Cello (DVD)

Cellos don’t exactly rock, and neither does this Korean thriller called Cello, but like the instrument it is named for it sustains a melodious tune in the key of horror-minor.

The build is slow, as we meet substitute music theory professor, Mi-ju Hong (Seong Hyeon-ah), and her disgruntled, failed student who besets the timid teacher with a deadly curse. The tune rallies as we learn of Mi-Ju’s checkered past and get to know her strange little daughters and weirder housekeeper. The crescendo comes in waves of blood and death, making the whole concert worthwhile.

I’m loathe to generalize, but like most Korean thrillers, Cello has a slick, glossy veneer covering a clichéd script with above-par acting and an atmosphere of pervading creepiness. The cello itself does factor in, but nearly as much as it could have – this could’ve been a neat story about a haunted instrument, but in the end it’s really not (note: If you’re in the mood for such a story, be sure and check out the woefully overlooked Red Violin).

Cello is a decent chiller if you’re in the mood for style over substance; I enjoyed it overall but wouldn’t care to see it more than once.

The DVD does not contain any additional release material.

= = =

Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson