Storyline
Supernatural thriller from New Zealand filmmaker David Blyth following the romance between Chinese immigrant Jason Chen and Kiwi girl Skye. When Chen proposes to Skye, tensions arise from his parents and the woman they wanted him to wed, Mei Ling. But the traditional Chinese culture clash is nothing compared to the conflict of two worlds: the living and the dead.
The special effects are minimal, a few quick frame switch moments meant to create a supernatural element, mostly practical stuff, with very minimal CGI. This isn't like the bigger budget Asian ghost stories with heavy-dark- effects that get chilling. "Ghost Bride" takes a more casual, restrained approach where the macabre nature of the story, unease of character situations, and a steady instrumental overture combine to tale a story of tragedy, desire, and struggle. Blyth presents us with a mature, respectful story that revolves around Eastern folklore, and familial guilt. (And I thought Western mothers knew how to milk the guilt thing.)
Overall "Ghost Bride" is a strong story that is told with nearly perfect continuity. The beginning is a straight forward set-up that sets the tone for the whole film. There are moments that get confusing in the middle section that could have been tied in better- mostly with the introduction to the ghost element that doesn't really solidify until the last act. Of course my confusion could have been purely cultural differences and me not fully getting the Chinese traditions. This is a nice, mellow ghost story that never really escalates or falters far from the even tempo so no major chills or thrills are present. That was a bit of a bummer for me personally, but still "Ghost Bride" is a nice little macabre film.