Shutter

In the 2008 horror thriller film Shutter, directed by Masayuki Ochiai and starring Joshua Jackson, Rachael Taylor, and Jessie Royal, a couple struggles to cope with the aftermath of a tragic accident that has had a profound impact on their lives. Joshua Wells, a young advertising executive played by Joshua Jackson, and his fiancée, May, are about to begin a new chapter in their lives. They're in love, and everything seems perfect, but their bliss is short-lived. During a chaotic drive through the city one night, a sudden loss of control causes Joshua to hit a young woman crossing the street. Panicked, he stops and calls for help, but by the time the authorities arrive, the girl has slipped away, never to be seen again. Joshua and May attempt to brush off the trauma, trying to convince themselves that it was just a terrible accident. They move on, but their happiness is soon undermined by a series of inexplicable and terrifying events. On several occasions, strange photographs are found on their camera; some of them capture eerie, supernatural entities lurking in the shadows, while others depict May's deceased sister, a girl who has been gone for years. May, who has always been deeply emotionally unstable, is initially dismissive of the strange occurrences. However, as Joshua's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, May begins to experience the supernatural phenomena firsthand, and it becomes clear that there's something inexplicable happening around them. She starts to question whether the spirits are indeed the deceased girl who was involved in the hit-and-run accident, or if they have been awakened by some other means. As Joshua and May try to understand the significance of the photographs and confront their dark past, they realize that the spirit is out to get them – specifically, Joshua. They visit a series of mediums and psychic readings, only to find that the girl's ghost is a harbinger of their guilt, and that they should expect a recompense in the future. In a desperate attempt to find some closure, Joshua visits his psychologist and confesses his involvement in the hit-and-run incident, which he had managed to keep hidden from the authorities all along. However, when confronted by the truth, it becomes evident that he's trying to escape his dark past, and not really face reality. This revelation further exacerbates the issue, fueling May's growing distrust of Joshua and their fragile relationship. The plot takes an interesting twist as it unravels the mystery of the girl's death. While the investigation into the hit-and-run accident continues, a parallel storyline delves into the past of May's deceased sister, Sophie, who died under similar circumstances. Sophie's past holds a dark secret: her death was allegedly self-inflicted due to her mental instability, a notion that May cannot accept. May's connection to Sophie leads her to a series of disturbing discoveries. It turns out that May, who had always harbored a deep resentment towards her sister for being favored and admired, has been subconsciously manipulating the events that unfold, creating an alternate reality that blurs the lines between past and present. Through May's growing instability, the film skillfully manipulates the narrative to blur the audience's perception of reality, creating a sense of unease akin to that of the characters themselves. The camera movements become increasingly disorienting as May becomes convinced that the supernatural forces are an actuality, and she begins to doubt her own sanity. Shutter is not merely a film about the afterlife; rather, it is a complex study of the human psyche. The characters, particularly May, are multi-dimensional, and their fragile grip on reality serves as a metaphor for the fragile lives we lead. The horror element in the film takes a secondary place to the exploration of the human psyche, adding depth and layers of complexity to the narrative. Ultimately, the film's conclusion raises a multitude of questions rather than providing straightforward answers. While Joshua does eventually confront his guilt, his attempt to come to terms with his past falls flat, and he becomes trapped in a cycle of self-blame and shame. The fate of May and Joshua remains ambiguous, as the film skillfully leaves their future open-ended, raising a chilling and unsettling question – will they ever be able to break free from the cycle of guilt and redemption, or will they remain tormented forever, trapped in a nightmarish world of their own making?