Sexy women dressed as nurses are not a new trend or a new interest in Hollywood … or any other platform for that matter. Thai cinema is no exception. Revolver Entertainment presents to us “Sick Nurses” — or “Suay Laak Sai” in the Thai tongue. Released in Thailand in June 2007, the film did not do well at the box office, scraping in a reported $335,399. My speculation is that the genre of Asian ghost stories in the likeness of “The Ring,” “The Grudge” and “The Eye” is tired and overdone.
This particular story is about a doctor and seven nurses who are in the business of harvesting organs. The catalyst for the chain of events that plunge the plot into an Asian ghost story is … love. One of the nurses falls head over heels for the doctor and, out of jealousy, one of the other nurses (who just so happens to be her sister) tries to convince the other six to back out of their farming duties. When she threatens to cry wolf to the police, the band of six and their leader murder her, but whilst she departs, she mutters a curse, and what kind of horror movie would it be if the curse she bestows wasn’t a vengeful one? And I bet you will never guess how many days it takes her soul to return to torment those responsible for her death, I’ll actually give you three guesses. Yes, that’s right: seven days. The violent revenge spree preys on the nurses weaknesses and obsessions, which I’m sure makes for very interesting and creative death scenes.
There was some controversy over this film’s release in Thailand regarding censorship, as many felt this film was given slack due to it’s unbelievable plot lines. The film is violent, gory, and full of torturous death scenes, but there is one aspect which I believe caused the uproar to begin with, and without saying to much, I shall simply say two words, gender switch. Negativity aside, when the film was shown at the 2007 Hawaii International Film Festival in the Extreme Asian section, it received positive reviews, one coming from Variety which called the film “slickly executed.”
“Sick Nurses” is said to be a witty horror story. In my book, most B-style horror flicks MUST be witty because if they aren’t, they are simply laughed AT. I am torn when it comes to these types of films. I loved “Ringu,” I enjoyed “The Ring,” but only one line made the sequel worthwhile. “Gin Gwai” was cinematically fantastic, “The Eye” was entertaining; I have not seen any sequels in that franchise. “The Grudge” was decent, until it’s sequels. Remakes and sequels are on my last nerve when it comes to cinematic adventures.
I will check out “Sick Nurses” as I am a fan of blood and guts and of horror, and I mean all horror. I don’t expect the film to be super scary, but I imagine it will have good “jump” moments, and I do anticipate the death scenes to be fairly original and different. If by the end of the film I was entertained for its running time of 82 minutes, then that is all I need when it comes to films that aren’t blockbuster competitors and know where they stand as far as genre and target audience.
“Sick Nurses” is available on DVD and video on demand.
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Follow Jessika Owens on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jessika.
Im over the sterotypical asian horror films, but at least this isnt being released in threaters like the rest of them were!
You know I’m a sucker for corny horror, as long as there some good death scenes I can’t complain too much! These are more funny than anything, still entertaining as long as it’s not too too bad!