling whenever I'm reminded of the love that breaks boundaries of social norms and nationalism.

To be fair I'd rate season 1 6 and season 2 7.

Polar (I) (2019)

John Wick Wannabe

[6/10 · 20 March 2019]

A total copycat of John Wick in terms of its quirkiness and dark humor, with a lead (Mikkilsen) who performs better than Reeves but the film ultimately bogged down by the terrible performance of the support roles (with the exception of Katheryn Winnick). Entertaining nevertheless, but tried too hard to one up John Wick and failed at that.

The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

A waste of potential

[5/10 · 12 March 2019]

Have you ever watched a show where you feel like all the characters deserved all the bad things happening to them because of their own stupidity, to a point where you just don't care about them anymore? Well this is it. Zero emotional impact.

It's full of clichés and fluff. The entire story could be told in three episodes and you won't be missing out on any important details. Most of the " bad stuff" wouldn't even have had a chance to happen or could be resolved instantly if only the characters would simply communicate like people do in real life.

Anyway, it's not like it's any worse than 90 percent of the TV series these days. Don't believe the reviews.

Marco Polo (2014–2016)

I'm Asian and I'm not offended

[7/10 · 6 February 2019]

First and foremost, I speak the language and know their culture. Yes, it is historically inaccurate, the English dialogue sounds awkward from time to time, but it's entertaining nonetheless. Cinematography is great, acting is decent, writing certainly needs some work, but all in all a pleasure to watch. If you want to learn history or hear them speaking Mongolian or Chinese I recommend watching documentaries or Mongolian production.

I do agree, however, that nudity and sex scenes are a little excessive, but to the point of being porn-like like what many commented.

I

Legion (2017–2019)

Fancy, trippy, but completely misses the mark.

[5/10 · 24 December 2018]

Good movies can be of any genre, but there is this one thing that they will ALWAYS have in common -- good storytelling. To begin with, I was impressed by the uniqueness and aesthetics of the cinematography (reminded me a little of Requiem For A Dream) but quickly got bored of all the fanciness and mind-boggling effects when I realized that the story just wasn't moving forwards in any meaningful fashion at all, or if it was even progressing for that matter. Everything about all the characters were just so one dimensional. Isn't it saddening to find out that a really good looking person has a below average character? That's how I feel about fanciful productions that lack souls.

Vanilla Sky (2001)

Breaks your heart into a million pieces

[10/10 · 20 December 2017]

I was so heart-broken after watching this film that it literally took weeks for me to get this movie out of my head.

I've watched a fair share of tragic romance but nothing came close to touching my heart as much as Vanilla Sky did. Titanic? Not a chance!

I often judge how good a film is based on how much emotion it evokes, and it is no exaggeration in saying that this is a true masterpiece that burrows deep into one's heart and toys with the emotions you thought you never had. Loneliness, regrets, longing, you name it. It's simply inexplicable.

I watched this film years ago, but here I am, still getting this tingling sensation while I'm typing this and listening to the soundtrack (Sigur ros - The nothing song). I want to watch this again so badly, but don't think my aging heart can withstand another heartbreak.

Flatliners (2017)

Slightly better than expected

[6/10 · 19 December 2017]

I haven't watched the original Flatliners (1990) as most reviewers have, so my review is purely from a viewpoint of a standalone movie with nothing to compare.

It could have been a 5 instead of 6, but perhaps because I thought it was a 5 to begin with that's why I gave it a 6 after watching.

Yes the acting and dialogue was terrible; yes it's predictable; yes it may not be original to those who have watched the original movie; yes it's full of cliches, but it's honestly not a 1 star bad. I was rather bored halfway into the movie and a little disappointed that they have failed to utilize the full potential of such an interesting theme and topic by turning it into a brainless horror, but the final act managed to give it a 2 star boost which was quite a pleasant surprise.

One thing I have a really huge beef with these days is crappy trailers. They are so misleading and poorly made that they either spoil the entire movie or con potential viewers into thinking that the movie is of a different genre. I didn't know throughout the show if I was watching a Sci-fi or Horror until the final act (I'm a fan of both but would much rather this be Sci-fi).

Seriously, it's not that bad. Watch it if you enjoy movies that deliver positive messages instead of brainless doom and gloom all the way.

Jungle (I) (2017)

Gripping true story

[7/10 · 12 December 2017]

Not sure if this could be classified as horror, but it certainly got me on the edge of my seat. I've been out in the bush a fair bit and can say that this is all very realistic. Hallucination is very real in the wild, and so is not being able to get quality sleep and your socks getting stuck to your feet due to dried up blisters and foot rot. Ouch.

Great performance from Radcliffe. Good enough for me to have totally forgotten that he was once Harry Potter.

The ending was a little sad. I can only imagine how I would feel if I were in his position.

Duckweed (2017)

Heart-warming and full of laughter

[8/10 · 23 September 2017]

I laughed and I cried, and that's what this film is all about. It's far from being original, and you can't even call it a sci-fi, but the script writer/director did a brilliant job in striking a balance between humor and other emotions.

***Wee bit of SPOILER here***

The only thing that I thought could be better was the ending. I could easily accept the lack of explanation on how he was 'teleported' to the olden days and back, but I couldn't stand the lack of closure, especially about his mum. Personally I'm a big fan of happy ending, and the end wasn't exactly happy enough for me.

It really should have been a 7, but I gave it an 8, because it really moved me. Not a lot of movies that can make me laugh and cry these days.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

Age-old tale meets quirky cinematography

[7/10 · 8 September 2017]

Like what the title says, this is the product of the marriage between an age-old tale and new-agey type of cinematography.

I can understand how the old fashioned wouldn't like it. I didn't at first. But all you need to do is to let go of all your expectations and stop comparing it to all the old Arthurs you have seen in the past - - or any Medieval Fantasies for that matter -- and all of a sudden this becomes an extremely fun movie to watch.

I have to say I like it! Yes it's the same old story of a hero defeating a big bad guy and saves the day; yes there are plenty of plot holes and cheesy dialogues, but you can't say the way it was filmed wasn't original. It was refreshing!

Call me silly but I cracked up when (a wee bit of spoiler) XYZ said "I know, it's a dance floor."

It Comes at Night (2017)

Low score for extremely misleading title and trailer

[4/10 · 2 September 2017]

If the title and the trailer didn't make it appear like something would "come at night", this film would be worth a 6 for being artfully suspenseful with decent acting.

It could have been so much more. The viewers could have been given at least a little of what they expected. But no... viewers were made to believe that it was going to a mystery horror, just to be smacked in the face by a drama instead.

This angered me so much so that I was tempted to give it a 1 star too, but to be fair, this would have been great as the first 2 episodes of a series. It did build up plenty of suspense, but all the build-ups led to nowhere: Who murdered the dog? Who were those guys shooting at them? Why was the boy in Travis's grandpa's room? Who opened the door?

It baffles me why someone would write a script which aim is to apparently mislead the viewers all the way till the end...

The 5th Wave (2016)

A rather lighthearted apocalyptic film for the younger group.

[7/10 · 6 June 2016]

My actual review is 6.5, but rounding that off gives it a 7.

I fall into a rather versatile age group (30s) who enjoys a range of films from different genre -- from those targeted at YA, to others that target more mature groups, so I do know what to expect when I am watching a YA movie. And I have to say that overall I quite enjoyed watching this.

I wouldn't call it a great movie, but it's far from being unwatchable too. Like what the title suggests, it is a rather lighthearted apocalyptic film, which is rare because such films are usually rather dark and violent. This, I guess, is the reason why it has received so many 1 star. It's not the usual end of the world kind of movies apocalyptic fans are used to. It's too youngish and lighthearted.

***SPOILER ALERT***

The good thing about this movie? It tied up all the loose ends and gave me the answers I needed. Throughout the movie I had been hoping that they would explain why they killed off all the adults and recruited child soldiers to fight the aliens instead. It was just plain silly. But praise the lord, the answer was given when they realized that they were in fact the 5th wave themselves and that they were manipulated by the aliens. If they didn't I would have rated this movie 3 or 4 stars.

The ending seemed a bit rushed. So... Mr Walker just decided that he's now a human and started planting bombs, which god knows where he got from, around the whole facility? And where the hell did Ben's friends come from? How did they know where to pick him up if they haven't been in contact? And the part where Ben and Cassie casually removed Sam from right in front of everyone. BUT, these minor faults are within what I could stomach so they don't bother me as much they do for some people. I'm happy as long as they get the main plot right.

The plot and acting were very average. All the youngsters in the movie seemed far too casual and relaxed, but for god sake cut them some slack there, some of them are like what, 10 years old? It takes a bit of life experience to even know how grief and loss feel.

Overall a rather entertaining movie. Kind of reminds me of 10 Cloverfield Lane. Not the plot, but how it made me feel.

Sicario (2015)

A story that could have been told in a few sentences

[6/10 · 16 February 2016]

The plot feels realistic. But perhaps a little too realistic that it feels more like a broadcast from a news channel instead of a movie.

Any story can be summarized into a synopsis and told within a few sentences, and Sicario made me feel like it's more of a synopsis than a full-length movie, mainly due to the lack of character development and plot details.

***Spoiler Alert***

Similar to what some of the reviewers have already mentioned, I found myself questioning throughout the entire film why Blunt's role was even necessary (her acting was good though). They could have had Toro play the main character and added more depth to him. And even if they did need to pick a domestic agent, surely a more suitable person for the job would be an agent who would be more likely to agree to their unconventional methods, instead of a door-kicking naive girl who gets in the way all the time.

And why was here a need for Blunt to point a gun at Toro outside the tunnel when she didn't even know what the hell was going on? That was all in all a really silly decision to make. What about the bodies in the house? Was there a need to go through the trouble of hiding them behind the walls?

Too much time was spent on Blunt's character, which wasn't really going anywhere at all. Much more could have been done if the script was written better. I give it a 6 because firstly the acting was decent. Toro and Blunt was great, but I couldn't take Brolin seriously at all. I guess they were trying to make him into a hard ass character who never failed to laugh when everyone else looked dead serious, but to me he was just plain annoying. And secondly the movie felt like an accurate depiction of real life issues, which I found quite educational.

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Perfect Artwork, Good Acting, Average Story, Bad Storytelling

[5/10 · 14 October 2015]

Finally got to watch this movie after such a long time.

Let me begin with this: You will hardly find any other 5/10 stars review for this movie, this is a love or hate movie for most and I will try to elaborate why it is so without spoiling it too much.

SPOILER ALERT: I wouldn't really call them spoilers since I won't be talking about any details. But I will be saying things like "the ending is good/bad" so please stop reading if you don't want to see any of that.

In short, it is exactly what my summary says: Perfect Artwork, Good Acting, Average Story, Bad Storytelling.

If you are looking for a masterpiece of an artwork, this is the one. Tragically beautiful, and great choice of style and film score. For a 2000 movie, it is almost a 10/10 in this aspect.

Acting was really closer to average for most characters, but Ellen Burstyn's performance alone is more than enough to make up for any blemishes. I would even suggest anyone to watch the movie just for her acting.

Now comes the bad bit:

The story is absolutely nothing new. It's simply a confirmation of what most people already knew: drugs are bad for you. And that's fine. But the major downside of this movie is that it stops at that (drugs are bad). The characters have absolutely no depth to them. The movie shows close to nothing about their inner struggles and compelling reasons behind taking drugs. They are simply a portrayal of a stereotypical druggie, nothing more; nothing less.

What can a person learn from this movie? Nothing at all. Unless you haven't already heard about drugs being bad for you? If you already know drugs are bad, perhaps this movie can remind you that drugs are really really bad, and that's it. No solution, no depth, no hope.

Like I said, it's a beautiful piece of tragic artwork, but absolutely nothing inspirational and nothing new to learn about. Avoid it like a plague if you enjoy transcendental and inspirational movie, but definitely do give it a shot if you are all about arty farty Shakespeare kind of movies.

Personally I regret watching it, because there is nothing educational or entertaining about the movie; just makes the world seems more gloomy that's all.

Kumaré (2011)

A film that touches hearts

[10/10 · 20 January 2014]

So much irony in some of these comments here. Much to the contrary of what Kumare preaches, we seem to be quick at judging (more like guessing) others and their intentions, but never quite have the time to look into ourselves.

Yes what he did wasn't the nicest thing and the initial goal he had in mind certainly wasn't to help anyone find himself. What I see is a somewhat brilliant young man looking for himself and searching for answers after being disappointed with all the fake gurus and superstition.

He gradually finds out that Kumare is in fact his ideal self and that he is slowly becoming the real Kumare. He finds a deep connection with people as Kumare that Vikram has never experienced. He finds himself and sees the importance of helping others find themselves too.

I didn't watch the movie with the intention to judge him. I watched it hoping to learn something from it, and I did. Watch it with an open mind, and it will touch your heart.