Chaw (차우)

The Fellowship of the Boar

The last time I've seen a real wild boar, is when I was wearing green in Pulau Tekong. An endless route march brought us to some forsaken part of the island, where one little boar bolted when a group of sweaty army boys started to invade its abode. It'll be something if it's a man eating boar like the one in Chaw, some two meters long, and weighing almost half a ton, with an appetite for human organs!

Taking place in a small village which boasts itself as crime free, the film's highlight turned out not to be the set action pieces, which is the usual formulaic thrills and spills, but rather the myriad of characters that pepper the narrative, mostly for comedic reasons. Sure it has its fair share of gory moments, complete with numbing sound effects of becoming quite the enjoyable meal for the boar, but nothing beats its little moments given that breathed life into the characters. Furthermore, that throwback at Hot Fuzz with its quirky town, and a complacent attitude that just about nothing occurs in it, is something ripe for a horror-comedy such as this one.

The finale might use some trimming though, but it probably allowed for some nifty boar-charging scenes which were only a tease earlier. Some CG effects were still too cheesy but I suppose for a B-movie, one shouldn't complaint. There's a coda midway through the end-credits, so don't leave the theatre just yet when it starts to roll.

You can read my review of Chaw at movieXclusive.com by clicking on the logo below.