Dream Home (2010) is a Chinese housing horror film that deserves a retro review. We warn you now: This film is not for the faint of heart. Ho-Cheung Pang co-wrote and directed this offering and it boasts the old “based on a true story,” drivel. Sure, it may well be based on true circumstances but think Coen Bros and Fargo here. It is, we think, a bit of a tease.
Pang, wrote this with Derek Tsang and Chi-Man Wan, and this may well be one of the few times that the old adage, “Too many cooks (or writers) spoil the broth,” does not apply. *By the way, Pang has no connection to the Horror Kings, Danny and Oxide Pang. While Dream Home is easily on par with the masterful creations of the brother’s Pang, Ho-Cheung is a separate entity entirely.
synopsis
Cheng Li-sheung is working hard to buy her first home in Hong Kong. The newly liberated British holding has reverted back to China. Home prices are skyrocketing and the sellers are ruthless. Li-Sheung fights to buy the home she wants while struggling to keep her family together. Her life choices include being the mistress to a married man and murder.
Background is important
Josie Ho, is an actor I noticed in The Twins Effect (2003) as the doomed first partner of a vampire killer. She struck a chord of authenticity for such a tiny cameo. Dream Home proved that she could hold her own in a starring vehicle.
Now onto background of the characters: Li-sheung has flashbacks while living her adult life. We learn of her childhood and connection to the Catholic Church. Later, when her mother dies, she appears to embrace the teachings of Buddha.
Her beloved grandfather always spoke of having a home that faced the ocean. Li-sheung has this in mind while searching for their new home.
Li-sheung’s father has cancer and the insurance policy is invalid. Her father worked as a builder and asbestos is the culprit behind his problems. She must now pay for his treatment. This leaves little left over for her dream home.
timelines are important not
Dream Home, like many other Asian films, (Most notably Takashi Shimizu‘s The Grudge.) is mostly shot out of sequence. While this may be confusing at first, eventually it will begin to make sense.
As the story unfolds, we learn just how our female protagonist learned how to live. Nothing, including sex and murder, fazes this property seeking woman. She takes it all in her stride.
the way you make me kill
Sheung kills with abandon. She dispatches victims with a variety of implements. A golf club (A driver.), a zip tie, a screwdriver, a very long and sharp kitchen knife, withholding oxygen, a hammer and, perhaps the worst of all, a vacuum storage bag. And last but not least, a pistol.
Her killing spree sees a complete dissemination of the apartment floor surrounding the home she is trying desperately to buy.
It is a seller’s market and just when she is set to buy the property, the couple who own it, back out. They want more money than she can afford.
This is the tipping point.
She sets out to get that price reduced. Amazingly, for many westerners watching this kill-fest, all this is for a high-rise apartment.
Honey this is brutal
In terms of violence and disturbing content Dream Home takes home the prize. There are scenes that are nigh on impossible to watch. The death of a pregnant woman is almost too much to take in. Josie Ho’s character takes the whole homicidal lunatic gag to the limit. Pang’s script allows this character to be so brutal that the Manson clan seem almost tame by comparison.
There are moments so graphic that it is hard to not look away. At the start of the film, we are treated to a prophetic statement about the rise of home prices in 2007 Hong Kong. It then tells us that the film is based upon a true story.
The first murder is about to begin.
its a wrap
Dream Home is easily one of the best horror films on offer anywhere. It earns a full 5 stars and it never lets up. Bouncing between murders and the backstory, we are on the edge of our seats.
There is some nudity, sex and no foul language at all. The movie does contain an incredible amount of gore and, of course, multiple murder.
This is available on AMC + and it can be rented on YouTube. Check out the trailer:
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