Phobia 2 is a Thai horror sequence of five short films by five directors and is the sequel to 4bia released last year. Its theme follows its predecessor, although this time there seems to be no link between the characters of one short film with those of any of the others.

The first, Novice, is the story of a boy who, after committing a crime, is sent to a monastery by his mother in the hope he will avoid being caught and sent to jail. However, the karma of his action is quick to catch up with him. Will he be able to escape?

Ward, the second film, focuses on a young man in hospital with injuries from a motorcycle accident. He is in a room with an old man who is dying and whose brain has already stopped responding. In the middle of the night, the young man starts to sense the presence of another person in the room...

The third film is called Backpackers. Two Japanese teenagers, a boy and a girl, decide to go hitchhiking around Thailand. They manage to get a ride on a truck heading to Bangkok but then loud pounding noises arise from within the truck’s trailer. What is the driver hiding in the back of his truck? The horrific truth is about to be revealed.

In Salvage a car dealer earns her living by refurbishing and selling used cars, some of which were involved in terrifying accidents in which several people lost their lives. One night, the woman realizes that her son is missing and, as she tries to find him, she has to face the unexpected.

The last of the five, In the End, is set during the shooting of a horror film called Alone 2, the sequel to Alone. As the crew completes the last scene, one of the actresses passes out. She is immediately sent to the hospital but mysteriously dies, leaving the filmmakers wondering if they will be able to complete the film.

Phobia 2 is highly recommended, each director successfully manages to come up with believable concepts and executes them competently. Sound and special effects are brilliant and Phobia 2 definitely is not your ordinary horror fare. It comes with many an unexpected twist, especially in the last film, which is my favourite; the script is hilarious and Marsha Vadhanapanich’s performance is revelatory!
Pradt Kovitariyavongse