Ghost of Mae Nak

I just watched Ghost of Mae Nak and it’s a mix of love story and ghost tale set in modern Thailand but built on an old legend. The story comes from one of Thailand’s most famous ghost myths about Mae Nak, a woman who died during childbirth while her husband was away at war, only to return as a ghost still devoted to him. This film imagines what would happen if her spirit still wandered Bangkok today.

The movie follows a young couple, Mak and Nak, who buy an old house before their wedding. The house has a dark past as it once belonged to Mae Nak herself. At first things seem normal, but soon Mak starts seeing a ghostly woman with a wounded face and black eyes. When Mak ends up in a coma after an accident, Nak discovers the truth about Mae Nak’s spirit and realizes the ghost isn’t trying to hurt them but wants to be freed.

What I liked most is how the film makes Mae Nak’s ghost more protective than evil. She takes revenge on those who try to harm the couple like greedy real estate agents, thieves, and crooks. These death scenes are quite creative and even shocking at times, with clever setups that reminded me of Final Destination. A man sliced in half by a glass pane and a fiery death involving hot oil were especially wild. The movie doesn’t hold back on gore, which is unusual for Thai ghost stories.

However, the pacing is a problem. Once we learn the ghost’s backstory halfway through, the mystery disappears and the tension drops. With Mak in a coma for much of the film, the story loses its emotional drive. Nak’s mission to free Mae Nak’s spirit is interesting but the final act feels too long with a drawn-out exorcism and an unnecessary dream ending.

The direction by Mark Duffield, a British filmmaker working in Thailand, is impressive. The visuals are clean and atmospheric, and the sound design helps build the ghostly tone. It’s also refreshing that the film avoids common clichés about Thailand and focuses on everyday people instead. In the end, *Ghost of Mae Nak* stands out for its mix of folklore, romance, and supernatural horror. It’s not very scary but it’s stylish, gory, and heartfelt in its own way. I wouldn’t call it great, but it’s different enough to stick with me.