“No level mentioning the previous … “
When her earlier mission “Abnormal Heroes” did not make a dent on the field workplace, director Ann Hui turned to a style which has confirmed time and time once more to be common with audiences, particularly in Asia, which is the mix of horror and comedy. Previously, Hong Kong cinema has made a reputation for itself, making a plethora of options representing this distinctive model, typically with a number of martial-arts-scenes added for good measure. Within the case of Ann Hui, her new mission “Seen Secret” is actually a deviation when in comparison with, for instance, “Boat Individuals” or “Evening and Fog”, whose tales, themes and characters are extra grounded inside actuality. Nevertheless, whereas it does keep near common tropes of the horror style of the time, “Seen Secret” additionally affords an fascinating twist to a few of the themes which have been a continuing presence within the director’s work, though they is probably not offered as clearly as in her different tasks.
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Discovering a job and a girlfriend have all the time been challenges for Peter (Eason Chan), whose lack of expertise within the former and dangerous luck within the latter facet have contributed to his current scenario. Nevertheless, as he meets June (Shu Qi) at a disco, his luck appears to alter, though it appears their encounter was extra of a one-night-stand. After some time, the 2 grow to be a pair, however Peter nonetheless looks like he’s being saved at a distance from his new girlfriend, who refuses to let him inside her house amongst different issues. She lastly confesses she sees the ghosts of the lately deceased, and whereas she thought she had discovered a solution to management these visions, they’ve been getting extra frequent lately.
Upon discovering out about June’s secret, Peter does his finest to face by her and assist her. As the 2 develop even nearer, he additionally encounters unusual visions, with certainly one of them particularly grotesque, as he’s adopted by a person demanding his head again. Nevertheless, as these experiences have real-life penalties for Peter’s family and friends, he feels the necessity to unravel the visions, what they imply and their potential hazard.
On the one hand, you’ll be able to learn (and luxuriate in) “Seen Secret” because the style mix talked about earlier than, however alternatively there’s something past the recognizable tropes many will undoubtedly acknowledge. What begins as a kind of typical story for horror delves increasingly more right into a view of a world inhabited by the useless and ghosts. Curiously, the vast majority of the ghosts Peter and June encounter don’t come as a “leap scare” (with one notable exception to the rule), however are somewhat reminders of the previous. Much like the spirits she sees, June can also be a haunted character, as emphasised by Su Qi’s efficiency and likewise the writing. Very like Peter, the viewers is drawn nearer to this world of the useless which makes her distant and onerous to determine, though you may dispute whether or not the conclusion to her character does her a disservice.
Nevertheless, the world of the spirits can also be the previous. The characters and the area they occupy grow to be one thing of an echo chamber for the previous – a notion which is cleverly launched to the narrative, for instance, by means of the change of Peter’s house or the names of the characters. Ultimately, the previous is irretrievably gone, with the characters making an attempt their finest to carry on to it. In some scenes that is fairly apparently performed, for instance, the thought of the store owned by Peter’s mother and father now being a snack bar, however in some cases it falls flat like within the aforementioned ending.
In conclusion, “Seen Secret” is a mix of horror and comedy with a powerful emphasis on the previous. Ann Hui takes a step into unknown territory for herself, with some narratively fascinating outcomes, however ultimately sticks too near the function “Seen Secret” tries to mimic.
