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Synesthete
Movie

Synesthete

2021 • Unknown

Woke Score
1.4
out of 10

Plot

A photographer, Chi-Shing is entangled with a "woman in red", leading to the deaths of his relatives one by one. When the girl he likes, Sze Tung, also died mysteriously, Chi Shing vows to find out the truth but ends up revealing the secret of a "ghost marriage".

Overall Series Review

Synesthete (2021), a Chinese-Hong Kong horror film also known as Ghost Bride, follows a photographer named Chi-Shing who is haunted by the spectral image of a woman in red and afflicted by a series of deaths among his loved ones. The narrative centers on a supernatural curse and the dark traditional practice of a 'ghost marriage' (yin marriage), which Chi-Shing must unravel to save himself and understand the tragic fate of the woman he loves, Sze Tung. The film is a genre piece heavily reliant on East Asian folk horror conventions and local spiritual beliefs. Its primary focus is on fear, fate, and a male character's attempt to solve a paranormal mystery tied to an old cultural tradition. The setting, cast, and themes are entirely rooted in Chinese/Hong Kong culture, making the typical Western-centric 'woke' mind virus categories largely irrelevant to its content.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The film features an entirely Chinese/Hong Kong cast and narrative, a natural reflection of its cultural origin. The plot does not engage with concepts of racial privilege, intersectional hierarchy, or the vilification of 'whiteness.' Characters are defined by their connection to the central curse, a supernatural syndrome (synesthesia), and family ties, upholding a meritocratic and character-driven focus.

Oikophobia1/10

The story grounds its horror in the local folk custom of 'ghost marriage,' directly engaging with and exploring a specific, centuries-old East Asian tradition. It respectfully utilizes a shaman and local spiritual elements. The narrative displays an interest in and a deep use of the home culture and its ancestral practices, which is the antithesis of civilizational self-hatred.

Feminism3/10

Female characters largely exist in relation to the male protagonist, either as the love interest, the deceased who drives the plot (the woman in red), or the professional assistant. The plot hinges on the male lead solving a problem and rescuing the women involved. There are no overt 'Girl Boss' or 'Mary Sue' tropes, and there is no messaging that disparages motherhood or family as a prison.

LGBTQ+1/10

The core romantic and relational structure is traditional and heterosexual, centering on Chi-Shing's bond with Sze Tung. The central mystery of the 'ghost marriage' is inherently a traditional male-female pairing concept. There is no presentation or promotion of alternative sexual ideologies, deconstruction of the nuclear family, or lecturing on gender theory.

Anti-Theism1/10

Traditional folk religion, specifically the concept of ghosts and the use of a shaman, is an integral and serious element of the plot, not a source of villainy or bigotry. The supernatural conflict inherently acknowledges a spiritual realm and cosmic forces, upholding the existence of a higher moral or metaphysical law without specific hostility toward religion.