“And the rumors about strange happenings, is that all true?”
Da-kyung (JOO Hyun-young) is desperate to make it as a YouTube content creator, but her failing channel really needs a boost. Her latest plan: explore an allegedly haunted train station. Her interview with the station master takes her through a horrifying series of chilling tales that may be more true than she could have ever expected. This thrilling horror anthology will chill you to the bone with scares at every stop. Take a step onto the Ghost Train.
With Ghost Train (괴기열차), TAK Se-woong offers an anthology film that blends suspense and horror while raising a very modern question: how do you stop when success finally hits on YouTube?
Short Interconnected Stories
This anthology film features 6 overlapping stories, including the main narrative. As is often the case, not all stories have a direct link to the main one, but here, 3 of the 5 secondary stories have a direct impact on Da-kyung’s journey.
Obviously, the connection is only made at the end, and that is what creates the suspense. The integration is well done, not just because each story is told by the station guard, but precisely because the stories sometimes have a direct link to what will happen in the young woman’s investigation.
The relationship that develops between the station guard and Da-kyung is interesting and will be central to the outcome. For once, we go beyond the usual formula of a chance encounter and an old man telling stories. Without being completely original, the formula offers just enough freshness to make the story gripping.
More Suspense than Terror
Korean cinema is known for not strictly following genres. The genre-bending is equally present here with suspense, horror, and psychological elements. This blend is better mastered than what we usually see, probably because this film is entirely directed by a single director, whereas anthologies are often directed by several people.
The film begins with a typical horror film format, but as the encounters between Da-kyung and the stationmaster progress, the investigative and suspenseful side takes up more and more space, returning to a style closer to horror cinema at the end. Moreover, the final sequence is a great success. The atmosphere is dismal, unsettling, and perfectly delightful.
The majority of the actors are solid and manage to make this surreal story believable. The frightening characters in parts 2 and 3 are particularly great. A big shout-out to the woman with the wrapped face.
A little more…
Ghost Train, while not a masterpiece, stands out for its way of linking stories and its finale. It is a film that gives exactly what you expect when choosing a movie of this style.
The plot is well-constructed, and viewers come away feeling they got their money’s worth. And yes, you really want to talk about it afterward. Isn’t that the most important thing?
This is a good piece of entertainment that doesn’t fall too far into clichés and shows a current reality, which is a change from competitors who always use the same old stories.
