Then there's Zong-hua's own checkered past in China returning to haunt him and his father - and an ageing chanteuse (Carrie Ng) in another troupe who, in a thread seemingly parallel and independent of Zong-hua's, is losing ground to a young, go-getting starlet.Ĭlocking in at just 82 minutes, Hungry Ghost Ritual is as overstuffed as even the briefest description of its plot - and perhaps a bit too greedy (or unsure) for their own good, Cheung and Teh have to make time to pack in nods to Paranormal Activity and In the Mood for Love. Xiao-yan's non-acknowledgement of that night of passion, however, leads to Zong-hua finally sensing something wrong - and adding to that is Jing-jing's abrupt volte-face in agreeing to learn the family trade, the revelations of troubled pasts among the performers and also the venue they are slated to deliver a performance for the Yu Lan ghost festival. The only confidant he could find is Xiao-yan (Annie Liu), whose willingness to show him the ropes somehow goes to an intimate extreme after a few drinks too far.
#PARANORMAL HK PLOT TV#
Having cut himself off from home (and his family business) for a decade while pursuing an ill-fated business venture in China, Zong-hua is viewed with contempt by his feisty step-sister Jing-jing (Singaporean TV actress Cathryn Lee) and mistrust by nearly everyone in the troupe. It's all about patience, rather than quick shocks, as lead character Zong-hua (played by Nick Cheung himself) slowly feels his way into taking over the performance ensemble established by his ailing father Zong-tian (Lam Wai). It's up to Curran Pang to take centerstage with his editing (of footage nearly entirely shot in Malaysia) is key to the slow-burning energy of films such as Infernal Affairs or the (unrelated) Pang Brothers' mostly direly-written scary movies. It's not exactly an original premise, mind, as the Hong Kong film Demi-Haunted has milked an effective comedic thriller out of this eerie juxtaposition in 2002. The film's major attraction for Asia-oriented international audiences would probably its setting of paranormal goings-on among white face-painted, elaborate costumed performers in a Cantonese Opera troupe.
Cheung's earnestness - in both his directing and also in his turn in the leading role - salvages the film from spiraling into the banal, and the modest-budgeted Malaysian-Hong Kong production should be able to recoup its budget in Asian markets before making its way into home entertainment systems abroad. Cheung (star of actioners like Unbeatable, The White Storm and The Demon Within) and his producer-screenwriter Adrian Teh has certainly aimed higher than that, what with a mix of Chinese traditional rites with Western horror-film devices and spiced up with a surprising smattering of Wong Kar-wai-influenced scenes.Ĭheung's trials here are hardly laden with errors, but Hungry Ghost Ritual is simply sinking with these replications of well-trodden tropes, weighed down by a plot with just one too many red herring, and uneven performances from its cast. The tacky vibe radiating from the title of Hong Kong actor Nick Cheung's directorial debut is unfortunate: while not exactly drenched with innovation, Hungry Ghost Ritual - or simply Ghost Rituals, as the film is marketed internationally - isn't exactly gaudy, over-the-top schlock. Hong Kong star Nick Cheung wades into the horror genre in his first directorial effort.
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