A young woman’s attempt to get on her feet again has some very dire and supernatural consequences in this film from the director of Bring It On: Cheer or Die. 

Willow Song was addicted to drugs, served time in prison. Upon her release, she began looking for work and had found some as a furniture maker for an art dealer. However, she lives in a halfway house with recovering drug addict Flea as her roommate. Things begin to slowly spiral downward for Willow when she loses her job after the dealer accepts a new position in Spain. 

While being unable to find a job and having issues at the halfway home, Willow also begins to have some strange visions at night. When she runs into former cohort Dani, Dani learns of Willow’s situation and offers her a place without having to revert back into working with their boss Mission, who is also Willow’s brother. Willow eventually finds a new job, but she soon discovers her new living space is not as it seems to be. 

Karen Lam may be known in some circles as the director of the most recent installment of the Bring It On franchise with the slasher Cheer or Die, this film gives her a chance to unleash her scripting skills and elements of supernatural horror. Inspired mostly by Japanese ghost films of old as well as add her love of Hong Kong Triad dramas, Lam crafted the story of a young ex-addict who discovers a supernatural presence in her new “home” as she deals with both being an ex-con and deal with racism as well.

Valerie Tian is the heart and soul of the film in the role of the titular Willow. She is introduced in her first job working for a crazed artist as she has just come out of prison. What is interesting is that her employer seems to be impressed with her work and she has a love hate relationship with her roommate Flea, a fellow recovering addict played by voice actor Ingrid Nilson. Flea is a very strange character who seems more enigmatic and somewhat strange with her actions. 

If there is a sympathetic character in terms of her relationship with Willow, it is Dani, played by Elfina Luk. When we see Dani and Willow chatting in a car, we can tell Dani only means well when she offers a property she owns and without the influence of her brother Mission. Simon Chin plays Mission as a Triad-inspired figure who is avoided like the plague from Willow out of fear she will return to her old ways. Adam Lolacher is a real villain in Willow’s former drug pusher Wolf, who shows up to demand money Willow owed before her stunt in prison and will go through any means to get it. However, this leads to a very surprising and shocking finale inspired by said Japanese ghost films. 

The Curse of Willow Song starts out as a film involving a road to redemption before it delves into a well-made supernatural tale all driven by a great ensemble support cast and an amazing performance from lead Valerie Tian.

WFG RATING: A-

Uncork’d Entertainment presents an Opiate Picturesproduction in association with RNR Media. Director: Karen Lam. Producers: Karen Lam and Karen Wong. Writer: Karen Lam. Cinematography: Thomas Billingsley. Editing; Jeanne Slater.

Cast: Valerie Tian, Elfina Luk, Ingrid Nilson, Adam Lolacher, Simon Chin, Amanda Burke, Johannah Newmarch, Natalie Grace, Dejan Loyola.

The film will be released on Digital on September 26.