The Matrimony

2007 –

China –

91 mins

IMDB
5.4

Rotten Tomatoes
39%

Letterboxd
3.2

The Matrimony follows Junchu, a man mourning his fiancée, Manli, who died in a car accident. He marries another woman, Sansan, but Manli’s ghost returns, haunting their home. As the supernatural events escalate, Junchu is torn between the living and the dead.

Cast: Leon Lai, René Liu, Fan Bingbing, Xu Songzi, Yuzhi Zheng

Genre(s): Drama, Horror, Thriller

Director(s): Teng Huatao

Writer(s): Chang Chia-lu, Qianling Yang

Review

*may contain spoilers

I just watched The Matrimony and it feels more like a tragic love drama than a horror film. Set in 1930s Shanghai, it tells the story of Shen Junchu, a film editor who loses his lover Manli in a sudden car accident. Heartbroken, he shuts himself off from the world, keeping her memory alive in a locked room. His worried mother arranges a marriage between him and Sansan, a quiet and kind woman who falls in love with him despite his coldness.

Things change when Sansan finds the key to the forbidden room. Inside she discovers Manli’s belongings and unknowingly awakens her spirit. Manli appears as a ghost dressed in red, the same color she wore when she died. At first she seems kind and offers to help Sansan win Junchu’s love. She asks to possess Sansan’s body for a while so she can be close to him again. It starts as an act of kindness but soon turns dark when Manli’s jealousy takes over and she tries to take Sansan’s life for herself.

The story moves slowly but beautifully. The film focuses more on emotion than scares. The ghostly moments are quiet and sad rather than shocking. The old Shanghai setting adds charm and style with detailed costumes and soft, glowing cinematography. The colors are mostly dull greys and browns, making Manli’s red dress stand out even more. It’s a simple but powerful visual showing the line between love and obsession.

The performances help carry the movie. Rene Liu is touching as Sansan, showing both love and fear, while Fan Bingbing gives Manli a mix of beauty and danger. Leon Lai as Junchu stays distant for most of the film but fits the role of a man trapped by grief.

I liked that The Matrimony tried to do something different from typical Asian horror films. Instead of relying on jump scares and ghost girls, it focuses on love, loss, and the pain of not letting go. Still, the last act becomes predictable, following the same ghost story pattern we’ve seen many times. The ending feels a bit frustrating but the movie leaves a strong emotional impression.

For me, The Matrimony isn’t really a horror film. It’s a sad, romantic story with a ghostly touch. It’s slow, elegant, and full of feeling. It may not satisfy those looking for big scares, but it’s a beautiful film about how love can outlast even death.

– written by sankalp