In 1986 there was a massacre at a military camp in Cambodia, a camp which had seen its fair share of torture under the commandant's rule. Now those days are gone, a Thai television production team have settled upon the buildings as the ideal site for their reality TV show where eleven contestants are taken downriver to stay there for a few days and nights, filmed all the while, and when they can't take the scares anymore they can elect to leave. The contestant left standing by the end of the series is judged the winner, but they, and the men behind the scenes, find more than they bargained for...
Ghost Game, originally called Laa-thaa-phii, was unusual for starring eleven contestants from another Thai game show, a real one this time called Academy Fantasia. This was an American Idol-style talent show, which from some angles made this film a horror film version of From Justin to Kelly. Or even more of a horror film version of From Justin to Kelly. In effect, what we watch is like a cross between Big Brother and Most Haunted, and the same green gloom look is implemented throughout, whether it's supposed to be day or night, one of the ways in which the experience becomes somewhat monotonous.
Not that it's a badly made film, and the inexperienced cast at least achieve a level of convincing interaction, although as the story goes on they're mainly required to look scared and panicky. It's just that once you have accepted the premise that they're setting foot in a building where evil spirits and the unquiet dead still roam, it's no great shock when they end up vicitmised by the supernatural forces, which as in life are led by the commandant who makes his presence felt near the end.
The fictional production team are somewhat sadistic, which can prompt relevant questions as to precisely what justification of entertainment can be garnered from reality TV when it relies on the humiliation of the participants. Alas, this provocative line of thought amounts to very little when the actual production team are intent on simply bumping off these TV stars in various violent manners; a little soul searching in a Year of the Sex Olympics kind of way would not have gone amiss.
As it is, we might as well be viewing a Thai copy of a Hollywood slasher which, although not especially gory (death by turnstile?!), merely exists to provide a measure of sensationalist thrills which would probably mean more to viewers of the talent show that spawned the stars than anyone outside of their home country. Ghost Game did gain a certain notoriety when it was banned in Cambodia for apparently making light of actual Khmer Rouge crimes against humanity by using them as the backdrop for their story, but it doesn't even reach that level of bad taste. Chiefly, what you get is a lot of wandering about in the dark with characters drawn from stock; it's perfectly watchable but remains a cash in.
[CineAsia's Region 2 DVD has as extras a featurette (the Thai cinemagoers interviewed were very impressed with the film) and some trailers.]
