Shutter

Shutter is yet another remake of an Asian horror movie, and is anything but picture perfect.

Ben Shaw (Joshua Jackson) and his wife Jane (Rachael Taylor) leave for Japan right after their wedding so Ben can take an amazing job as a photographer. While on their way to a cabin for a mini-honeymoon, Jane, distracted and tired, accidentally hits a woman with her car when she suddenly appears in the middle of the road. After swerving off the road and crashing into a tree, Jane and Ben are both knocked out. Upon waking, the couple desperately searches the area for the mysterious woman they hit. Unable to find her, even with police assistance, they give up, and assume that she got picked up by a passing car and is at home.

Although their new life in Japan started off on the rocky side, things are turning out to be quite amazing for the newlyweds. Ben has an awesome job, has his own photography studio, and his and Jane's apartment is funky with a great view of Tokyo. While he works during the day, Jane explores the city, getting to know her new home. But unfortunately, everywhere she goes she is still haunted by the face of the girl she hit. When a batch of photographs comes back with strange white markings on them, Jane decides to investigate what might be haunting her new life. She discovers that there is a whole society in Japan that believes in spirit photography, strong emotions from the dead that appear in photographs. Jane whole-heartedly believes that the marks in the photographs are the girl they hit on the road, and that she is haunting them as a way of seeking revenge. Jane is determined to do what ever it takes to rid her and Ben of the angry spirit, going down a slippery slope to the truth.

This movie follows the current trend of remaking Asian horror flicks, but Shutter falls short of being great.

Originally a Thai movie with the same title, Shutter just wasn't as scary as its predecessors. Personally, The Ring and The Grudge scared the shit out of me, gave me nightmares and I swore that I would never watch them again (I have now faced my fears with the help of the horrible sequels to both movies). While scary at times, this movie was lacking that overwhelming fear that the other movies provided. No loud noises making the audience jump or creepy walking (thank goodness). Had this movie not been the forth or fifth remake, it might have had a bigger impact, but these movies are getting old, and predictable.

Jackson (Ben) has not had a huge career since his “Dawson's Creek” days, but I have been a fan of his work since The Mighty Ducks. He did a good job in this movie, being very deep and dark. Rachael Taylor (Transformers) was also good in this movie. She really stood out, although I prefer her with her native Australian accent. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes Asian horror movie remakes.

Final words: Saw it. Liked it. Would not be afraid to watch it again.