Old horror has its thrills and chills but what about the new flicks? Is there anything new coming out? You know, something that is not a remake of an older movie. And so I put together this short list of noteworthy horror movies that are/will be released in 2009. Some of them are your typical run-of-the-mill slasher flick but others have definite promise of chills and thrills.

 

Chaw

This South Korean monster movie of sorts was released in July 2009. Where the story is concerned, it sounds like the typical “predator munches on locals until snuffed out of its misery” type of plot line. A small village is living in fear because mutilated bodies are popping up all over the place. So a team of experts show up and deal with this ominous creature. But just when they thought they had nabbed the killer boar, – that's right, Obelix would be horrified – it comes back.

If the trailer is anything to go by, this movie will make interesting viewing. The suspenseful angles, the slow build-up of tension followed by fast-paced action will definitely be entertaining. I am not convinced of the monster boar concept. As it is, glimpses of the deadly piggy didn't frighten me one bit. A lot of reviewers have criticized the depiction of the boar as well. On the other hand, they also note that the funny bits in the movie balance out the kinks in this movie.

 

Agyaat

Horror movies must be the top pet peeve for all self-respecting nature lovers. This is the second movie set in what should otherwise be an idyllic, pristine holiday spot. Agyaat is an Indian horror movie that seems more like a psychological horror. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, this movie follows the tale of an unfortunate film crew who are stranded in a jungle. Turns out, there is something scary in the jungle and it takes it upon itself to kill all the crew members. Tick tock, tick tock, it's the amazing race to get out of the jungle!

The trailer itself grabbed my attention so I have high expectations of it. I am slightly wary of the feel of this movie though. It has a Blair Witch meets Predator air about it. On the other hand, the director is well-known for churning out thrillers with unconventional storylines/twists (e.g. Kaun and Darna Mana Hai) so the movie might surprise naysayers like me.

 

Sauna

Finally, a movie that does not have the stable horror elements – great outdoors and mangy beasts. Oh no, this creepy Finnish flick is about war, human condition and atoning for the past. The movie is called Sauna and it was released towards the end of 2008. The story revolves around two brothers who visit a sauna as an attempt to cleanse themselves of past scenes. Apparently one of the brothers used to be a soldier and had a lengthy list of horrific wartime acts to his name. When they head off to the sauna, it seems like the bloody past catches up to them.

Check out the trailer for Sauna below.

 

A lot of people compared this to an arty movie and I can see why. Leaving behind the usual edge-of-seat moments and cliché scary music, this movie appear to frighten the living daylights out of you by warping your imagination. As it is, I kept letting my guard down whilst watching the trailer, pish poshing it as a mellow horror and then cringing at the subsequent scene. Imagine a close-up of a horrified face trying to scream and blood spurting out in all directions.

 

Sil Jong (Missing)

This is another Korean movie worth noting. It was released early this year and was directed by Kim Sung Hong. In that respect, this psychological thriller might be more disturbing than all the others listed above. It tells the tale of a young woman who is seeking her sister. She traces her sister to an elderly man's house and apparently life goes downhill from there.

Since it supposed to be based on a true story, you'd think that it takes away from the horror genre. After all there won't be any freaky moments involving ghouls, spirits, creepy jungles and man-eating boars. Far from it. I would say that real-life inspiration actually helped drive the creepy factor in this flick.