Three

I just watched Three, also known as Three Extremes II, and I could see what it was trying to do. Three ghost stories from three different Asian countries, each with its own style and culture. But like many anthology films, it felt uneven. Some parts worked really well while others dragged or felt unfinished.

The first story, Memories from South Korea directed by Kim Jee-woon, follows a husband and wife separated under strange circumstances. The wife is trying to return home while the husband is haunted by visions. The mood is eerie and the visuals are beautiful, but the story moves slowly. It builds tension without delivering strong scares. The twist at the end makes sense but comes too late to make the journey exciting. Knowing how strong Kim Jee-woon’s later horror films are, this one feels like early practice rather than his best work.

The second story, The Wheel from Thailand, was the weakest for me. It’s about cursed traditional puppets that bring death to anyone who uses them without respect. The idea has potential but the story gets lost in confusion. The pacing drags and the characters don’t hold your interest. Some moments using shadow and light look nice, but the horror never feels real. It tries to explore Thai folklore yet ends up being dull and hard to follow.

The final story, Going Home from Hong Kong directed by Peter Chan, easily stands out. It’s about a policeman who moves into an old building with his son and becomes trapped by his strange neighbor, a man caring for his dead wife believing she’ll return to life. The story begins as a thriller but slowly turns into a sad love story. Leon Lai and Eric Tsang give powerful performances, and Christopher Doyle’s camera work gives the film haunting beauty. It’s emotional and thoughtful, and unlike the first two, it leaves a lasting impression.

As a whole, Three feels uneven with two shorts that never fully come together and one that shines. The themes of loss, love, and the supernatural run through all of them, but only Going Home manages to balance emotion and fear. I enjoyed the concept of showing ghost stories from different cultures but wished the first two were as focused as the last. In the end, Three is worth watching for Going Home alone. That final story turns a simple ghost tale into something touching and tragic, saving the film and making it memorable.