Warning: Do Not Play (2019)
Directed and Written by Kim Jin-won
Warning: Do Not Play is the story of a young director, Mi-Jung who, while struggling to finish a script for a horror movie she is working on, hears an urban legend about a movie supposedly directed by a ghost. Intrigued by the possibility of a movie with supernatural origins, Mi-Jung takes it upon herself to try and find the mysterious movie, getting herself involved in a bizarre happening best left forgotten. But with her own traumatic past weighing heavily on her, Mi-Jung finds herself in danger of following down a disturbing path.
A Movie Made With Horror Fans In Mind.
One of the biggest successes of Warning: Do Not Play, and what makes so much of the movie so powerful, is how great Mi-Jung is as a protagonist, both from the way the character is written and how good the performance of actress Ye-ji Seo is. In a lot of ways Mi-Jung is a character made to be connected with by horror fans, many things she says, thinks, and experiences are things that are easily relatable to fans of the genre. Using horror as a way to deal with real-life traumas in a safe manner is a common thread in discussions of why people love horror, and having Mi-Jung exemplify that in a relatable way makes her instantly sympathetic without making her a caricature. It is certainly helped by Ye-ji Seo’s great blend of confidence, intelligence, and vulnerability that turns Mi-Jung from an everywoman into a fully-fledged character.
Ooooh, Is That Something Scary I Spy?
Mi-Jung’s realness is essential to the story and it makes all the terrifying things that happen to her so much more meaningful. What makes this movie so great, and what will probably end up placing it somewhere on my end of year Best Of list, is that it’s gasp actually scary! I’m not saying I’m super tough and manly and horror movies don’t scare me, but when you watch a lot of horrors you start seeing the same things over and over and bits can lose their effectiveness. It’s great to see a movie understand that subtly building an atmosphere is the key to making scares effective and memorable. As Mi-Jung continues her investigation, she starts finding more and more evidence of the dangers of the movie she’s tracking down, and as this is happening, the atmosphere becomes more oppressive and unnerving by the second.
The Proper Way To Perform A JumpScare.
It is this atmosphere, and some shockingly good simple visual effects, that solidify how well the director understands the building of tension and how small, subtle moments are used to build big scares. Most movies have jumpscares that do nothing for me, because usually, jumpscares are nothing moments where something appears on the screen just to startle you without meaning anything. Not here. Warning: Do Not Play understands exactly how to set up this scenario, and delivers what has to be the best jumpscare in a movie I’ve seen in a long time, one that not only startles you but also shows you a really cool monster design and masterfully signals a full shift into terror. This jumpscare is earned, capitalized on, and then moved on from in a way that highlights the understanding of how horror works.
An Ending Which May Divide Some People.
It’s not just the atmosphere or the jumpscares or even the excellently executed gore effects that are the scariest part of the movie, but rather the toll that this investigation takes on Mi-Jung. I will avoid saying any specific plot details because spoilers are terrible, but the path Mi-Jung travels down tickles the part of me that wants every horror movie to be a feel-bad movie. We never quite get to the intense feel-bad that some movies manage, but there is an unsettling mood that latches on during the finale and I was one hundred percent there for it. The ending may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it fits pretty neatly in with the way the story had been headed, even if the specific details are a bit of a downer.
A Quality Ghost Story With Solid Scares.
Warning: Do Not Play is a ghost movie that manages to stand up with the best of them, tackling somewhat subject matter with a distinct style and voice. Mi-Jung is a wonderful horror protagonist who manages to keep up with the dominant and oppressive atmosphere that keeps doubling down around her. Add to that some great, and cleverly used, visual effects and you have a ghost story that would please veterans and newcomers of the genre. I strongly recommend Warning: Do Not Play, which is currently exclusively on the quality horror streaming platform, Shudder. I believe you can still use the promo code SHUTIN to get a free 30-day trial.
Thank you all for reading, please leave a movie recommendation if you have a good or bad movie you’d like me to review.
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