Film Review The Victim (2006) – A Story That Shouldn’t Have Been Merged

The Victim (Original Title: Phii khon pen) | 2006 | 1h 48m
Genre: Horror / Mystery / Thriller | Country: Thailand
Director: Monthon Arayangkoon | Writers: Monthon Arayangkoon, Shih-Keng Chien, Sompope Vejchapipat
Cast: Pitchanart Sakakorn, Apasiri Nitibhon, Penpak Sirikul
IMDb: 5.5
My Rate: 6/10

Ting, a young actress who gains fame after a police officer asks her to become a stand-in for several murder reenactments. Eventually, a case involving the murder of a famous actress traps her in a dark danger that threatens her life.

Warning:

Contains scenes of violence

Synopsis:

Ting accepts an offer to become a stand-in for a murder case reenactment in her city. For the role, she conducts deep research and fully immerses herself in the character. However, Ting’s involvement instead drags her into the dark side of a mystery that was never truly resolved—the death of a famous actress that hides dangerous secrets.

Ting’s story turns out to be part of a horror film currently in production, based on that very death case, with May as the lead actress. From the beginning, the project sparks controversy and anger from the victim’s family, who feel the film strays from the facts. Without May’s knowledge, the production process is slowly disturbed by the presence of something unseen—strange incidents, minor accidents, and terror that force the shoot to be postponed.

When the disturbances begin to target her directly, May realizes that there is a dangerous presence demanding revenge. May must risk everything to save her own life.

Will May manage to stop the terror born from a tragedy that never truly ended?

Review:

Does death always bring peace, or does it instead leave behind chaos from emotions that were never resolved? The Victim seems to suggest that death is not the end. It can become the beginning of terror—when lingering emotions, grudges, and desires find a way to return.

This film presents two different stories within one body. The first half takes us into the life of Ting, a young actress slowly building her career as a stand-in. The story is developed with a calm rhythm and a strong foundation. Ting is portrayed as someone who is completely devoted to her work—too devoted, to the point where the line between role and reality begins to blur. Her ability to dive deeply into characters attracts restless spirits seeking help, leading her to the case of a famous actress’s murder whose truth has yet to be revealed.

The tension grows gradually, the horror atmosphere is built patiently, and the conflict feels both personal and unsettling. However, all of this is suddenly broken by a major twist: Ting’s story turns out to be merely a film being acted out by May. What once felt like the core of the narrative abruptly becomes just a prologue.

The “film within a film” concept is actually interesting, but in The Victim, it becomes its weakest point. The first story, which had been carefully built—its plot, emotions, and tension—feels wasted. In fact, Ting’s story alone is strong enough to stand as the main narrative, and is even the most relevant to the title The Victim itself.

The second story, focusing on May, feels underdeveloped. Her character’s background is not solidly built, and the origin of the terror haunting her feels unclear. Still, there is an interesting potential that could have been explored more deeply: a fan’s obsession with their idol. An obsession that drives the desire to become “the same,” even through mystical ways that go beyond reason.

Unfortunately, the tension in the second half feels rushed. Unlike Ting’s story, which relies on atmosphere and slowly plants fear, May’s story leans more on jumpscares that feel shallow, and at times even silly. Some scenes are also hard to accept logically, causing the horror to lose its emotional impact.

When viewed as a whole, both stories actually have strong potential—but as two separate films, not ones forced into a single narrative. The actors’ performances also feel more convincing in the first half, when emotions and conflicts are given space to breathe.

One of the film’s strengths lies in character transformation. The shift from Ting to May feels clear, not only through costumes and makeup, but also through body language and gestures. Technically, although there are several scenes with lighting that is too dark and obscures important details, the film is still watchable.

In the end, The Victim feels like two stories that cancel each other out rather than strengthen one another. A film with a big idea and strong potential, but one that loses its direction because it hesitates to decide which story it truly wants to tell.

Memorable Scene:

This is a quiet yet chilling scene. May wakes up in a strange house, surrounded by walls covered with photos of herself—stares that should be filled with admiration now turning into a threat. Slowly, the realization sets in: the person who has been dragging her into danger all this time is not a stranger, but a fan who claims to love her.

This scene sharply shows how love without boundaries can turn into suffocating obsession. When admiration no longer respects space and humanity, it transforms into something dangerous. The film reminds us that loving is not about owning or controlling, but about understanding when to stop.