Film Review: Ghost Train (2006) – A Japanese Horror Concept with Untapped Potential

 

Ghost Train (Original title: Otoshimono) | 2006 | 1h 32m
Genre: Horror | Country: Japan
Director: Takeshi Furusawa | Writers: Daisuke Fukushima, Kei Asami, Takeshi Furusawa
Cast: Erika Sawajiri, Chinatsu Wakatsuki, Shun Oguri
IMDB: 4.9
My Rate: 6/10

Ghost Train follows Nana as she investigates the disappearance of her younger sibling, an incident believed to be linked to a mysterious figure at a train station. Her search with Kanae ends up uncovering dark secrets that have long been buried, marking the beginning of terrifying terror and mystery behind it all.

Warning:

Contains scenes of violence, suicide, and harsh language

 

Synopsis:

The film Ghost Train follows Nana, who accidentally gets involved in a series of terrors after meeting Takeshi, her sibling’s school friend, who looks terrified after finding a mysterious train card at the station. The card leads him to encounter a mysterious woman who gives death predictions, a figure Nana had also seen standing near the train tracks.

A few days later, the same train card is found inside Nana’s sibling’s bag. Shortly after Takeshi disappears without a trace, the nightmare becomes real when Nana’s sibling also vanishes. Nana’s search leads her to station CCTV footage and a station officer who used to be a train driver, who seems to be hiding a dark secret about a figure he once saw while operating the train.

On the other hand, Kanae—Nana’s school friend—also experiences terrifying events after wearing a mysterious bracelet she found on the train. Realizing the connection between these incidents and her sibling’s disappearance, Nana invites Kanae to investigate the mystery centered around the train station. As the truth unfolds, Nana must face the darkest reality before everything is truly too late.

Will Nana find her sibling, or will she become the next victim of the cursed train card?

 
Review:

Trains as public transportation are closely associated with routine and a sense of safety. However, Ghost Train flips that perception by presenting deadly terror that stalks its passengers. This Japanese horror film focuses on a mysterious figure who uses train stations and train cards as triggers for death.

Unfortunately, the story’s foundation is built too quickly, making it feel shallow. The audience isn’t given enough room to sink into the atmosphere or fully understand the threat. Instead of applying the principle of show, don’t tell, the film takes a shortcut: finding a cursed object means heading straight toward death.

The explanation of the train card’s origins and the terrifying figure does appear near the end, but it feels weak and lacks impact. Important backgrounds like the tunnel and previous cases—which should have strengthened the horror atmosphere—are not explored properly. Nana’s ability to “see” something through touching objects also ends up as nothing more than a gimmick without meaningful development.

The conflict intensifies when Nana realizes her sibling has disappeared, but the tension fails to build effectively. Some attempts, such as jump scares, don’t do much to create lasting fear. The resolution is fairly neat, with character development that can still be followed. However, the reveal of the main mystery only appears briefly, making the climax feel unsatisfying.

The most striking weakness lies in the acting, especially Nana’s character played by Erika Sawajiri. In stark contrast to her emotional performance in 1 Litre of Tears, her acting here feels stiff and flat. Interestingly, supporting characters like Kanae (Chinatsu Wakatsuki) come across as more convincing.

The chemistry between the cast also doesn’t develop well. Some scenes feel artificial, especially those set inside trains or cars with backgrounds that don’t blend naturally. The story’s logic is also questionable, such as Nana’s decision to easily enter Takeshi’s house without suspicion and acting as if it were her own home.

Overall, Ghost Train has a promising horror idea and a plot that’s easy to follow. However, limited story exploration, weak tension-building, and underdeveloped execution prevent that potential from being fully realized. From a technical standpoint—music, camera work, and transitions—the film is still fairly solid.

In the end, Ghost Train feels like a train that runs too fast without taking the time to build fear along the journey. What should have been a chilling idea ends up stopping as an interesting concept that isn’t explored deeply enough—leaving viewers wondering how scary this film could have been if it had been executed with more patience and depth.

 

Most Memorable Scene:

One of the most memorable scenes in Ghost Train doesn’t just highlight fear, but also the meaning of friendship and sacrifice. Kanae, realizing Nana is on the brink of danger, is willing to sacrifice her own safety to save Nana—even until the final moments of her life, the only message she delivers is this: make sure Nana survives.

It’s not easy to find someone who genuinely wants to be your friend without any hidden motives. Many people only come around when they feel you can offer something. That’s why a figure like Kanae feels so meaningful—she risks her life for Nana, the only person who accepted her when the world chose to turn away.

 

Memorable Dialogue:

“No matter how hard life gets, never give up on yourself.”

 

Ending:

Happy Ending

 
Recommendation:

Okay to Watch

(Aluna)