Now available on DVD and Digital HD is the supernatural thriller Phantom of the Theatre (it’s spelled theatre, even though we spell it theater in the United States).
Phantom of the Theatre is a film from China. There are English subtitles. Normally I don’t like to watch movies with subtitles. I feel like I am always missing the action on screen a I am reading the subtitle, but this movie intrigued me so I figured I could overlook that detail. If you are not a fan of reading subtitles, then you’ll have to stick this film.
Check out the film’s synopsis and trailer.
A haunted theatre/theater, filled with the vengeful spirits of a tragically-trapped performance troupe murdered in a fire 13 years ago, waits for the once-grand palatial playhouse to re-open with a new show … and bring in new victims.. Starring Ruby Lin, Simon Yam, and Tony Yang.
The film has a run time of 104 minutes.
I first thought of this film as a horror movie, but after viewing it I have “downgraded” it from horror to a supernatural thriller (not that it’s a bad thing).
It wasn’t until about half way through the film that I figured out that it was a lot like the Phantom of the Opera. In this case a man hell bent on revenge lurks in the shadow of the abandoned theater. Not everyone is a ghost.
There are a lot of twists and turns in this film. You THINK it’s a horror film (or supernatural thriller) but as the movie progresses there are a lot of twists and turns. There is even romance in this film!
The story is done in a lot of flashbacks to give you better insight into the main characters. The flashbacks were done fluidly so that you didn’t get lost and confused. Some of the backstories were essential to understanding the characters.
Keeping up with the subtitles was hard. At times I just gave up and watched what was going on the screen instead.
I LOVE the cinematography and costumes. The film was set in the early 1900’s and the set reflected that.
I absolutely loved the outfits and hairstyles. They were very classy.
The movie was not scary at all – at least for this die hard horror film fan. Some of the special effects were pretty good, others were rather cheesy. The people on fire looked really fake, but some of the other special effects were impressive. Die hard horror film fans might not be impressed, but those who are easily frightened might find themselves jumping a few times.
I think this film had more to do with the overall story than the special effects. This story has it all – intrigue, romance, revenge, suspense, mystery…
I don’t think this title would appeal to a large amount of people, but I’m sure that there are plenty of people who would find this film interesting and entertaining, despite the language barrier.
Look for Phantom of the Theatre where ever movies are sold (or digitally downloaded). I did find the film on Amazon if you are interested in it.
Kimberly
*I received a free screener copy to review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.