An insurance salesman turns his life into a hellish nightmare by answering a phone call.

I must admit this was the first "horror" movie I saw in a theater, and I was on the edge of my seat--that is until I just couldn't help laughing any longer. This isn't one of those movies where you throw your bag of pop-corn at the character on-screen who just decides to go check out what that screaking noise could possibly have been. You just laugh at the guy and his contorted expression, and when he decides to hang around longer in the killer's house while scaring himself silly--you just have to laugh at him!

Whether intended or not, this effect made the movie a very enjoyable experience, and the movie also has one of the best *SPOILER* make-out-scene-editing that I have ever seen--no nudity.

Enjoyable fare from 1999! Before the Asian Horror boom hit internationally, this adaptation of a best-selling book was made (and remade 8 years later in South Korea). To me, this film is something of a collusion between a Noir thriller and a Horror film. The languid pacing, nebbish investigator, slow unraveling of clues, and cat and mouse between the principal characters, all originate with Noir. But the body horror, psychological analysis, stalking of the protagonist, and color themes (green then yellow then red) come from Horror. However, if I were to leave out the humor, it would be a complete misrepresentation. The Japanese often love to include black humor in their twisted tales, and this film is a prime example. In trying to keep this review spoiler free, I won't include the long list of goofy moments, but it's all plain to see. This plays into the illogical motives of the characters at times which keeps this from being a deadly serious tale. On the critical side, I will say that it doesn't match later efforts in Asian Horror cinema, in respect to taut, action packed storylines; but I appreciated it's place in the history of that genre. When the confrontation about 90 mins in was put off; I must admit I was mildly frustrated. But the final 20 mins(!) ended up being a solid climax, and I then saw some logic in frustrating the viewer just to amp up their desire for resolution. Overall fun but not genre defining. Rather, a piece of the puzzle that lead to something much greater later on.

I don't know why this one hasn't been seen more. Excellent direction, acting, shooting, music and mood. It's definitely ripe for another USA, copy-cat production, and not much would have to be changed, because it's a fairly universal plot involving insurance scams, psychopaths and other fun stuff. The two other reviews mentioned the comical aspect of the meek insurance agent, but that's what made it so much fun to begin with, and created the necessary tension any good thriller needs. The director created a lot of great atmosphere which really drew you into the film, as opposed to a complete failure like "Carved (The Slit Mouthed Woman"),which had nothing going for it. I watched the two movies one after another, and the difference was night and day.