Ladda Land (2011) Movie Review, Trailer and Poster

Thailand 2011
Director: Sopon Sakdapisit
Cast: Saharat Sangkapreecha, Piyathida Woramuksik, Sutadta Udomsil, Atipit Chutiwatkajornchai
Rating: -
Language: Thai
Release Date: 28 April 2011 (Thailand); 8 June 2011 (Indonesia)
Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

The Movie Review

I'd promised to Movielogy readers when writing for The Ward (2010) about several weeks ago that I would see Ladda Land. So I went to one of my favorite movie theaters, Blitz Megaplex in Mall of Indonesia :-) Blitz employees and even the securities are always friendly, plus it's not that crowded compared to Blitz in Grand Indonesia for example. I thought that it would've been an empty studio by that day (30 June) but... No, there were still many people watching this excellent Thai horror.

Mr. Theera (Saharat Sangkapreecha) is moving to a new house with his beautiful wife, Parn (Piyathida Woramusik), a little boy, Nat (Atipit Chutiwatkajornchai), and a 14-year old daughter, Nan (Sutadta Udomsil). From the outside they seem like a harmonious family but somehow Nan in some ways despise her family, mainly the father. This behavior is probably due to


LADDA LAND
Storyline:
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her leaving Bangkok to Chiang Mai province which also means leaving her grandmother and all of her friends. Mr. Theera is also detested by his mother-in-law by the way :-) and this is one of the reasons why he insists on moving and staying in Ladda Land once he got promoted in his office. With a salary of 6.000 Baht a month it won't be difficult to pay 3.000 Baht a month for the lovely house.

During their first days in Ladda Land gated housing complex, Thee and Parn are planning to hire a maid from Birma named Makin who initially works in house number 8 belongs to a foreigner. Thee even stops by at the house to confirm her intention to work with him, but Makin --who is watering the plants-- doesn't say a word and just keeps silence. The next morning, the neighbourhood is filled with police officers finding the rotten dead body of Makin in such sad condition stuffed in the fridge after the house got robbed! She's been dead for days.

From that day on, Ladda Land complex is constantly terrorized by Makin's ghost and weird things keep on going in the house number 8. What will happen to Thee and his family? Will they stay or leave? What about their neighbours?

Love it. Just love the movie :-) Apparently this film is based on true story of Ladda Land housing complex which is now abandoned by its residents. Not such a weird thing to me actually, my grandfather's house and the neighborhood in a place at Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, were also severely haunted. Sorry, I can't mention the place or else ;-) So I could somehow relate or believe the story even stronger compared to other Asian horror films.

The opening scene promises something beautiful which imitates life insurance advertisement. this is a good psychological trick to give the audience more effect of the horror factor. Beautiful sight of the big house, a view to the mountain and serene location. All that in soft warm colours but then all that is changed to bluish grey sombre colours. I admit it still employs boo scares aided by loud deafening sound but man the music score is creepy or what?!

Scary? Yes. Frightening? Yes. But the most scariest Thai horror? No. That would make this as ordinary right? That's a big NO. Because Ladda Land is excellent in many things, surprisingly also in the Drama department. We are talking about audience's emotional involvement to the characters. So we are not just sitting there waiting for a ghost to scare the hell out of you, but we do also care of what happens to Thee, Parn, Nan and Nat.

There is this good and touching feeling after leaving the studio. I know it sounds weird but believe me this movie delivers more than just great horror scenes. The viewers back in the studio were screaming and gasping but then suddenly in the end I'm pretty darn sure some viewers were holding back their tears. Weekend? Confused of a good horror? Go and watch this another great Thai horror! Happy Weekend :-D

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com
posted: Saturday, 2 July 2011 10:49 am