Synopsis

In the 1980s Taiwan, a genre called “black movies” once gained popularity, addressing crime, social and erotic themes geared for adult audiences. In line with such tradition, Invitation Only, a Taiwanese genre film, requires some understanding of the difficult environment wherein the country’s genre films are produced, with utter rarity. Dubbed a Taiwanese rendition of Saw, the film offers some truly vicious gores and carnages — think severed heads rolling out of a bag, cut-off hands scattered around the room, a gigantic pair of scissors slitting open the Achilles tendon. A homicidal manic wearing a white mask, like Jason from the Friday the 13th series, appears as well. (It’s quite a departure from the 2002 Double Vision, an only Taiwanese horror thriller flick released in Korea.) The cheering, applauding high-brow patrons of the clandestine sect revel in the scenes they watch through monitors installed around the arena, where the poor are being slaughtered like animals just to entertain them. (The Saw-like murder game meets a social class issue, if you will.) The film offers a solid plot, high dosages of bloodbath, and experimentalism (especially toward the end) to the extent that it tests to see just how far they can go. What is equally impressive is the transformation of demure participants who gradually pick up the brutality of the maniacs to ensure their own survival and escape from the slaughterhouse coliseum. Cameo appearance of Maria OZAWA, the Japanese AV star, with her goddess charisma, adds charm to the film. (JU Seong Cheol)

Diretor

Kevin KO

Born 1983 , Kevin’s extraordinary talent in creating horror has already established him as a buzz name in Taiwan. Untamed, unapologetic and unrepentant in exploring films, his first feature Invitation Only was release on 2009 in Taiwan.