The
Chosen One (Original Title: Liu Mang Qu Mo Shi) | 2024 | 1h 44m
Genre:
Folk Horror / Comedy / Horror / Romance | Country: Singapore – Malaysia
Director:
Suat Yen Lim | Writers: Suat Yen Lim, Link Sng
Cast:
Fredy Chan, Shu-yao Kuo, Angel Lim
IMDb:
5.7
My
Rating: 6/10
For the sake of his love for Ah Jiao, Ah Jie chooses to seal his exorcism powers. But when an evil spirit emerges and threatens everything he holds dear, he is forced to make an unavoidable choice: unlock his power once more, or lose the person he loves forever.
Warning:
Scenes of violence and alcohol consumptionSynopsis:
Ah
Jie is known as the most powerful exorcist in town. Yet he deliberately
abandons his abilities and lives as a con artist, selling medicine. Everything
changes when a businessman seeks his help to cure his child, who is possessed
by an evil spirit.
Ah
Jie sees the horrifying entity inhabiting the child’s body, but for reasons
rooted in his past, he chooses to flee—taking the promised money with him. His
escape only drags him into further trouble. Along the way, Ah Jie reunites with
an old friend accompanied by Sora, a YouTuber, who comes with the very same
request for help.
Sora
grows suspicious of Ah Jie’s refusal and searches for answers from his former
master. Ah Jie’s past is slowly revealed—his deliberately sealed power and the
tragic love story that drove him away from the world of exorcism. Determined to
uncover the truth, Sora takes a dangerous action that forces Ah Jie to confront
the power he has long denied.
Will
Ah Jie set aside his personal wounds and return to saving others, or will his
fear of loss continue to dictate his choices?
Review:
Imagine
possessing a natural gift for exorcism—would you embrace it, or hide it in
exchange for a quieter life? The Chosen One explores this dilemma
through Ah Jie, a man torn between his abilities, unresolved trauma, and love.
Rather than relying solely on horror, the film blends romance and light comedy,
making it relatively easy to watch.
The
film opens with a promising scene involving the discovery of a dark site at a
construction project that claimed lives. Ah Jie’s introduction follows in an
unusual way, showing him performing an exorcism at a temple—only for it to be
revealed as a scam. These two elements gradually connect and form a fairly
solid narrative foundation.
The
main conflict arises when a possession case demands Ah Jie’s involvement. At
this point, the film successfully highlights its strongest aspect: Ah Jie’s
internal struggle with his past and the reality that he alone may be capable of
stopping the looming threat.
Unfortunately,
this conflict is not fully realized in its resolution. The climax feels flat,
despite the antagonist being established early on as a powerful entity. There
is no truly impactful confrontation to showcase the clash of their strengths,
leaving the promised tension largely unfulfilled.
From
a storytelling perspective, the film has an intriguing premise but seems unsure
of its primary focus. Romance dominates nearly half of the runtime, pushing the
horror elements into a secondary role. As a result, the horror feels
underdeveloped and lacking intensity.
This
is particularly disappointing given the potential of the evil spirit itself,
which could have delivered stronger fear. A deeper exploration of the spirit’s
background and its connection to Sora might have strengthened the conflict.
Likewise, more substantial confrontation scenes could have elevated the
tension.
In
terms of character portrayal, Ah Jie and Ah Jiao are well realized and
supported by convincing performances. However, Sora’s character feels weak. Her
status as a top influencer is not clearly conveyed, and her actions often come
across as impulsive—prioritizing content over safety.
Another
notable weakness lies in the CGI, which appears unnatural, especially in the
final third of the film during the battle in the in-between realm. Even so, the
film remains watchable overall.
Ultimately,
The Chosen One succeeds more as a story about choice and self-denial
than as a fully realized horror film. It carries strong thematic foundations
but lacks the courage to explore and execute them to their fullest. A reminder
that even the greatest talent requires the bravery to be truly embraced.
Memorable Scene:
Ah
Jiao’s death becomes a devastating blow to Ah Jie. Consumed by grief, he is
willing to do anything just to see her again—even as a spirit. In his
desperation, Ah Jie kneels before his master, repeatedly bowing his head to the
ground in a plea for help, no longer caring about the risks that await him.
Love
often makes it difficult to let go. Sudden loss leaves behind unspoken guilt,
and for the chance of one final meeting, we may be willing to humble ourselves
and abandon the pride we once protected.
Memorable Dialogue:
“We can choose to only look at the good stuff.”
Ending:
Happy EndingRecommendation:
Okay to Watch(Aluna)
 – Love, Curses, and a Power Willingly Sealed Away){kind=link}
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