Shadow of the Wraith 2005 Horror Movie Review

J-horror fans and curiosity seekers may walk away slightly disappointed by this ho-hum entry by prolific Japanese director Toshiharu Ikeda.  Drenched in straight-to-video atmosphere featuring doppelgangers, walking backwards in slow-motion, and lots and lots of echoing dripping water, Shadow of the Wraith is told in two very loosely conjoined parts.  Part 1 involves a mysterious enigmatic beauty (Asaji ) who’s in love with Yoshino, the cutest, most popular boy in school (oh, he’s also in a boy band).  There’s only one problem; he already has a girlfriend.  Strange things start to happen as Asaji forces her way into Yoshino’s life with supernatural effortlessness.  Well, you can guess what lays ahead, a little dab of Carrie, just a splash of Fatal Attraction.  The second portion of the movie is slightly more interesting, involving a haunted apartment building linked to a mystery of the past. 

    The entire movie lacks coherency and is rather nonsensical, essentially low-grade horror that doesn’t offer anything new in the way of thrills or chills.  Still, there’s enough spooky moodiness to keep things interesting, and a few decent scares.  Fans seeking to “take it to the next level” should check out Ikeda’s Evil Dead Trap, a violent cult classic and a must-see for any horror aficionado.  —Matt Wold