Courtesy of Variety, we have a new look at the supernatural horror film from Danny and Oxide Pang (The Eye, 2002), titled The Mage (pictured above).
The film stars Josie Ho as Lan Pui Ching, a one-time spirit medium turned scavenger who gathers cast-off objects she is convinced hold the spirits of those who met sudden deaths, and who tries to guide those souls toward reincarnation. She keeps turning up at the scenes of deaths that look suspicious, which puts her on the radar of police officer Wong Ming. As the investigation uncovers a string of killings linked to a strange ritual, the two are pushed into working together, facing down otherworldly threats as well as unfinished business from Lan’s past.
Iman Taheri, Carlos Chan, German Cheung, Kathy Yuen and Sabrina Ng also star.
Variety notes that “the film fuses horror and crime with Hong Kong spiritual folklore, and is aimed at fans of midnight movies and cult cinema.”
Say no more. That’s right up my alley.
Conroy Chan produced the Cantonese-language feature for 852 Films.
The film world premiered in July at South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) and is next set for its European premiere during Sitges.
The Mage is currently on a theatrical run throughout Asia. No word yet on when we’ll see it in other markets.
The Pang Bros. debuted Bangkok Dangerous back in 2000, before catching the attention of genre fans with The Eye in 2002. Released during the Asian horror remake craze, the film was remade in 2008 and starred Jessica Alba (skip that one and just watch the original if you’ve never seen it).
Stay tuned to Dread as we learn when we can expect to see The Mage here in the States.
