Hey there, horror movie fans! If you're anything like me, you love a good horror anthology movie—it's like getting a bunch of spooky stories all in one go. Plus, for those of us with a short attention span, it’s a perfect pick! When it comes to horror anthologies, Thailand definitely knows how to do it right. Some of my all-time favorites are "4bia," "3 AM," "Bangkok Haunted," and, of course, "Haunted Universities."
The original "Haunted Universities" came out 15 years ago, and then we got "Haunted Universities 2nd Semester" in 2022. So, when I saw the trailer for "Haunted Universities 3," I was pumped! The first two movies were a perfect blend of horror and comedy. If you're into Thai horror anthologies, you know there's always one story that's a horror-comedy gem.
But, let's talk about "Haunted Universities 3." Sadly, it didn't quite hit the mark like the previous two. It feels like they're running out of ideas and just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. This one has three stories, and here’s why it didn’t quite live up to its predecessors.
The Princess Terror
First up is "The Princess Terror," about a Ghost Princess who grants wishes to couples. But here's the twist: if the couple isn't genuine, one of them gets beheaded, just like the Princess did for falling in love with her slave. The story kicks off with two best friends applying for a university scholarship, only to find out that only one of them will get it. The guy asks his bestie to pretend they're a couple and pray to the Princess. Without giving too much away, let's just say the story was okay, but the acting was a bit stiff and the horror scenes were scarce.
The Caretaker
Next is "The Caretaker," and boy, was this one a snooze fest. It revolves around hazing culture at a university and a senior who started the tradition decades ago. He killed himself out of guilt for beating a junior to death, and the hazing tradition continues until one character decides enough is enough. There’s a bit of BL (Boys' Love) in there, but the ghost was so robotic it killed any real sense of horror. The storyline had potential, but the execution just wasn't there.
The Invincible Shrine
Now, this one was the star of the show! "The Invincible Shrine" is a horror comedy about a guy who steals a garland from a shrine to give to his best friend performing at a Halloween festival. They both get haunted by the shrine's spirits and try to return the garland. But here's the catch: the shrine can only be seen by those who don’t know its haunted secret. So, they enlist another student who’s clueless about the shrine to help them. It was funny, fast-paced, and definitely my favorite story of the three.
All in all, "Haunted Universities 3" was just okay. The previous two were so good that I had high hopes for this one, but it didn’t quite measure up. I’m giving it a 7/10, with 5 of those points coming solely from the third story. If you want to check it out, it's playing at selected GSC and TGV cinemas, though not in many places.
That's all from me! Until next time!
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