Leo Wang’s Taiwanese horror film “The 9th Precinct” depicts the tale of a specialized police unit that solely handles paranormal crimes. The special department with psychics handles cases as reported by ghosts in the same manner as police handle cases involving humans.
As intriguing as it may sound, the movie’s entire setup is comic and extremely enjoyable. The plot centers on rookie cop A-Hao (Roy Chiu), whose ability to see ghosts frequently puts him into difficulty as he attempts to apprehend criminals. He is ordered to leave his employment when an incident occurs while he is on duty and he is found to be guilty of the death of a colleague.
Later, he is recruited by senior investigator Lao Zhang in the 9th Precinct, an underground police unit. Here, A-Hao has the chance to investigate enigmatic crimes where the police are led to a conclusion by the ghosts of the deceased. He and his team are particularly adept at interacting with supernatural beings. They handle enigmatic unsolved situations in this way that regular police officers are unable to crack.
The movie “The 9th Precinct” strives to create an eerie atmosphere even if it isn’t particularly frightening. The use of incense sticks to converse with ghosts, as well as the usage of umbrellas and holy water pistols to subdue malevolent spirits, are some other intriguing concepts explored in the movie.
In one of the cases, when a pink handbag links A-Hao to the spirit of a dead girl, he now needs the journalist Ru Xin’s assistance to uncover the shocking facts surrounding her murder.
Watch the movie trailer – ‘The 9th Precinct’
We haven’t seen many Taiwanese movies or TV shows up to this point, so we’re not very familiar with the leading actors and the genres of movies they produce. However, it seems Netflix streams a few of them, and we would definitely watch those.
Meanwhile, from the look and the treatment of the story to the technicalities, ‘The 9th Precinct’ looks a decent supernatural thriller. The movie is most definitely intriguing and enjoyable. It won’t necessarily frighten you, but it won’t bore you either.
Genres: Thriller, Crime, Chinese Films, Supernatural Thrillers
Director: Leo Wang
Cast: Roy Chiu, Chia-Chia Peng, Wen Chen-ling, Eugenie Liu, Yeo Yann Yann
Countries: Taiwan
Language: Mandarin (Traditional)
Release Date/Year: 2019
‘The 9th Precinct’ is now streaming on Netflix. If you’ve watched the film, do share your thoughts in the comment box below.
Where to watch "The 9th Precinct" (2019)
