LADDALAND is yet another example of why Asian fright films are so vastly superior to American "horror movies." In this one, things seen and unseen, as well as things heard and unheard, combine to create the kind of all-important mood that is most often missing from U.$. movies. Here, we have a heavy-handed head of household whose dysfunctional family lives in one of those gated communities where it's easy to become "walled-in." There's a cat-cam and the wandering ghost of a murdered maid and a chilling game of hide-and-seek with a kid who turns out to be dead. As mentioned, the mood is sustained throughout (this is one of the most riveting movies I've seen in a while) and the ending is at once poignant and shocking. If you're looking for a solid fright film that delivers on all levels, look no further.
