Yet another Japanese thriller arrives after an appointment with the American remake chop shop. 2001’s webcam horror Kairo arrives almost intact, with competent steering from music video director Jim Sonzero and a Wes Craven pass at the script. But the plot – scary dead spirits cross into our world via an experimental wireless link – is hardly fresh.
The result is a slow-stewing broth of techno-fear occasionally spiced with flashy jump-cuts and a look straight out of Michael Mann via The Matrix (green hues and blue tinges are the only colours allowed, except for the odd, plot-relevant red filter). But the weakest element is the acting – most of the performances barely graze adequate, with star Kristen Bell rising above all, even as she swaps the nuanced, spunky teen of Veronica Mars for a stock screaming heroine.
