Eugene NgFollowing the disappointing sequel of Money No Enough 2 as well as Ah Long Pte Ltd, the latest movie by renowned local director Jack Neo has hit the big screens yet again. Titled Where Got Ghost? and co-directed by Boris Boo, who’s recognised for his involvement in the screenplay’s of movies such as One More Chance and I Do I Do, this movie comprises of 3 short stories namely, “Roadside Got Ghost”, “Forest Got Ghost” and “House Got Ghost”. Dubbed as a “Hor-medy” (a newly created genre of Horror-Comedy), this is the first horror movie that Jack Neo has directed.
Although it’s a movie with 3 stories, Jack Neo has made them as clear as they can get. Every story has its own unique plot and individual meaning along with Jack Neo’s famous “moral of the story” ending. Starring some of Singapore’s most famous comedians, such as Henry Thia, Mark Lee and John Cheng(more commonly known as Ah Nan), whom we have long associated with Neo, Where Got Ghost? touches on the common fear and fascination that most Singaporeans face when it comes to dealings with the supernatural.
Trailer
The first story, “Roadside Got Ghost”, stars Richard Low as a conman medium pretending to be a messenger from the God of Wealth, calling random people and giving them “lucky numbers”. He would then call those who struck 4D with his numbers and ask them to donate a part of their winnings. But when a ghost called him and told him a “lucky number”, he disregarded the call and even threatened to sue the caller for copyright infringement. As expected, he receives his just desserts. This story is neither scary nor funny, but average in my opinion.
“Forest Got Ghost” stars veteran getai (makeshift stages set up on streets to entertain crowds during the seventh lunar month which honours ghosts) singers Ah Nan and Wang Lei as reservist soldiers going through their topography exercise in the forest. Even though their officers stressed the fact that they‘re not supposed to take any shortcuts, these 2 still do so and encounter a ghost in the forest. The end to this story is a lot creepier than the first but because it’s a comedy, incorporating some funny moments as well; such as the mentioning of “David Football-Field” a.k.a David Copperfield “before he was famous”.
The final story, is a continuation of Money No Enough 2 starring Jack Neo, Mark Lee and Henry Thia as they reprise their roles as brothers and their lives after the death of their mother played by veteran Malaysian actress, Lai Ming. This time, the 3 brothers find out that their mother’s spirit is still around haunting them. This story is the funniest among the stories. We see familiar scenes that involve the famous red Mickey Mouse bra as well as the “Ah Hui, li jia ba bui [Hokkien for “have you eaten?”] scene we recall from Money No Enough 2 with its ghostly twist.
In this latest addition to the belt of Jack Neo movies we see for the first time the use of special effects in his movies. Naturally, given the small production budget, these effects aren’t as realistic as those we see in Hollywood blockbusters such as Transformers 2 and G.I. Joe. But let’s not be harsh, the subject matter doesn’t call for that level of sophistication in this home grown film and the effects do give the movie enough to bring out the fear factor. With its mixture of Mandarin and Hokkien dialogue and humour, this movie also easily appeals to the HDB heartlanders who tend to support Neo’s films most.
Overall, Where Got Ghost? is a refreshing and heartwarming movie, as his previous movies were and most likely to top box office charts in Singapore because of the support of Singaporeans. It makes you laugh and maybe jump at certain moments and the idea of telling 3 stories in one movie makes this Singaporean movie special and entertaining for both the young and old. It is a must watch especially if you’re an avid fan of Jack Neo movies and if you’re a Singaporean.
Rating: 2/5
Starring: Jack Neo, Henry Thia, Mark Lee, Richard Low,
Directed by: Jack Neo and Boris Boo
Language: Mandarin with English & Chinese Subtitles
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Opening: 13 August 2009
Run Time / Rating 106mins / PG (Disturbing Scenes & Coarse Language)