Rigor Mortis is the debut film from former actor turned director Juno Mak and it’s an auspicious first effort. Mak pulls out all the stops to create a heavily stylised and frenetic world of shadows, blood and martial arts. Rigor Mortis is playing at MIFF as part of the ‘Haunted Hong Kong’ stream and Mak’s film pays homage to the classic ‘jiangshi’ films of the 1980s, such as the Mr. Vampire franchise. The dominant tropes of the genre are on display in this film; zombies, vampires and a deft balancing of comedy, horror and kung fu.
The film begins with Chin Siu-ho (a famous action film star playing a version of himself) moving into a cavernous apartment complex after losing contact with his wife and son; this narrative path is never fully developed or explained. He promptly attempts to commit suicide but is interrupted by a creepy ghostlike figure before being rescued by chef/grizzled ex-vampire hunter Yau (Anthony Chan). He eventually informs Siu-ho that the spirit of a young woman who was brutally raped and committed suicide years earlier haunts his apartment. The flashback scene detailing these events is the most gruesome and graphic in the film; you have been warned! A subplot involving an elderly woman called Auntie Mui (Paw Hee-ching) and her attempts to resurrect her dead husband (Richard Ng) with the assistance of a black magic master (Chung Fat) makes up the remainder of the narrative. Throw in a creepy kid in a Sia wig, slow motion gravity defying fight sequences and twin ghosts in the obligatory Ring style (black hair covering eyes, twisting limbs etc.) and you’ve got one crazy fast-paced adventure ride of a movie.
Rigor Mortis is beautifully shot by cinematographer Ng Kai-Ming. Expansive long shots are constantly juxtaposed with extreme close ups and Kai-Ming experiments with depth of field and perspective. The various shots of the high-rise apartment block reveal the cinematographer’s creativity and create a menacing sense of dread. The majority of the cast are veterans of the ‘jiangshi’ and martial arts film worlds deepening Mak’s quest to reinvigorate and contemporise the genre. Standout performances include Chan as the exhausted foul-mouthed Yau and Hee-ching as the desperate Auntie Mui; her performance is heartbreaking.
As a novice to the genre it took me a while to get into the style and pace of the film. The director sets up Siu-ho as the main protagonist before abandoning his story somewhat to focus on the other colourful inhabitants in the building, but eventually you just sort of end up going along for the ride. There are some dark themes (child sacrifice!) and explosive moments of violence, however the overall feeling of Rigor Mortis is more boisterous than brutal.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Rigor Mortis
Director: Juno Mak
Hong Kong, 2013, 105 min
Melbourne International Film Festival
www.miff.com.au
31 July – 17 August
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