Blood Ties/还魂

MOVIE REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILER!

Watching Blood Ties as a Singaporean is one very interesting experience. As a Singaporean, the moment you set foot into a cinema to watch a Singaporean movie, you're usually expecting 3 things:

1. A Jack Neo Movie.
2. A very crappy animated moving picture.
3. A Roystan Tan musical film.

But this season comes a film which gives the Singapore movie branding a whole new and refreshing rejuvenation.





















The story goes as the cop and his wife died from a brutual attack from triad members. On the 7th day of his death, his spirit returns and possess his little sis's body to exact revege on those that had caused his death and his wife's death/rape. As the story unfolds, it wasn't just a plain murder committed by the triad, there's actually a greater conspiracy within.

Actually, Blood Ties is a far more complex movie than read in my synopsis. There's just too many aspects to inspect this movie from and here's how you see it:

Blood Ties as a Supernatural Scary Movie movie: 1/5


Trust me, it's not that my threshold for horror movie is higher than the average being. Not only will you not be seeing any Thai style horror, the ghost(s) in Blood Ties doesn't too, have much appearance.


He looks scary alright. But why was he given such a miserable screen time appearance?

Blood Ties as a Gore Scary Movie movie: 4/5



They don't get an M18 for nothing. Actually, Blood Ties is a combination of "The Last House On The Left" and the "Saw" series, nearing the status of a revenge and torture porn but less of the gore.



The protagonist of Blood Ties had actually proceeded to cut off the penis/balls of his late wife's rapist and stuff it into his mouth(the rapist's), what could be more wicked than that?

Blood Ties as a Action Movie movie: 3.5/5



Actually, Blood Ties only contain one action scene. But that scene itself proved to be great. Ofcourse, don't expect a Hollywood style big budget Matrix action flick cause Blood Ties is certainly nowhere near. However, the winning factor that Blood Ties had in its action sequence was pure and brutual realism. The gun fight and chase scene looked so real that I felt as though I was part of it.

Blood Ties as a Movie-with-a-moral-behind-the-story movie: 4.5/5
Nothing surprising for an Asian production, Blood Ties contains a moral behind its scares and it's the esixtence of retribution for blood will have blood. Amusingly, I think it went to far to make an over-emphasis on its themes. But hey, people these days just don't read between the lines, it's good to keep mauling them with your moral values repeatedly in different methods.



















Another moral behind the story I guess, was the importance of kinshp and family support. Let's look at it this way; If dead cop didn't have such strong family ties with his sister, do you think she'll let him possess her precious little body to collect his blood debts? Yeah, somethnig along that line.



Blood Ties as a Singaporean Made Movie movie: 4.5/5



Hoho, this one. It's pretty obvious, isn't it? For a Singaporean-made movie, it's definitely one of the best. For more details, read below.

Blood Ties as a Movie movie: 4/5
I'd certainly have to compliment Blood Ties for their sharp choice of cast. Although it did made use of the starpower of veteran actors like Zheng Jiang and Cheng Pei Pei but, they had actually chosen a not-famous-at-all Singaporean actor, David Leong as part of the cast. And who knows that veteran calefare you see in Channel 8 drama can act so damn well!


Guy who always act as calefare in Singapore drama series.


Random calefare uncles that look like they also perform in Hungry Ghost Getai.

Although Blood Ties has a rather simple and sweet storyline but the narration of the movie had actually not followed a linear timeline and that indeed, had generated a strong sense of doom and suspense for the plot.

Other than those, filming techniques applied in Blood Ties is... in a simple phrase, visually stunning.

My ultimate verdict is yes, go watch Blood Ties. I mean, you HAVE TO watch Blood Ties, it's one hell of a great movie especially if you like and support local productions.