e've seen a lot of Asian horror flicks and we deplore that Philippine Cinema has yet to come up with a horror movie comparable to The Ring of Japan or Phone of Korea, when we used to make excellent horror films like Mike de Leon's Itim or Peque Gallaga's Tiyanak and Aswang. We were banking on Joey Reyes's Malikmata but it proved to be not scary at all. Now, we finally have a contemporary local horror film that is of world –class quality. Feng Shui, a well-made commercial movie with all the elements needed to make it a blockbuster, including a twist in the ending that recalls the surprise conclusions in other hit horror flicks. This is really a far cry from the horror flicks of old like Gabi Ng Lagim, Pagsapit ng Hatinggabi and Shake Rattle & Roll series (all omnibus films).

The movie starts innocently enough. Joy (Kris Aquino), who works in network marketing, is on her way home when a man seated beside her on the bus left a package on his seat. She tries to return it to the man but she fails to catch up with him. She takes the package and a store owner (Luz Fernandez) tells her the object inside the package is called by the Chinese as bagua. It has a mirror inn his center and this is placed outside one's house to bring goodluck.

For the next few days, the bagua really brings good fortune to Joy. She and her husband, Inton (Jay Manalo), both got fat commissions form work and she even won in a raffle in a supermarket. But each time a windfall comes to her, someone who has previously seen the bagua suddenly dies, like the store owner and the morning as she goes to work.

The manger of the death of each victim also has something to do with his birth sign. The store owner born on the year of the rat died after being bitten by a rat. The tricycle driver born on the year of the rooster died in a cockpit after betting on rooster. The security guard born on the year of the snake was bitten by a snake. A character born in the year of the horse was hit with a “kabayo ng plantsa” in a witty turn.

With the help of her friends (Lotlot de Leon and Ilonah Jean), Joy gets to talk to a geomancer (Joonee Gamboa) who tells her the bagua was formerly owned a Chinese girl in Shanghai who has lotus feet (the small feet of the Chinese women in the olden days that result form wearing iron shoes that stunt the growth of their feet). She died during the Communist take-over and she put a curse on the bagua. Anyone who looks at its mirror will die. The problem is the geomancer doesn't know how to put an end to the curse.

Meantime, things get worse in Joy's life. The ghosts of the bagua's victims populate their house, including the Chinese lady with the small feet. Joy also discovers that her husband is having an affair with his old girlfriend, Dina (Jenny Miller). The tension continues to mount until the film's climax when Joy's own husband and kids are threatened by the bagua's curse since they also looked into its mirror. The film's last 20 minutes happen in just one day that is so crammed with death and violence it would be a miracle if Joy could come out of it with her sanity intact. (We're never told what happens to her.)

Roy Iglesias' scripts make sure the characters and situations are well defined. We quickly detect that Joy's relationship with her mother-in-law (Daria Ramirez) is strained as the mother-in-law has always preferred Dina for Inton.

The technical values are all superior, particularly the cinematography, musical score, sound and production design. We want to commend the story's very modern setting: a new subdivision in the suburbs with colorful houses and not the usual old, creaky mansion you know right away is haunted. We just wish some scenes were edited out to further quicken the pacing.

The movie also takes a pot shot on the Filipino's penchant for “good luck.” We are the only Christian nation in Asia but we put so much importance on fortune telling, zodiac signs, charms, and even feng shui. In the film it is shown that such things are really crap. In the end, Joy is told that she can end the curse on the bagua by simply refusing the next windfall that comes her way. She does exactly that, but as the film's ending will show, the curse is so evil and powerful that she was not really able to put a stop to it. This is probably because she has no spiritual faith at all. Not once is she shown calling on the Lord for help. Obviously, she's not aware of the power of prayer.

But there's no doubt that as a scary movie, Feng Shui is replete with many “boo” moments that will jolt you out of your seat. Chito Roño really knows how to give the audience as good scare. We won't enumerate the terrifying portions anymore so that you won't anticipate them while watching as that will surely spoil the thrill for you. All we can warn you is get ready to be frightened all the time.

As in most local films, though, Feng Shui did not get to avoid the casual plugging of Chunky corned beef now being endorsed by Kris. We really won't mind if it's shown in just one scene but it figures in several scenes and the characters are even shown having it for dinner.

The acting is very good, form Kris as the harassed heroine to the superb support given by Lotlot, Ilonah, and the kid stars that play Kris' kids. If you go for horror films, we highly recommend this as it certainly won't disappoint you. (Articles lifted from S Magazine)
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