The opening scenes relate a violent, bloody murder, and interest in the case of a prosecutor, gravely ill with cancer, and his wife, only a few weeks pregnant. 'The soul,' or 'Ji hun,' is very dark, and decidedly depressing in the content at hand. But this is a fine, well-made film, very much worth checking out - more so than I ever could have first guessed.

Almost immediately the filming locations, set design and decoration, and lighting complement excellent, sweeping and steady camerawork that makes 'Ji hun' a pleasure to watch from a technical standpoint. Exquisite attention to detail pairs with supernatural elements of the plot to make the feature ever more engrossing, and while never acutely frightening, plenty of scenes are certainly unsettling. Then, too, there's a growing, futuristic sci-fi aspect that runs parallel to the ongoing investigation, and to the more fantastical elements, complicating matters further.

There's a great deal going on in this picture, and it moves at a fast pace. Thankfully the cast is stellar, and up to the challenge; I hesitate to only spotlight a few, because everyone involved is just as outstanding. This includes above all stars Chang Chen, as prosecutor Liang Wenchao, and Janine Chang as Bao, a police officer and Wenchao's wife. Both portray a powerful mixture of strong emotions, but are also intelligent, resolute, and solid as anchors for the feature. Yet the primary supporting cast - Erek Lin, Sun Anke, Christopher Lee (no, not that Christopher Lee) - give likewise superb performances, fitting for the astoundingly complex, shadowy roles they were cast in.

Through it all, Lu Luming's original score is deeply alluring, perfectly matching the atmosphere in the picture. As the mood shifts between shades more mournful or suspenseful, the music is right alongside, adding substantially to the overall quality. Director Cheng Wei-hao illustrates a sharp eye for nuance, and arresting arrangement of shots, that make 'Ji hun' a swell viewing experience - yet the adapted screenplay that he co-wrote is still more riveting, holding fast our attention. Jarring twists, characters of considerable depth, the use of flashbacks to reveal details and advance the plot, the sorrowful yet beautiful emotional tenor - it all culminates in scenes that are well crafted, fascinating, and altogether bewitching.

It's worth mentioning that the use of flashbacks in 'Ji hun' is surprisingly refined. Other films have employed the same storytelling technique to significantly less success, to the point that it jolts the viewer out of our suspension of disbelief and engagement with the picture. Here, however, those flashbacks are such a dominant component of the narrative construct that painstaking care is taken to integrate them fluidly into the overall production. And it works resoundingly well: It's clear that a great deal of love went into the crafting of this saga.

On a less crucial but similar note, visuals realizing the futuristic city, while unquestionably created with computers, are rendered with such realism that one could be forgiven for thinking that even the most advanced scenery is a real-life location. The artists who worked in the CGI and animation departments, and effects generally, are to be commended for their great work.

And yet nothing in the movie, not even all the many drastic turns that the plot takes, prepare us for the ending. The final scene is flawless in its writing, camera orientation, performances, and otherwise capture on film. It neatly ties together the entirety of the preceding narrative, while at the same time blowing it out of the proverbial water. It's so stunning and elegant in the paramount emotional beat that I couldn't hold back tears. The conclusion is simply marvelous.

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I began watching, but well before the end credits began rolling, I was wholly enthralled, and I couldn't divert my attention if I wanted to. 'Ji hun' is a masterful, dazzling work of cinema that far exceeds the bounds of the genres it plays in, becoming both tragically beautiful and grimly thrilling. Despite the difficult nature of some of the content, I would be terribly remiss if I didn't recommend it to all comers. Don't wait - seek this out now, and make it your next streaming selection.

Bravo!

Great Thai production, a mix of terror and science fiction, throughout the plot we have several twists and turns, referring to the reasons for the tragic and mysterious murder, a very tied story, although futuristic and utopian ... It's primarily about love, "you did so many things for him, was it worth it? "very engaging, interrupted by good performances, great ending, worth it, excellent film...

"Part cancer melodrama, part police procedural, part supernatural tosh, THE SOUL has an uneven pace before the seminal reveal of the twisted relationship between Wang, his business partner Dr. Wan (Lee) and Wang's young second wife Li Yan (Sun, who gives a well-calculated accent modulation indicating the identity shift),along with a fantastic notion of curing cancer with extracted RNA powders (who are you kidding?),and the even more incredible practice of soul transmigration (alright, if you say so!). Plus a lavender marriage in which the wife is cozened and goes mental and suicidal. To appease the censorship, the version played in mainland China is heavily expurgated, still, it is a pleasant surprise to see the same-sex relation is not entirely truncated, and THE SOUL espouses a strong sentiment that love transcends gender, but you are damned if you ruin an innocent woman for your convenience. (In fact, there are two such women here, both played by actresses from mainland China, should we read too much into it?)"

read my full review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks.