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	Koma "This is the kind of film that at times forgoes logic and consistency for the sake of psychological bravado and unsettling scares." - Raging Gaijin Koma (2004) Director: Law Chi-Leung Writer: Susan Chan Producer: Lawrence Cheng Tan-Shuo Cast: Karena Lam Ka-Yan, Angelica Lee Sum-Kit, Andy Hui Chi-On, Liu Kai-Chi, Annie Man Chung-Han, Raymond Wong Ho-Yin, Roy Chow Wing-Hung Running Time: 88 min. Plot: See review below. Availability: This title is available at HKflix.com Reviews RAGING GAIJIN'S REVIEW: The plot of "Koma" involves a situation that urban legend buffs should be familiar with: some poor sap wakes up in a bathtub full of ice, not knowing how they got there, only to discover that one of their kidneys has been stolen ? and if they don't seek immediate medical attention, they'll probably die. This is a chilling scenario, to be sure; it's almost surprising that it's taken this long to be the subject of a horror movie. Be forewarned, however, that "Koma" is a film is only marginally interested in urban legends about stolen kidneys and bathtubs full of ice. Watching the movie, it soon becomes apparent that the filmmakers are as focused on human drama as they are bodily horror, and depending on what your preference is you may find this disappointing or intriguing. The parts of this movie that are meant to be scary are certainly suspenseful. Director Law Chi-Leung previously helmed "Inner Senses", a ghostly thriller that was noteworthy for little more than the fact that it was Leslie Cheung's final movie. Fortunately, Chi-Leung has only improved since then. His deft direction carries the film at a swift pace with some stunning visuals (loved the camera pan around the lavish hotel in the opening scene). The production values and cinematography are gorgeous; this is commercial filmmaking, yes, but it seems that Chi-Leung is a student of Italian horror. The bright colors he uses to light some scenes recall Dario Argento's "Suspiria" and almost give the film an arthouse look. "Koma" doesn't skimp out on the gore either ? be prepared for a few grisly scenes involving a scalpel. The story follows Angelica Lee's character, a young woman suffering from a kidney condition which causes her to be emaciated and unable to control her bowel movements. Understandably, she can occassionally be highly neurotic as a result. She shies away from intimacy and doesn't like others to see her undressed. As you can imagine, this puts a strain on her relationship with boyfriend Andy Hui. As befitting a horror film, however, Andy is not all he seems. As the movie progresses, we are witness to his own psychological defects. They are often directly related to Karena Lam's character, a severely lonely girl who cares for her comatose mother. Naturally the two women come into conflict with one another as they vie for Andy's affections. Meanwhile, in the background of this love triangle is a mysterious kidney thief preying on young women in Hong Kong and selling their organs to the highest bidder. The dramatic portions of the film, which are really its heart, are not quite as interesting as the horror elements due to an uneven script. Some plot conveniences and dialogue exchanges seem rather illogical. For instance: Angelica Lee has a dream in which her home is broken into in a very particular way. When she wakes up, she finds that the break-in has occurred, exactly the way she dreamt it ? but this is never explained and has little bearing on the overall plot. Thankfully, the two lead actresses are so compelling to watch that you rarely notice these incongruities. They both give it their all but Karena Lam in particular emerges here as a young Hong Kong star to watch. Her style and moody screen presence reminded me of Scarlett Johansson. Her natural good looks and acting ability make this movie worth renting just for her performance. Even when scenes become trite or unnecessary during the first two acts, the actresses keep the film grounded in reality and the viewer invested. Also, kudos to these women for not being afraid to show the ugly side of their characters. Some of the most disturbing scenes deal not with grisly kidney thefts but the way Angelica's character feels like a prisoner in her own body. She is a character who is tragically human, which makes her all the more relatable. After all, how many of us are truly happy with our bodies? The third act of "Koma" brings with it a plot twist that you may or may not see coming. Its believability is arguable but it worked for me; it made the last thirty minutes an exciting and horrific thrill ride. This is the kind of film that at times forgoes logic and consistency for the sake of psychological bravado and unsettling scares. But you know what? I found it to be an entertaining horror flick and one well worth watching. The cinematography and acting talent involved make this an Asian horror film not to miss. RAGING GAIJIN'S RATING: 7/10

Koma

"This is the kind of film that at times forgoes logic and consistency for the sake of psychological bravado and unsettling scares."

- Raging Gaijin

Koma (2004)

Director: Law Chi-Leung

Writer: Susan Chan

Producer: Lawrence Cheng Tan-Shuo

Cast: Karena Lam Ka-Yan, Angelica Lee Sum-Kit, Andy Hui Chi-On, Liu Kai-Chi, Annie Man Chung-Han, Raymond Wong Ho-Yin, Roy Chow Wing-Hung

Running Time: 88 min.

Plot: See review below.

Availability: This title is available at HKflix.com

Reviews

RAGING GAIJIN'S REVIEW: The plot of "Koma" involves a situation that urban legend buffs should be familiar with: some poor sap wakes up in a bathtub full of ice, not knowing how they got there, only to discover that one of their kidneys has been stolen ? and if they don't seek immediate medical attention, they'll probably die. This is a chilling scenario, to be sure; it's almost surprising that it's taken this long to be the subject of a horror movie. Be forewarned, however, that "Koma" is a film is only marginally interested in urban legends about stolen kidneys and bathtubs full of ice. Watching the movie, it soon becomes apparent that the filmmakers are as focused on human drama as they are bodily horror, and depending on what your preference is you may find this disappointing or intriguing.

The parts of this movie that are meant to be scary are certainly suspenseful. Director Law Chi-Leung previously helmed "Inner Senses", a ghostly thriller that was noteworthy for little more than the fact that it was Leslie Cheung's final movie. Fortunately, Chi-Leung has only improved since then. His deft direction carries the film at a swift pace with some stunning visuals (loved the camera pan around the lavish hotel in the opening scene). The production values and cinematography are gorgeous; this is commercial filmmaking, yes, but it seems that Chi-Leung is a student of Italian horror. The bright colors he uses to light some scenes recall Dario Argento's "Suspiria" and almost give the film an arthouse look. "Koma" doesn't skimp out on the gore either ? be prepared for a few grisly scenes involving a scalpel.

The story follows Angelica Lee's character, a young woman suffering from a kidney condition which causes her to be emaciated and unable to control her bowel movements. Understandably, she can occassionally be highly neurotic as a result. She shies away from intimacy and doesn't like others to see her undressed. As you can imagine, this puts a strain on her relationship with boyfriend Andy Hui. As befitting a horror film, however, Andy is not all he seems. As the movie progresses, we are witness to his own psychological defects. They are often directly related to Karena Lam's character, a severely lonely girl who cares for her comatose mother. Naturally the two women come into conflict with one another as they vie for Andy's affections. Meanwhile, in the background of this love triangle is a mysterious kidney thief preying on young women in Hong Kong and selling their organs to the highest bidder.

The dramatic portions of the film, which are really its heart, are not quite as interesting as the horror elements due to an uneven script. Some plot conveniences and dialogue exchanges seem rather illogical. For instance: Angelica Lee has a dream in which her home is broken into in a very particular way. When she wakes up, she finds that the break-in has occurred, exactly the way she dreamt it ? but this is never explained and has little bearing on the overall plot. Thankfully, the two lead actresses are so compelling to watch that you rarely notice these incongruities. They both give it their all but Karena Lam in particular emerges here as a young Hong Kong star to watch. Her style and moody screen presence reminded me of Scarlett Johansson. Her natural good looks and acting ability make this movie worth renting just for her performance. Even when scenes become trite or unnecessary during the first two acts, the actresses keep the film grounded in reality and the viewer invested. Also, kudos to these women for not being afraid to show the ugly side of their characters. Some of the most disturbing scenes deal not with grisly kidney thefts but the way Angelica's character feels like a prisoner in her own body. She is a character who is tragically human, which makes her all the more relatable. After all, how many of us are truly happy with our bodies?

The third act of "Koma" brings with it a plot twist that you may or may not see coming. Its believability is arguable but it worked for me; it made the last thirty minutes an exciting and horrific thrill ride. This is the kind of film that at times forgoes logic and consistency for the sake of psychological bravado and unsettling scares. But you know what? I found it to be an entertaining horror flick and one well worth watching. The cinematography and acting talent involved make this an Asian horror film not to miss.

RAGING GAIJIN'S RATING: 7/10