Phone (DVD)

There is a reason that so many Asian horror films are being adapted for American audiences and Phone is just one more example as the one key ingredient for a horror movie is to sell the audience on its crazy story all while delivering the thrills and chills necessary to keep audiences on the edge of their seat.

Phone tells the story of Ji-won, a reporter that has been receiving threatening phone calls thanks to an article she recently published unveiling a group of individuals for their sex crimes. As the trial date nears her phone begins to ring more and more often, but suddenly there is reason to believe that this is not the story we were originally set out to expect, and it may be more than disgruntled perverts on the other end of the line.

Phone derives its scares from darkened rooms, quick flashes and a Samara-esque creepy little girl, which is more than enough for me to get excited and will certainly appeal to fans of such movies as The Grudge, The Ring or even The Eye, and with an available DTS track Tartan Video knows what is necessary to disturb even the most seasoned horror fan.

On top of the film this DVD also delivers a scene specific audio commentary, which is subtitled and bounces around from scene to scene while comments are being made by Seo-woo Eun as she is interviewed while watching the various portions of the film.

There are also two deleted scenes, trailers, interviews with the cast and crew, a look behind-the-scenes, an epilogue feature looking at the days after filming ended and a "Making Of" featurette that will show you just how good the young actress, Seo-woo Eun, is as she is able to let the tears flow over and over and over again proving why she was able to steal every scene she is in.

This is the first title I have reviewed from Tartan's "Asia Extreme" list and I must say that I am only looking forward to more as Phone is a fantastic movie that delivers the chills just as much as it delivers a compelling story with a mystery audiences will be happy to take the time to solve.