*Never After Dark* is one of the most hypnotic ghost stories to emerge recently. This Japanese production avoids the paranormal clichés that have become tiresome in post-*The Conjuring* cinema, creating instead a constant sense of psychological unease that emanates from both the human and supernatural characters.
Airi (Moeka Hoshi) is an itinerant medium who helps people rid themselves of ghosts. She often relies on the help of the spirit of her late sister, Miku (Kurumi Inagaki), with whom she regularly converses (we see Miku reflected in windows and mirrors). Teiko (Tae Kimura), the new owner of a large, isolated house, hires Airi—along with her son, Gunji (Kento Kako)—to remove a ghost from the property. Airi accepts, but on the condition that Teiko and Gunji stay away while she works. Since the "veil" between the world of the living and the afterlife is too thin at night, she performs her work only during the day.
The most novel aspect of *Never After Dark* is that Airi feels absolutely no fear. She has done enough jobs of this kind to know that ghosts do not pose a major threat. Humans, on the other hand, make her very nervous. That contrast becomes particularly striking when she discovers the ghost: a figure with a gaping, open wound for a mouth, persistently trying to claw at a closet in one of the rooms. The fact that her hosts keep showing up, hoping to watch her work, suggests they might be plotting something more sinister than the spirit itself.
Writer-director Dave Boyle takes his time with the story, allowing a slow-burning suspense to build. His portrayal of Airi’s work is unsettling. She moves between worlds, mesmerized by a spinning zoetrope, and then tracks the spirit through the house, trying to figure out what it wants. This setup later gives way to a harrowing sequence in which Airi races to extinguish a candle that will bring her back before she becomes trapped in the afterlife. The film's third act delivers more traditional, impactful moments that significantly deepen the mysteries established in the first two acts.
Moeka Hoshi plays Airi to perfection, capturing how the character feels more at ease among the dead than the living. She also conveys the inner pain stemming from the loss of Miku. In many ways, the film is a character study of Airi—how this case transforms her and how she is forced to confront what she had been avoiding. Hoshi brings emotional depth to the role, adding a new dimension to the horror elements.
With a visually striking atmosphere and unpredictable twists, *Never After Dark* is a ghost story with soul. It truly makes your skin crawl.
Comments
Post a Comment