Movie Review: ‘The Curse Of Willow Song’

Review by Hunter Miele

“The Curse of Willow Song”, written and directed by Karen Lam, is the winner of 8 awards, including the 2020 Leo Award for “Best Motion Picture”. Rife with jaw-dropping acting, otherworldly imagery, and a fascinating and unique plot, “The Curse of Willow Song” is a must-see for any lover of cinema.

Willow Song is a troubled woman who is attempting to grapple with the deaths of her Chinese immigrant parents. Growing up as an orphan has left her with psychological traumas that haunt her into adulthood, resulting in her imprisonment for arson. After serving her sentence, Willow finds herself in a Vancouver detention center, failing to rebuild her fractured life.

Amid the bleak surroundings of the detention center, Willow forms a bond with Flea, another troubled young woman who appears to be exceptionally familiar with living in-and-out of prison and rehab. Willow leans heavily on Flea, given that her parole officer has forbidden her to contact her family members, especially her older brother Mission, who roped her into a life of crime in the first place. With a menacing drug dealer threatening her for the money that he’s owed and no one reliable to turn to, she sees no end to the horror that her life has become.

Reintegration into society proves to be an arduous journey for Willow. Her attempts to land a secure job keep falling flat, and the detention center does nothing to help her to assimilate. Out of the blue, an old friend- Dani- finds Willow and gives her a place to stay: An abandoned warehouse in a private part of the city. Willow, not wanting any help, reluctantly agrees to stay and keep watch over the place for Dani. However, amid the eerie high ceilings and dingy walls of the warehouse, nightfall brings about a sinister evil that takes a terrifying form.

It’s difficult to categorize “The Curse of Willow Song”. For a horror film, it lacks terrifying scenes. For an arthouse picture it’s too straightforward and less nuanced. The film’s strongest quality is its social commentary: Willow’s struggle with addiction and the turbulence in her life that comes solely from being an Asian-Canadian woman is all too real and relatable. The challenges that a convict faces when attempting to reintegrate into society are represented magnificently, with the film’s gloomy black-and-white aesthetic complimenting the subject matter perfectly. Although the terrifying moments in “The Curse of Willow Song” are few and far between, their unique and eerie quality makes up for their scarcity. The film starts off slow, but the actor’s engaging performances keep the viewer intrigued enough until the madness begins, and it’s most certainly worth the wait.