Tubi Tuesday: “Malice: Nu Gui”

“Malice: Nu Gui” is an effective supernatural horror about an unstoppable spirit seeking revenge on any male who crosses her path.

The microbudget Horror Malice: Nu Gui spins a tale of an ancient curse, a malevolent spirit, all built within the world of Chinese folklore where wronged females stalk and exact terrible vengeance on those who have wronged them in past lives.

A crumpled letter written in Mandarin starts a chain of events for three college friends as Malice sets her sights on them as her latest victim. Is there a way out, or is there a deeper connection to Keo, as the spirit seeks to torture her with links to her own troubled past?

Having a tight runtime means they have got to hit the ground running, with no wasted shots or unnecessary exposition, and they manage this well.

The introduction is handled with aplomb, boasting some great shots that evoke a feeling of claustrophobia.

There’s an oppressive feeling of hopelessness that surrounds a character’s suffering as he contemplates ending his pain.

The next victims on the hit list are introduced. We meet Joe, one of the most obnoxious characters ever committed to film, as he finds himself on a date with Sai, the human face of Malice.

From here on in, we are presented with two intertwining threads. There are the college mates and their increasingly bizarre experiences as Sai tightens her grip. And there’s the psychic protector, who makes contact across that astral plane and is sucked into finding Malice and putting an end to her schemes.

The two threads are drawn together effectively as Malice traps each party.

The key is that the whole thing moves along at a great pace with no time wasted.

Although the gore is minimal, it is handled well.

Martina Chen as Sai / Malice is exceptional as the avenging spirit. The three friends do well with the time that they are given. Joe (Jake Harrison) manages to annoy the hell out of you, as intended, while Lee (Joshua Chan) and Keo (Mya Lazorka) are far more sympathetic, their lives spinning out of control as the tale progresses.

Malice: Nu Gui is an entertaining, fast-paced watch that doesn’t demand too much of you. It looks good, and the actors do enough to keep you engaged. There’s no unnecessary padding to slow down the momentum.

The ending is quite effective. I obviously won’t ruin it, but the film sticks the landing.

All in all, it’s a very effective tale of supernatural possession well worth your time. Watch out for the end credits sequence, too!