WIG, THE - DVD review

With so many Asian horror films built around the pale ghost girl with long, black hair, it was only a matter of time before somebody made a film where the hair itself was the villain. The premise of "The Wig" certainly sounds hokey. When I saw the DVD, I immediately thought of "Hell Toupee," one of the stories from "The Simpsons" Halloween specials. I didn't find "The Wig" so silly as much as I found it to be a complete bore. Even if you've only seen a handful of Asian horror films (or their American remakes), then you'll find the recurring images and unoriginal plot to be predictable and familiar.

So-hoon (Chae Min-seo) has been fighting a tough battle with cancer. Recently, she has taken a slight turn for the better and is finally being discharged from the hospital. So-hoon's older sister, Ji-hoon (Yu Seon), has also had it rough. She lost her voice after her vocal chords were damaged in a gruesome, "Final Destination"-style car accident. So-hoon has lost her hair due to numerous chemotherapy sessions so Ji-hoon brings her a wig of long, black hair.

The wig begins to do wonders for So-hoon. Whenever she wears it, she's more energetic and healthier than ever before. When So-hoon isn't wearing the wig, she reverts back to her sickly self. One night, Ji-hoon finds her younger sister collapsed in the bathroom. So So-hoon finds she is more and more dependent on the wig. Her personality starts to change the more she wears the wig. She crawls all over her sister's art teacher boyfriend, much to his dismay. Ji-hoon has her suspicions about the wig and she investigates the hairpiece's origins. She discovers the hair came from a high school student who supposedly committed suicide. Of course, the student's death doesn't turn out to be so simple.

"The Wig" follows the exact same formulaic storyline that the majority of Asian horror films follow. Spooky object, haunting, creepy nightmares, delving into secrets, and shocking revelations. Right away, "The Wig" will draw comparisons to "The Eye" which has the same basic premise. "The Wig" also borrows liberally from "Shutter." So-hoon's wig looks normal, but through a camera lens, the hair can be seen slithering through the air like tendrils. The resolution and how the main characters tie into the wig's origins is also very similar to the climax of "Shutter."

"The Wig" is the feature film debut for director Won Shin-yeon who also co-wrote the screenplay. Like other directors working the Asian horror genre, Won has a good sense for composing his shots, but brings absolutely nothing new.

VIDEO:
The video is presented in anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The transfer is clean. The film uses mostly gray, green, and blacks. Nothing that will make your eyes pop, but a solid presentation.

AUDIO:
The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in the film's original Korean language track with optional English subtitles. Again, the sound is good, but it won't give your system a workout.

EXTRAS:
The DVD comes with three featurettes. The first two, The Making of The Wig (19:34) and Special Effects (10:24), are the standard making-of bonus features with on-the-set footage mixed in with talking head interviews of the cast and crew.

Behind the Scenes (9:00) is a collection of more on-the-set footage.

FILM VALUE:
I don't really have anything new to add with this review of "The Wig." Mostly because everything else I've said about other derivative Asian horror films applies to this one too. "The Wig" is the same film many of you have already seen just with a new set of actors and a new gimmick. It's by-the-numbers and the predictable nature of the story leaves the film devoid of any chills or suspense.