Retro Horror Reviews| ‘Rigor Mortis’ is a Visually Stunning Ghost Story

Director Juno Mak’s film, Rigor Mortis, tries to pay homage to the horror films that inspired him. Much like many horror directors have tried to honor the films and filmmakers that inspired them. Like Sam Raimi had Freddy Kruger’s glove hanging in the work shed in Evil Dead 2. Quentin Tarantino had Kurt Russell’s shirt from Big Trouble in Little China hanging in the bar in Death Proof.

The puppet from Saw is drawn on a chalkboard in Insidious and ‘Go Monster Squad’ can be seen on a restroom stall in Night of the Creeps. So, when director Juno Mak (Hong Kong pop star) set out to make his filmmaking debut with Rigor Mortis he too wanted to pay tribute to a series that inspired him, Mr. Vampire. Even going as far as casting his two leads from the original series.

Rigor Mortis follows washed up actor Chin (Chin Siu-Ho, Mr. Vampire) as he moves into a rundown tenement building. He is told by the building’s super that no one has lived in apartment in a very long time. Personally, if I am renting an apartment and the super begins performing rituals to ward off spirits before I even put down my suitcase, a swift “nope” and I would be gone, but Chin has other plans. After a failed suicide attempt and a brief glimpse of the evil that inhabits his apartment, we are slowly introduced to the rest of the tenants. 

Chan Yau (Anthony Chan, Mr. Vampire), the building bistro cook and part time exorcist befriends the new tenant and takes the broken man under his wing as the reluctant mentor. Though their friendship is at the core of the narrative, the supporting ensemble of veteran Hong Kong actors steal the show.

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Aunt Mui (Nina Paw Hee-Ching) is the standout as she seeks out a way to bring back her recently deceased husband, no matter what the cost. Her heartbreak is the catalyst for the resurrection and unleashing of the Jiangshi (a hopping vampire; it’s exactly what it sounds like).

Yeung Feng (Kara Wei) and her son Pak have a haunted past with the new tenant’s flat that gets revealed as the story progresses in one of the films more disturbing and violent scenes. There are supernatural elements throughout the film from the ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ subtly of a Mike Flannigan film to the in your face ghostly attacks typical of J-Horror, but it’s the human drama that keeps you wanting more.

Grief seems to be an underlying theme in the film as each character is haunted with it in some form or another. Their actions are defined by their inability to break free of the hold their past has on each of them. The narrative is confusing at times, playing out more like a series of set pieces then a coherent story line.

Visually, Rigor Mortis is stunning to look at, and the sound design is incredibly effective for setting the tension and atmosphere. The acting is suburb and elevates the overall story much more than it deserves. Though the scares are predictable and not very effective, where else will you be able to find ghosts, demons and vampires all in one apartment complex? 

★★★

Rigor Mortis stars Chin Siu-Ho, Kara Wei, Nina Paw Hee-Ching and Anthony Chan and is now streaming for free on Tubi. Be sure to stay tuned to ScaryNerd for more of all things horror, sci-fi and more.

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