Jakarta. South Korean horror “Ghost Train” is now playing in Indonesian theaters, but will it be able to scare millions of Greater Jakarta’s commuters? Unfortunately, it’s quite hard to hop on this “Ghost Train”.

Directed by Tak Se Woong, “Ghost Train” has young horror YouTuber Da Gyeong (Joo Hyun-Young) as its protagonist. Like many YouTubers out there, Da Gyeong is hungry for views. She asks for the help of a stationmaster (Jeon Bae-soo) for some ghost stories of the station he works at. Each story helps Da Gyeong gain the views she needs, and so she comes back for more storytime.

Clocking in at an hour and a half, “Ghost Train” feels like an omnibus horror. The movie feels like a collection of the station's urban legends, many of which are clichés, except for one. 

A homeless man seeking refuge at the station accidentally finds a mysterious red coin on the ground. The guy buys a can of soda from a vending machine at the station using the freshly found money. The can turns out to be empty. However, he later finds out that the can will suck whoever stands in front of him into the vending machine. This would leave the victim’s belongings behind, including their wallet. The man realizes he can make money off this, and continuously rinses and repeats the ritual. But as expected, things don’t end well when greed takes over. 

The train ride could have been more enjoyable if “Ghost Train” were just about this demonic vending machine. The other episodes are forgettable. Still, the plastic surgery part can take the runner-up position. Imagine being chased around by a bandaged woman with a corrosive liquid. “Ghost Train” does not do many jump scares, but the film tries to shed some light on existing societal issues like poverty or lookism. Unfortunately, the script—written by Jo Ba-Reun—fails to turn “Ghost Train” into a compelling story. The dialogue feels flat, giving viewers another reason to give “Ghost Train” a lower score.

From the very beginning, “Ghost Train” actually had a chance to hit commercial success in Indonesia. The commuter rail network in Greater Jakarta carries 1 million passengers a day. Countless people also have to take the night train because they have to stay late at work. Too bad the movie’s subpar plot fails to send a chill down the commuters' spines.

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