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Keeper of Darkness
Movie

Keeper of Darkness

2015 • Unknown

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

Street-smart exorcist Fatt has an unique method of dealing with vengeful spirits: He negotiates with them and persuades them to let go of their grudges. After recordings of his exorcisms go viral, Fatt attracts the attentions of a murderous spirit who’s targeting mediums, as well as a troublesome reporter who takes great interest in Fatt and his close relationship with a female spirit.

Overall Series Review

Keeper of Darkness is a Hong Kong horror-thriller-comedy centered on the street-smart exorcist, Fatt, whose supernatural skill is complemented by his unique, empathetic method of resolving grudges with spirits. The narrative is firmly rooted in Hong Kong cinema and focuses on personal emotional and supernatural conflict. The protagonist’s journey is defined by his individual ability, competence, and charisma, not by his demographic classification. The film is a local production with an entirely Asian cast, eliminating any possibility of race-swapping or 'vilification of whiteness.' Female characters are present as a supportive, benevolent ghost companion, a junior reporter, and half of the vengeful antagonist pair, none of whom are presented as flawless 'Girl Boss' types. The plot emphasizes a core spiritual concept: that unresolved bitterness is the source of evil, which Fatt works to alleviate by acting like a social worker to the spectral community. This approach subverts rigid, traditional religious ritual by favoring humanistic negotiation and psychological resolution, but it does not descend into outright moral relativism, as vengeance is still framed as an objective evil.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The movie is a Hong Kong production with an all-Asian cast. The story is driven entirely by the lead character's unique paranormal merit and ability to negotiate with spirits. The narrative relies on personal grudges and supernatural threats, not on systemic oppression or intersectional hierarchy.

Oikophobia1/10

The film is a genre piece deeply embedded in local Hong Kong cinematic traditions, blending horror, comedy, and gangster elements. It implicitly celebrates the city and its culture by using the local setting and lore as the core of the story, showing no hostility toward the home civilization.

Feminism2/10

The charismatic and powerful lead figure is male, Fatt, who is portrayed as a competent authority and protective figure. Female characters, such as the benevolent ghost Cherr and the 'cute journalist' Ling, are supportive or secondary, and do not exhibit the 'Mary Sue' or 'Girl Boss' tropes. The focus is on the male protagonist’s abilities.

LGBTQ+1/10

The core romantic relationship is a supernatural one between the male exorcist, Fatt, and the female ghost, Cherr. The plot structure is centered on traditional male-female pairings and family tragedies, with no evidence of centering alternative sexual ideologies or deconstructing the nuclear family structure.

Anti-Theism3/10

The lead character actively rejects traditional, formal exorcism rituals, opting instead for a 'therapeutic approach' to convince spirits to let go of their bitterness. This is a subtle subversion of institutionalized religion or ritual, but it promotes a form of transcendent morality where the objective evil is personal malice and the solution is spiritual/emotional reconciliation.