The Bridge Curse (2020) Review: Taiwanese Horror, Folklore, and Mystery

 

The Bridge Curse  | 2020 | 1h 28m
Original Title: Nü gui qiao (女鬼橋)
Genre: Horror / Mystery / Thriller | Country: Taiwan
Director: Lester Hsi | Writers: Keng-Ming Chang, Po-Hsiang Hao
Cast: Ning Chang, Joe Hsieh, Cheng Ko, etc.
IMDb: 5.3
My Rating: 7/10

A reporter investigates the legendary curse of a university bridge, where a group of students mysteriously died, only to uncover a secret that was never meant to be discovered.

Warning:

Contains scenes of violence and strong language.

 
Synopsis of The Bridge Curse

A reporter is assigned to investigate a supposedly haunted bridge at a university. Four years earlier, a group of students was found dead there under mysterious circumstances.

The investigation takes place around February 29, a date that occurs only once every four years, adding another layer of mystery to the case.

De Chuan Ji (JC Lin) and five of his fellow students—Ru Meng, Hsin Chiao, Yu Ching, Song Guei, and Wen Yao—organize a bonding-night activity for new students at their university.

They decide to hold the event at an abandoned bridge on campus that is surrounded by a local supernatural legend. Their goal is partly to create a university story that can rival the ghost stories associated with other universities.

Wen Yao is chosen to perform the dare while the others livestream and record the entire event.

According to the legend, there is a particular staircase where the fourteenth step is considered a ghostly step. If someone counts the steps while climbing and discovers that the fourteenth step has appeared, a ghost will supposedly emerge behind them.

There is also one important rule: after climbing the stairs, they must not look back.

Wen Yao ignores the warning and begins counting the steps.

His friends panic and desperately try to stop him. Then Wen Yao suddenly disappears, causing everyone to panic even more.

Things become worse when they accidentally look back after hearing a strange sound.

At first, however, they do not truly believe in the legend. They assume Wen Yao is simply playing a prank on them.

But soon, something begins to follow them.

As the reporter continues investigating the case, he discovers several strange details and eventually uncovers a dangerous secret.

What are they really experiencing?

 

Review

The Bridge Curse is inspired by the legend surrounding a supposedly haunted bridge at Tunghai University in Taiwan. The premise is quite interesting, and the story has even been adapted into a video game.

Turning a well-known legend into a film comes with its own challenges. When a story is already familiar to many people, the filmmakers have to do more than simply reproduce the legend. They also have to create something that can meet the audience's expectations while giving them a reason to keep watching.

The film opens with a mysterious sequence. The introduction of the characters and other elements is presented in a distinctive way, making the opening itself feel like part of the larger mystery.

There is also a scene near the beginning that is repeated later in the film. However, some details are not presented consistently between the two versions.

The story begins with a group of students livestreaming their activities. The stream eventually becomes a sensation and later serves as evidence connected to their disappearance.

However, when the livestream footage is shown on screen, some details seem to be missing. For example, there is no visible indication of the number of viewers watching the stream, even though that would seem like an important detail in the context of the scene.

Another detail concerns Hsin Chiao's phone.

While the group is livestreaming and experiences a frightening event, Hsin Chiao drops her phone. The livestream suddenly cuts to footage being uploaded, and in the following scene at the dormitory, Hsin Chiao is already holding the phone again.

There is no scene showing her picking it up.

This may seem like a minor detail, but it stands out because the film puts considerable emphasis on the footage and the objects connected to it.

The story uses a nonlinear timeline that moves backward and forward. Viewers need to pay close attention to understand what is happening, especially because the film contains several unexpected twists.

The storytelling is particularly interesting because, around three-quarters of the way through the film, viewers may feel that they have already figured out the story and can predict how it will end.

But then another unexpected twist changes the situation.

The ending forces viewers to put together the various pieces of information presented from the beginning and reconsider what they thought they understood.

The central legend involving the staircase is also intriguing. According to the story, the number of steps can mysteriously increase. If someone climbs the stairs while counting them and discovers that the number has changed, the ghost is said to be close to appearing.

This legend may remind some viewers of Whispering Corridors: Wishing Stairs (2003), which also uses a similar supernatural legend involving stairs and counting.

The performances are not particularly remarkable, but they are not bad either.

The film has potential to be developed further, particularly in the way it builds its horror and suspense. Even so, The Bridge Curse remains an interesting film and is still worth watching, especially for viewers who enjoy horror stories inspired by supernatural legends and local folklore.

 

Memorable Scene

Yu Ching and Hsin Chiao are alone in the dormitory when they suddenly have to escape from the ghost pursuing them. Their escape eventually takes them to the rooftop.

Overwhelmed by fear and conflicting emotions, Yu Ching immediately runs around looking for somewhere to hide, especially after the rooftop door suddenly closes.

Meanwhile, Hsin Chiao tries to remain calm and find a way out.

Chiao Yuan-yuan's performance as Yu Ching is particularly impressive in this scene. Among all the performances in the film, her expressions, behavior, and delivery of the dialogue feel especially natural.

Her fear and frustration are communicated convincingly through the screen, making the scene one of the most memorable moments in the film.

 
Memorable Dialogue

“Are you sure you want to live on? It's a high price to pay.”

 

Ending

Shocking Ending

 

Recommendation

Worth watching.

 

(Aluna Uwie)

 

Had been published in Alunauwie.com
"This article was originally written in Indonesian and has been adapted into English for international readers."

Read Also:
The Bridge Curse 2: Ritual Review, the sequel that continues exploring Taiwanese legends, rituals, and supernatural mysteries
Interchange Review, a Southeast Asian mystery film blending folklore, culture, and supernatural elements
Sehidup Semati Review, an Indonesian horror film that explores fear through psychological and social realities