After a brief hiatus we’re back, and with a review of the 2017 film, The Temple. Of all the ways to come back, this was probably not the best.
The Temple treads well-worn territory. Three young Americans head off to mysterious foreign lands (in this case, Japan) and are soon messing with things they don’t understand. After numerous warnings to leave well enough alone, they strike off to visit the forbidden temple where a bunch of people have died. When things get wonky, they end up spending the night. Bad idea. You know where this is going, and there isn’t going to be a twist.
It’s a movie you’ve seen a thousand times–and 993 of those times were better. The characters are woefully underdeveloped, and if you care about these people when they start to die, you are a better person than I. The usual J-horror tropes are present, particularly pale, scary children with haunted eyes and sharp teeth. An homage to an actual piece of Japanese folklore–the tricksy, shape-shifting fox–is a welcome addition, but not enough to save the film. Spend your time elsewhere.
2 of 5 Stars
Beware The Shadows 