Fridae

Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival this year, Silk is the most expensive locally-funded film in Taiwan's history. Written and directed by Su Chao-pin (who also wrote 2002's ambitious Hong Kong creepfest Double Vision), it tells the intriguing tale of a group of scientists who have managed to capture the ghost of a little boy. However, the identity of the boy remains a mystery so a hotshot police officer (the dashing Chang Chen) is called in to investigate. The ghost is subsequently released, so that Chang can follow its trail and uncover its full identity...

Silk cost a reported US$6.2 mil, an extraordinary figure for a Taiwanese production. Unsurprisingly, the film is technically excellent; its special effects are impressive and its production values are high. As a horror film, however, Silk is not terribly effective at generating the scares. Though watchable, some of its scenes drag on for too long while characters are prone to saying mindless or redundant things.

If only the script had been improved, then Silk might have been a more memorable experience. Still, watching Silk might make you feel somewhat proud of how far commercial Chinese cinema has come, what with its slick special effects and visuals