Asian horror is a category and artform all its own, separate from regular everyday American horror that you may be used to. Lingering follows in the Asian footsteps that came before but doesn’t do anything to distinguish itself from others before it. All the things that make the genre great are what plagues this supernatural tale and slows its pacing to almost a snail’s crawl. An interesting viewing but ultimately doesn’t live up to favorites like Ju-on, Ringu, or Tale of Two Sisters.
Lingering follows Yoo-mi as she is given custody of her younger sister. The main story starts with her talking to a social worker about getting custody of the sister. Reluctantly she takes her new younger sibling and heads to an old country hotel that’s in its off season and empty except for a housekeeper and her aunt. The aunt is a longtime family friend that helped raise Yoo-mi as her mother worked for her as a housekeeper. Part of the social worker encounter lets you in on the fact that the little sister is a troubled child with over the top reactions and tends to be a liar. This really sets up what you expect to come.
As with other Asian supernatural films like the previously mentioned Ju-on, there are dimly lit faces in the darkness, the always almost off character figures and the things that always worked previously in the genre that follows the style. This is where it starts to fall apart. As the story progresses you can’t help but notice that they seem to be spending too much time trying to build a suspenseful setting and story, but it really drags it out and makes the movie somewhat slow. There is no rise in action. Sure, that kind of pacing worked for things like The Witch or Hereditary. It doesn’t quite work for the Lingering. It just makes the progression drag until the final events.
As a whole, the story has some interesting points, but the lows tend to detract from the highs. I did find the ending somewhat predictable from very early on in the movie. It will never impress as much as old Tartan Films from the early 2000s. The superstition and ghostly views of the Asian culture is always interesting and brings on some extremely good stories and movies. Director Joko Anwar’s Malaysian village curse movie, Impetigore, is a perfect example of how the category can be. For the most part they thrive on tension and building suspense. Lingering just fell short attempting to get you wound up and ends up leaving you more let down and ultimately unsatisfied. It doesn’t make it a bad movie. It just isn’t one you will watch more than once or twice to make sure you didn’t miss something more sinister that may have been lurking in the shadows.
RORSCHACH RATING
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by) and more. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Lingering is property of Shudder. We do not own nor claim any rights. Lingering is streaming exclusively on Shudder beginning November 12th, 2020.
You can now support us on Patreon. Help us get mental health resources into schools and get exclusive content at the same time. Click here to join today!