The Maid (2005)

51% of users liked it
(1,487 ratings)

When a young woman from the Philippines arrives in Singapore to begin work as a domestic maid, her naïve lack of superstition leaves her an open target for the undead as the gates of hell come blasting open in a terrifying tale of the supernatural directed by Kelvin Tong and starring Alessandra de… More When a young woman from the Philippines arrives in Singapore to begin work as a domestic maid, her naïve lack of superstition leaves her an open target for the undead as the gates of hell come blasting open in a terrifying tale of the supernatural directed by Kelvin Tong and starring Alessandra de Rossi. In the seventh month of the Chinese calendar, legend has it that the souls of the damned ascend from hell to walk the Earth; however, there are a series of secrets to avoiding their wrath. From not going for a midnight swim to never turning around when you hear your name called in the darkness and never conversing with strangers on a deserted road, humans can avoid a horrific fate if they simply remain steadfast in their determination to shun evil for 30 days. Rosa (de Rossi) is an innocent, though, and upon arriving for her new job in the seventh month, she carelessly breaks every rule intended to keep the living safe from the murderous powers of the underworld. A box-office hit in its native Singapore, director Tong's homegrown tale of horror arrives stateside to test and fray the nerves of Asian horror lovers who previously suffered sleepless nights as the result of such films as Ju-on and Ringu. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Kelvin Tong
Genres: Art House & International, Horror

In Theaters: Aug 18, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Sep 12, 2006
Studio: Tartan Films

Critic Reviews

Staci Layne Wilson, Horror.com
[Director] Tong seems to think that throwing in random 'scary nightmare' images, arty black and white and slo-mo, plus adding a lot weird sounds, is going to frighten the viewer.

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

First L

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… More
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".
Nicki M

Excellent. The first half of it, it seemed a standard Asian scary movie and very predictable, but it had a twist towards the end I didn't see coming at all. Well worth a watch!
alan j

tried to get into this moie..ultimately got bored, could not finish..

Cast

See full cast

The Maid (2005)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

First L

Nicki M

alan j

Cast

Trailers & Clips