[Seventh Moon]
Plot:Involves a honeymooning couple in China who's visit just so happens to coincide with the seventh lunar month, which is the Chinese version of Halloween, a day which is deeply rooted in Chinese superstition.

Cast:Amy Smart, Tim Chiou.

My Thoughts:Well played for the most part.

Review:"Seventh Moon" is Director Eduardo Sanchez's latest attempt at supernatural horror. Sanchez was one half of the team who brought us "The Blairwitch Project" ten years ago. "Seventh Moon" works where that film didn't work though, in many areas. Mostly in some of the more important areas where a horror movie needs to work in order to be successful. The film follows a young honeymooning couple named Melissa (Smart), and Yul (Chiou), who visit Yul's homeland of China for their honeymoon.

Their visit however coincides with Chinese Ghost Month, a time on the Chinese calendar which is deeply rooted in supernatural superstitition. And as we've learned from films such as "They Wait", another horror movie where an Asian male/White Female couple make a visit to China, which just so happens to coincide on the lunar calendar's "Ghost Month", visiting China in or around Ghost Month is always a bad idea. In fact, it's something that is becoming a staple in the genre, similar to our old American horror film traditions of not going into the basement to investigate the strange noise, and not trapsing around the spooky haunted house at the end of the block.

At any rate, the two partake in the Ghost Month festivities before they head back, driven back by a man named Ping. Their driver Ping though gets lost, and decides to stop the car in the Chinese countryside, get out, and ask for directions. He never returns, so Melissa and Yul go to search for him. That's when they run upon a Chinese cult celebrating Ghost Month. And Yul and Melissa soon find themselves in a terrifying situation, as they are now the cults sacrificial targets.

Like most horror films set in the countryside, "Seventh Moon" teaches us a similar lesson about that particular section of any place. Whether it's America, France, Britain, Ireland, or Russia...the countryside is a no go zone for foreigners, as it is home to all sorts of psychopaths, cannibals, murderers, and the like. In this films case though, the antagonists are driven more by their superstitious beliefs, rather than a mindset which drives them to enjoy torture and sadistic acts.

They really believe in their traditions so much, that sacrificing two people who they don't even know, seems like the normal and right thing to do for them. But the cult wants Melissa more than they do Yul, and the reasoning for this is revealed later on in the film. The movie builds suspense and creates tension and intrigue by using the dark, spooky, and pitch-black countryside setting to it's visual advantage. It also doesn't over-score any of the scenes, and the abundance of quiet and silence in some of the chase scenes, as the cult pursues the films protags; through every crevice, nook, and cranny of the Chinese countryside, really makes many of the films most important and key scenes work really well.

Not showing the cult members too much also drives the suspense, thrills, and chills in the movie. As it makes it seem like Yul and Melissa are being pursued by a dark and shadowy enemy, who may or may not even be human. Smart and Chiou have great on screen chemistry, and the film also works some of their character flaws into the overall scenario that they're facing. Melissa for example, is the stronger one of the couple. But while she is brave and has much inner-strength, she goes into situations head-first, rather than coming up with a plan first. She is mostly driven by emotion.

Chiou's character Yul is a fun-loving, easy-going guy. But when faced with danger, quits way too early and doesn't have as much of a survival instinct as his new bride. Thus, the two, while being chased, clash often on a personality level, and this in some ways hinders their chances of surviving the ordeal, and escaping the cult. But it should also be noted that despite their differences, they keep running and never stop. Which makes the film very suspenseful with so much drama and turmoil coming from the outer and inner areas of their relationship.

This movie is very low on blood and gore, beyond some scenes of sacrificed and gutted animals. Don't expect a high body count here, but Sanchez has never been a guy to rely on that sort of thing. His films by design, are tailored to put forth the creepy, odd, and psychologically terrifying, emotional and mental aspects of the genre. Rather than the visual aspects of blood, gore, and rampant murder and killing. "Seventh Moon" does however have a glaring flaw.

Which ironically enough, is exactly what hurt "The Blairwitch Project", Sanchez's freshman horror film. Shaky camera angles, and poor, poor lighting. There are many scenes in this film where the camera shakes too much, and action scenes where you can barely see what's happening. One scene in particular which comes to mind, is a scene where Melissa and Yul are lured into a tomb by the cult. A tomb lit with candles, but despite the candles, you can hardly see what's taking place in any scenes which occur within the tomb.

This really hurts the movie, and while your film can be strong in script, suspense, and chills, without the proper lighting, and seizure-inducing visuals from a camera point of view, it can still fall short of being a great movie overall. "Seventh Moon"s finale is a very dark and downer-ish conclusion, and Amy Smart really ratchets up the emotional and dramatic aspects of her character, as she pushes forward and tries to save her husband and herself from the cult. "Seventh Moon" is a movie that's definitely worth seeing atleast once. While it succeeds in bringing out the basic elements of the genre such as suspense, chills, and thrills, it still could've used some really better lighting.

Positives:Amy Smart and Tim Chiou give good performances. The story is very dark and ominous, and keeps you interested and attetive throughout.

Negatives:The shaky camera angles, and the terrible lighting really kept many scenes from being the best they could be.

Overall:Three out of four stars.





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