Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Hex. Before we get into it, here are my ratings:
Story - 1.50
Direction - 1.25
Pace - 1.25
Acting - 1.25
Enjoyment - 1.25
TOTAL - 6.50
I love a good ghost story, and Hex is one of the best. Though I have to say it's due to the twists in the tale, of which there are a few. You also get a history lesson on Chinese arranged marriages. It would seem that once you're wed, you're wed until you're dead, which is fatally unfortunate for our married couple. The writers do an expert job of unwinding an ever-increasingly complex story and keeping the clarifications simple for the viewers.
The director uses the old buildings and tight alleyways to perfection. His lighting is subtle and gives the township an eerie feel. The pond where you see the two local fishermen is ultra-creepy, even in the daytime, as there's a shallow fog that constantly hangs above the algae-covered water. You wouldn't get me anywhere near that place. And, I definitely wouldn't eat any of the fish caught there. The thing is, I don't understand the comedy segments. There are two. One is when Master Yeung orders Mistress Chan's furniture burned. The other is when the priest starts to find body parts, and Master Yeung has trouble attacking him with a cleaver. Up to these points, the film has been in a more serious vein. There have also been a couple of darker moments; when Yeung beats his wife Chan and when he tries to rape the servant. So why the comedy? Sadly it doesn't quite work due to the scenes not being too humorous and that they don't fit with the rest of the film. It would have been wiser to have changed them from funny to scary.
As for the performances, these are excellent. There are no small parts in this movie. Everybody gives their best, and it shows.
In hindsight, I could probably call this a Chinese Giallo for all the plot twists it holds. In fact, if you do enjoy the Giallo sub-genre then you should check out Hex. I think you would savour it as much as I did. Hex is worthy of your time, as long as you watch it with the lights off for the full effect.
Feel free to check my Absolute Horror and Killer Thriller Chillers lists to see where Hex ranks in my charts.
Take Care & Stay Well.
