THE GHOSTS MUST BE CRAZY ~ 3.5/5

Two stories for the price of one sound like a good deal. But it also comes with the inevitable comparisons. On the back of Where Got Ghost?, the first “hormedy” (fusion of horror and comedy) by Jack Neo and Boris Boo, this film has its mixed moments just like its predecessor.

The first story The Day Off is directed by Boris Boo, and is again army-themed. Ah Nan (John Cheng) and Ah Lei (Wang Lei) are on their last reservist training which is the most strenuous of all. They decide to cook up grandmother tales to malinger and avoid it. However, they encounter an obstacle in their no-nonsense platoon commander (Chua En Lai). All is about to change when their sickly section mate (Dennis Chew) faints while digging a trench.

The setting is familiar to those who have gone through National Service. And that is an advantage regardless of the plot. Once again, the bantering and antics of John Cheng and Wang Lei as the two reservist soldiers prove to be the highlight. The scene of the “flying” land rover is well shot and appears as if it is projecting towards the audience. However, the same cannot be said of some scene transitions where there are too many sharp cuts. Nevertheless, it manages to balance the horror and comedy elements to deliver a credible first half.

The second story Ghost Bride by Mark Lee, making his directorial debut, is a stark contrast to the first. It seems more like a parable rather than a “hormedy”. Ah Hui (Henry Thia) has little money and just lost his honey. A stranger Ah hai (Mark Lee) approaches him with an option of striking it rich to win back his honey. Ah Hui engages the help of the deceased and when it is payback time, a ghost bride awaits for him at the solemnisation table.

Uneven pacing, over-indulgence in CGI effects, lame humour and the lack of horror elements plague the second half. The only horror could possibly be a cringe-worthy cross-dressing moment. The use of CGI effects is good in a couple of scenes. The snake appears very real and the image created by the flood of moving urns is spectacular. But with the subsequent recreation of hell, it seems like the amount of CGI effects has crossed the line. Is Henry Thia overexposed? He seems to reprise his roles to the extent that it gets a tad tiring watching him.

While the two films will definitely bring laughter, depending on your sense of it, the former is the better of the two. Have a “hormical” time!