P (2005) Movie Review
Written By: FR
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Director: Paul Spurrier
Producers: Amanda Baker, Peter C. Green, et. al.
Screenwriter: Paul Spurrier
Date Released: February 28, 2005
Cast:
Suangporn Jaturaphut as Dau
Opal as Pookie
Pisamai Pakdeevijit as Grandmother
Supatra Roongsawang as New
Narisara Sairatanee as May
Amy Siriya as Mee
Rating = 2/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
Dau (Suangporn Jaturaphut) wasn’t always in the predicament she’s in. In fact, Dau’s not even her real name; she grew up as Aaw in rural Thailand, where she was picked on for her family’s ties with magic. Years later, a grown-up Dau tends to her sickly grandmother, though outstanding debts force her to seek work in Bangkok. There, she’s hired as a go-go dancer, though the real money lies in the unsavory deeds she’s expected to perform offstage. It’s at this point Dau turns to the spells she’s learned throughout her life, casting enchantments to increase her beauty and take revenge on those who would do her wrong. But the more she abuses her talents, the more a great evil brews within her, emerging to feast on flesh and threatening to consume her from the inside out as well.
Gore Factor
The film is mostly supernatural so there’s a lot of blood and gore when the monster comes out to feed. There are disturbing scenes where a woman eats bloody organs. There’s also the man’s sword seen with some blood and skin on it (we hear that the sword went into a woman’s left eye and later see her scarred face). However, some of the special effects of the ghost is not really scary and a little tame. The only intense moments are the killings that the monster is doing. They can be so bloody but not directly shown for most part.
The Grave Review
Pronounced the correct way, P is the Thai word for “ghost,” though this movie’s spirit appears much fiercer than your usual horror phantoms. The first 30 minutes or so come across as straightforward drama, with innocent Dau being introduced to the life in the streets of Bangkok. As her clientele consists mainly of foreigners, P definitely has something to say about the country’s exploitation and does so very effectively. It’s not until Dau’s innocence is first corrupted that the supernatural comes into play, from which the picture transitions nicely into incorporating more of the red stuff. The story seems to be paced well and never feels like it’s struggling for material.
It’s not so bad when centered on Dau’s home life or goings-on at her club, but the special effects of her demonic side on the prowl is not so impressive. Be it the production’s limited resources or Spurrier’s debatable experience, P can look downright terrible at times. There’s also a certain stiffness that clutches the entire cast in its awkward, mood-shattering grip. Jaturaphut herself is afflicted, though not as badly as her fellow performers. She has convincingly executed her role, and viewers reach the finish line with their sympathy intact.
Although film starts off pretty slowly, the supernatural/horror elements don’t really kick in until well past the half way mark and the first half of the picture plays more like a troubled teen drama. Once it picks up, however, the determined pacing of the film pays off quite nicely as we’ve got a central character who we’re actually able to sympathize with. This makes her inevitable transformation as tragic as it is frightening, making P a film that caters more emotions than just simple fear.
The scenes in which Dau’s evil side manifests are also handled well, keeping enough in the shadows to ensure that things look creepy enough without giving too much away. A few bad CGI spots stick out like a sore thumb but aside from that, Spurrier has crafted a pretty interesting slow burn of a horror film.
Because of the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives P (2005) two graves out of five graves.
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