The horror comedy is such a popular subgenre thanks to the winning yet wacky combination of scares with a sense of humor — it’s tough to get the balance right, but if it’s managed the results can pay dividends. Of course, if a filmmaker’s really ambitious they can throw a third genre into the mix, which is exactly what Everything Under Control does, as it can be called an heist horror comedy.
The Hong Kong-made movie, which premiered in U.S. and U.K. theaters this January before arriving in Canada in February, sports a bizarre premise… and yet it’s apparently one so popular that it’s been brought to screen a total of three times. Everything Under Control is actually a remake of Taiwan’s Treat or Trick (2021), which in turn was a remake of Korea’s To Catch a Virgin Ghost (2004).
So what is this novel plotline? When a diamond heist goes awry, one of the thieves and two security escorts must work together to recover the missing diamonds, a search which leads them to a secluded village. While there, not only do the men clash with the strange villagers, they suspect they are being haunted by a female ghost.
Released as part of Hong Kong’s recent box office boom over the past year, Everything Under Control is directed by Ying Chi Wen and stars an all-star cast of Hong Kong cinema A-listers including Hins Cheung, Ivana Wong, Jeffrey Ngai, Joey Hung, Michael Ning, and Yau Chung Wai.
Clearly, third time’s the charm for this twice-remade tale as the film is currently shooting up the Disney Plus charts, according to FlixPatrol, and has just raced up five places to become the streamer’s 20th most-watched movie in the world.
Published: Jul 4, 2023 06:28 am