[Review] Shibuya Kaidan 2: The Locker 2

(Image From" Taiwandramas Blog)

Title: Shibuya Kaidan 2: The Locker 2
Language: Japanese
Genre: Horror
Year: 2004



The trailer has scenes from both the original and its sequel. This is the same trailer as posted before.

I was going to review The Locker 1 and 2 on the same post, but I felt that the first one was getting a bit lengthy, so I made a separate post. At the same time there almost isn't enough to say about The Locker 2 (that isn't basically a rehash of the first) to warrant its own post. The Locker 2 was featured on the same disc as the first The Locker and The Locker 2 picks up, literally, right where the last one left off. We find ourselves at the hospital bed of Rieka Yashima (Asami Mizukawa) with her beloved student Ayano Kubo (Maki Horikita) at her side. Before dying (in a rather erotic way, I dare you to tell me that wasn't death by orgasm. I DARE YOU!) Rieka gives Ayano the key to the haunted locker. In true Scooby Doo style, Ayano scourers the Shibuya district for the locker that the key belongs to hoping to find some answers about her teacher's sudden death.

Being the glutton for punishment that I am, I decided to watch the second installment in the "Locker" series. I'm not sure if it was because I was expecting pure crap, the acting was insanely more tolerable, or if I was just feeling a little more open minded today, but this movie wasn't as bad at the first one. When the movie started, I almost felt kind of bad for the little engine that could(n't). I sat down and was pretty much convinced that it was going to be terrible. In all honesty it had me until just about halfway through. I was thinking, "Aw, this isn't so bad. Maybe I was being a little hard on it...", but of course as soon as the thought fleeted across my mind the movie took a turn for the worse. Really, I have to blame the doctor. His crazed "grief" was well, just plain crazy and over dramatic. Ayano was carrying the movie fairly well until he decided he was going to go for "most memorable freakout". I think that they really didn't know how to end the movie and the last half was their ideas fizzling out.

In this movie we get to know all of the secondary characters featured in the first: Ayano, the Doctor and his assistant, and the people Ayano mentions (the boy she likes and the bullies at school). The locker is also a lot more involved in the movie. Since they figured that we all know the locker is evil they don't have to worry about trying to create any suspense. The 6 year old living in the locker goes on a mass killing spree, taking out anyone who's dumb enough to open it. I say dumb because they rumor is that there's a locker in Shibuya that will make a person love you, but it's also evil and can kill you. It doesn't take a detective to put together that a huge rise in unexplained deaths in love struck teenagers might have a connection. One thing that really perplexes me however, is the fact that they made two separate movies. Both movies run about 65 to 70 minutes each, the second one is a direct continuation of the first and they both had the same actors. With a little fat trimming (mostly the "recap" memories that Ayano had with her moments with Rieka) this could have been one whole (slightly better) movie.

In the end The Locker 2 stole just as much from Ringu and Ju-on as the first one did and did it just as shoddily. I'd skip this one unless you're some sort of weirdo completest (like myself) or you just like bad Asian horror movies without an ounce of originality.


2 Stars