
Based on the 13th Century Borneo sacrificial rituals, “Curse of the Totem” tells the story of Dr. Sani who goes in search of his wife, who disappeared on a genealogy expedition to study the ancient mythical legend of Jerunei ‘Burial Poles of the indigenous Melanau tribe in Borneo.
Burial poles mark burial still exist today as gravestones, marking the loss of other human lives that were sacrificed on behalf of prosperous nobility. Human sacrifice was outlawed in Sarawak Province in the 18th Century.
Combing through the Borneo jungle for answers, each member of Dr. Sani’s team experiences inexplicable hallucinations, malicious disturbances and eventually are haunted by unexplained spirits of the dead. Things take a turn for the worse when one of them is completely possessed by evil forces.
涉及了很多民俗文化,电影宗旨是不错的。
特效确实太简陋了,在高清镜头下着实出戏,看多了东南亚水乡的民俗恐怖,这种雨林中活人祭祀的故事虽然俗套,但是却也有点意思。
拍法很网剧,情节有些割裂,选题不错,如今我们引以为豪的灿烂古代文明,可能是建立在血腥与野蛮的基础上,当然现代文明也一样。
中字都有了豆瓣还标记未上映……本片的节奏很像《恶魔的艺术》的节奏,恶魔通过诅咒的形式复仇,前半段惊吓式后半段逃生式。糟糕透的是特效,毕竟几十年前的恐怖片特效都不会这么拉垮了,恶鬼一出场简直大变喜剧。虽然节奏很紧凑,但人物行事基本毫无逻辑完全为推动情节而服务。女配莫名其妙知道了村长为了卖地而杀光考古学家、甚至被留在了村子生下村长的血脉,难道为了展现现代社会的法律和人脉在古老丛林中的野蛮和落后面前不值一提?三个男配更是动机成谜,一个画画的偏要当队长还不管事、一个直播鬼魂的网红骗子竟然也能加入世遗考古队伍、一个本来不想来的学者后来莫名其妙成了寻妻复仇拯救众人的核心。本来很好奇会不会发掘到一部新民俗优秀恐怖片,但结果还是比较失望的。
[3+]作为恐怖片而言完全合格而且是位于及格线网上的,也是对于东南亚民俗恐怖的一次拓展,虽然故事的内核还是活人生祭的复仇,但是还是能感受到那份根植在雨林里的恐怖。最满意的是本片的节奏完全不拖沓好吧!唯一不太行的地方就是特效确实有些简陋,可是人家明显也不是奔着特效来的。没有反派强行降智的骚操作,大家也都是知进退的聪明人,满意!实在是太满意了!!!