The revenge horror/thriller is a fascinating subgenre, and in Tomb Watcher, director Vathanyu Ingkawiwat attempts to explore it with a dose of soap opera drama. The first few minutes of the film will convince you that Lunthom and Cheev were passionately in love. One assumes that perhaps it's the kind of passionate romance that borders on obsession. Perhaps if one dies, the other would rather live with their corpse than let them go. But little by little, the layers are peeled back, and the cracks in their relationship are finally revealed. The plot isn't unique; after all, it is a love triangle! But the narrative structure successfully creates intrigue. We gradually get to know the characters better, and the overall story is revealed bit by bit, which helps keep the interest alive.
When Cheev and Lunthom first crossed paths, they were immediately drawn to each other. He was an artist and she was a businesswoman, and although their lives were very different, love united them. They eventually married and promised to be together forever. When Lunthom fell ill, Cheev remained by his side. Their love story was like something out of a romance novel—or at least, it seemed at first. Gradually, it was revealed that Cheev was not the loyal partner Lunthom believed, and that turned out to be the biggest disappointment of her life.
Director: Vathanyu Ingkawiwat
Writers: Nut Nualpang, Nattamol Paethanom, Nattapot Potchumnean
Stars: Woranuch BhiromBhakdi, Thanavate Siriwattanagul, Arachaporn Pokinpakorn
The man she had dreamed of being with forever had cheated on her. His girlfriend, Ros, was employed by Lunthom, and seeing her husband's mistress every day at work was distressing. To top it all off, Cheev felt no guilt and gaslighted Lunthom, accusing her of being the cause of his unhappiness. He blamed her for keeping him captive in an unsatisfactory marriage, despite knowing how much she loved him and that she was willing to do anything to ensure his happiness. Lunthom didn't give up on their marriage; instead, she tried to make things work with Cheev. She hoped that, like before, he would fall in love with her again and their lives would return to normal. But as luck would have it, Lunthom's life was cut short.
His sudden death was a cause for celebration for Cheev and his girlfriend, Ros. They had always wanted to be together forever, and after Lunthom's funeral, they planned to formalize their relationship. But there was one condition: according to Lunthom's will, Cheev was to spend the next 100 days caring for his corpse, and only then would he inherit all his possessions. It was a strange clause; perhaps it reflected her desperation to be with Cheev even after his death, or perhaps it was her way of testing how far Cheev was willing to go for material possessions.
The film takes a mischievous turn when Lunthom's ghost begins to haunt Ros. He despised the young woman and blamed her, to some extent, for ruining his marriage. It was obvious that her husband was equally responsible for the affair, but Lunthom's hatred was directed primarily at his girlfriend. It felt too one-sided to see her tormenting his girlfriend primarily, somehow adhering to the typical idea that women fight over men, rather than holding the man responsible. Does the film also aim to satisfy its audience by giving them the pleasure of watching a woman tortured for daring to fall in love with a married man? That's one way to interpret what's happening on screen. The good thing in this case is that Lunthom also had plans for Cheev.
The ending of Tomb Watcher wasn't as predictable as I thought. It rather leaves room for speculation. In the mix of horror and drama, the drama works decently well, but the horror isn't up to par. Aside from a few sudden jump scares, there isn't much to tell. Perhaps a more abstract supernatural presence would have been more effective than an actual ghost walking around. Besides, how can you expect to take a ghost with a good dose of highlighter on its face seriously? I ended up laughing instead of being scared, and well, that's never a good reaction to a horror film. As a romantic drama thriller, the plot and narrative would have worked well. The emotions were in place; the overarching themes of obsession, betrayal, and greed are intriguing enough, but it's the horror that leaves a bitter taste. Since most of the plot revolves around a ghost, shocking jump scares are to be expected.
Thanavate Siriwattanagul (Master of the House, See Us Again), as the unfaithful husband, Cheev, was quite convincing. Although the character seems like a simple and honest man, his behavior gradually changes as his selfishness begins to surface. Rossukhon, aka Ros, played by Arachaporn Pokinpakorn (The Red Envelope, Faces of Anne), aptly captures the character's conflict. Ros was in love and didn't feel guilty. She wanted to believe Cheev was the man of her dreams, but there were times when she doubted her decision. Woranuch Bhirom Bhakdi, as Lunthom, realistically portrayed the character's suffering and disappointment, and her journey from being a strong-willed woman to falling so deeply in love that she lost her mental clarity. However, as I said, Lunthom's ghost was quite disappointing!
If you're in the mood for a bit of melodrama with a horror twist, then you might consider giving this Thai Netflix film a try. But if you're looking for a terrifying horror film, then I think Tomb Watcher is going to disappoint you. There's barely any scare factor, the ghost isn't frightening, and it lacks the chilling element you'd generally expect from a horror film. As a love triangle drama, the film is more or less average. The film had a lot of room to explore, considering it's about a woman who discovered her husband cheating on her and her husband came back into his life in the form of a ghost. It could have been much more brutal, but the film takes its time getting to the disturbing part.
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