Gui si (Silk) (2006)

40% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
59% of users liked it
(2,458 ratings)

The ghost of a young boy haunts a Taipei apartment block in Better Than Sex director Su Chao-pin's urban spook story. Hashimoto (Yosuke Eguchi) is a paranormal investigator who uses an anti-gravitational device called the Menger Sponge to trap wayward spirits. Upon exploring a haunted Taipei… More The ghost of a young boy haunts a Taipei apartment block in Better Than Sex director Su Chao-pin's urban spook story. Hashimoto (Yosuke Eguchi) is a paranormal investigator who uses an anti-gravitational device called the Menger Sponge to trap wayward spirits. Upon exploring a haunted Taipei apartment complex, Hashimoto and his crew capture the specter of a young boy who apparently perished under mysterious circumstances. When Hashimoto brings local policeman Yi Chi-tung in to help identify the boy, jealous ghost hunter Su Yuen (Barbie Hsu) makes a tragic attempt to steal the ghost that leaves Yi free to release and follow the spirit. As Yi's turbulent past slowly begins to come into focus, another, more malevolent supernatural force somehow related to the boy threatens to rain doom down on all involved in the investigation. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 57 min.
Directed By: Chao-Bin Su
Genres: Horror, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: May 24, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Jun 12, 2007

Critic Reviews

Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter
The film relies heavily on dramatic music for its thrills and some of the effects are a bit cheesy, but it appears to be so well meant that these flaws are easily forgiven.
Derek Elley, Variety
Over-complicated script, which tries to mix science, ghost cliches and protags' personal problems in a single pot, starts OK but gradually runs out of steam after the first 40 minutes.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
isn't quite the terrorfest that it's billed as, but it will hold your interest. Just don't expect to scream.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Su Chao-Bin does some remarkable things by keeping his little ghost in plain sight; he creates the kind of dead-on spectral chills that all the silly jump-scares in the world can't quite equal.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Depois de prender a atenção do público durante sua metade inicial graças a idéias e momentos interessantes, o roteiro se perde sem maiores avisos, transformando-se em uma bagunça capaz de levar até mesmo o mais paciente dos espectadores à loucura.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Drew S

This isn't an absolute travesty like most of the shit Tartan distributed in its twilight hour, but it isn't very good either. Props for an ambitious, if not perfectly-realized, plot, and for avoiding a surprising amount of Asian horror cliches. Yes, THAT ghost is still… More
This isn't an absolute travesty like most of the shit Tartan distributed in its twilight hour, but it isn't very good either. Props for an ambitious, if not perfectly-realized, plot, and for avoiding a surprising amount of Asian horror cliches. Yes, THAT ghost is still rammed down our throats wholesale, but Silk is blessedly free of familial dissolution and inexplicable female rivalry and all those themes that were original ten years ago. Despite noble intentions, Silk is constructed like a typical American thriller on about a tenth of the budget, which leaves the movie feeling anywhere from unmemorable to straight-up hilarious. There's a fantastically bad CGI car crash near the end, one that could have been much more effective with a cut to a black screen and screeching tires. This feels like the product of someone who watched a lot of American films but didn't know what made them work. Between that and the performances (one decent from our protagonist, one completely atrocious from singer Karena Lam, and the rest falling on some side of bad), Silk just doesn't have what it takes to get off the ground. Not recommended unless you're really jonesing for some Hong Kong horror.
Greg S

Scientists investigate a ghost they have trapped in a tenement apartment in this action/sci-fi/horror from Taiwan. With its pseudo-scientific explanations of ghost lore, this movie asks you to turn your brain on, but it only works if you turn it off and just enjoy the visuals.… More
Scientists investigate a ghost they have trapped in a tenement apartment in this action/sci-fi/horror from Taiwan. With its pseudo-scientific explanations of ghost lore, this movie asks you to turn your brain on, but it only works if you turn it off and just enjoy the visuals. Unfortunately, the nonsense becomes tedious in the last act and SILK loses momentum.
Eduardo C

After a great deal of trouble, a group of scientists have managed to trap the ghost of a child in a room. The room is secure and the ghost is unaware he is trapped. The physicists, with the help of a lip reader, aim to discover who the boy was and why his life force remains by… More
After a great deal of trouble, a group of scientists have managed to trap the ghost of a child in a room. The room is secure and the ghost is unaware he is trapped. The physicists, with the help of a lip reader, aim to discover who the boy was and why his life force remains by studying the boy's occasional words and keeping a detailed, timestamped diary of his actions. They can only study him from a distance, since he has killed before and presumably would again. This intriguing setup, a post-postmortem of sorts, has the groundwork for what could be a very interesting stage play. The rest of the film, unfortunately, is a complete mess. A hodge-podge of fantasy, pseudo science and asian ghost horror, the film fails ultimately not because it is too ambitious but because it does not fully commit to its ambitions. The pseudo-science is used alternatingly as a plot device, as a key point and as an excuse. The horror elements are tired, ineffective and lacking in atmosphere. The whole film has the sleek, shiny look, feel and structure of a Hollywood production (of a Taiwanese screenplay), car chase and overuse of CGI included. It's a shame the film never came together, because this was quite the missed opportunity. Surprisingly original and ambitious, with a broad range of themes and an emotional core, different circumstances might have made something special out of this.
alan j

Slow and tedious..this ghost movie is not scary in the least. Watching a child ghost walk about is not eerie the way this movie is presented...its a hodge podge of sci-fi blended with some theoretical menger sponge..its the application of such theory that is almost laughable in this… More
Slow and tedious..this ghost movie is not scary in the least. Watching a child ghost walk about is not eerie the way this movie is presented...its a hodge podge of sci-fi blended with some theoretical menger sponge..its the application of such theory that is almost laughable in this movie..this movie may hold your interest but if you are looking for scares and jolts, look elsewhere...
FanGirl B

Really original and interesting. An interesting new take on a ghost story with a really strong scifi slant. Definately recommend!
Jason S

I loved this movie! Creepy story about trapping ghosts in a scientific way. Very original and nicely done. Reminded me a little of "The Eye" which was another movie from Taiwan that I loved.
Christopher B

An excellent ghost story that isn't so much scary as it is interesting. Good performances by the cast and nice direction make this a pleasant entry in the looong line of Asian ghost stories, and it also manages to seem new. Recommended if you like ghost stories, if you're… More
An excellent ghost story that isn't so much scary as it is interesting. Good performances by the cast and nice direction make this a pleasant entry in the looong line of Asian ghost stories, and it also manages to seem new. Recommended if you like ghost stories, if you're sick of "the whole Asian ghost story thing" and your like half the people I know, you're going to hate it no matter what (but oddly enough, watch it anyway).