THREE (aka THREE EXTREMES 2, 2002)

Streaming on Shudder!
Directed/Written by Kim Jee-Woon (“Memories”), Nonzee Nimibutr (“The Wheel”), Peter Ho-Sun Chan (“Going Home”).
Check out the trailer here!!

A trio of Asian filmmakers, South Korea’s Kim Jee-Woon, Thailand’s Nonzee Nimibutr, and China’s Peter Ho-Sun Chan, band together to make three 40-minute short films in THREE. Not to be mistaken for THREE EXTREMES, which I may be covering soon, these three tales pack a punch.

“Memories” by Kim Jee-Woon who is responsible for such classics as A TALE OF TWO SISTERS, I SAW THE DEVIL, and THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE WEIRD, starts this short silently and stays mostly silent throughout. This one reminded me a lot of CARNIVAL OF SOULS as a missing woman wanders through a barren cityscape in search of home while her husband waits for her return home and fears something horrible has happened to her. While there is dialog, it is sparce, with director Kim Jee-Woon relying on moody scenery, empty spaces, and some excellent sound design to set a creepy and dire mood. While I felt this one was predictable, “Memories” was haunting, nevertheless.

Nonzee Nimibutr, doesn’t seem to have a background in horror, but did direct THE LEGEND OF THE TSUNAMI WARRIOR. In “The Wheel,” he takes on horror and focuses more on regional folklore, and legend. While this film may hit home a little harder to those familiar with Thai tradition, specifically the ornate and distinct way the performative arts such as plays, dance, and puppetry are tied to religion, it just didn’t spook me as much being an outsider to the culture. The story centers around a puppeteer who sends his wife and child to the river to throw away what seems to be a cursed puppet. But the curse of the puppet isn’t shed that easily. The puppet itself is ornate and bedazzled with jewels, making it quite tempting for those who don’t follow tradition and this cautionary tale ends up delivering a proper comeuppance to anyone who tries to claim the puppet. Yes, puppets are always creepy, but this story interested me more so as a look at a culture I am unfamiliar with, rather than causing any jolts or chills.

Peter Ho-Sun Chan made comedies and dramas, as well as the historical epic THE WARLORDS. Here he helms the final segment, “Going Home,” and they saved the best for last. Man, this one has it all. I honestly had no idea where this story was going, but the twists and turns and side-quests along the way made this one resonate with me on so many levels. “Going Home” starts with a little boy following his dad as they haul all their belongings to a new apartment. This building is about to be demolished, but it’s all the father can afford. As they get to their new place, the boy keeps seeing a cute little girl in the apartment across the way. The little girl’s father has a secret and I think that’s all I’m going to reveal about this one, as it is just some fantastic storytelling, unfolding in unexpected, sometimes terrifying, sometimes morbid, yet strangely beautiful ways. This is one twisted tale, but in the end, it leaves you with a sense of peace, of all things. Simply awesome.

While the middle story left me cold, THREE has one hell of an opener and closer. It’s a wonderful little collection of talent and if you like your horror in small doses, this international anthology delivers.