To quote the closing credits: "Every year, for 30 days during the lunar 7th month, the chinese believe that the gates of hell are thrown open. Vengeful spirits or hungry ghosts wander among the living, seeking revenge and justice before the gates of hell are closed for another year". This belief is the basis for The
Maid. 18-year old Rosa (de Rossi) comes to Singapore to work as a maid for a married couple who happen to belong to a chinese opera troupe. Right away, the couple begins teaching her about the "7th month" as they make offerings on their front sidewalk. Rosa, however, believes she has somehow offended the spirits when they begin to follow her about. As a stranger, she continuously seems to make spiritual blunders. Soon, the couple brings home their mentally challenged son, "Ah Soon", a large adult with the mind of a child. Although Ah Soon carries a vaguely threatening presence, she soon befriends him, and simultaneously starts having terrifying dreams (one in particular, about her brother whom she's come here to work for in order to pay for his operation). The Maid follows in the tradition of "The Grudge" and "The Ring", there's a strong asian horror aesthetic (which doesn't always translate well to western audiences). It's a decent enought twist at the end, but the movie is more creepy than scary. If I were to compare it to another movie, I'd say it's very similar to the film "Skeleton Key".
February 14, 2009
