The story is based on Japanese novel and I love the story. I also watched the Korea version which is a good thriller. The HK version has made a lot of changes in casting and setting. One big error is about the actress's creepy appearance which completely destroying the turning point in the original work. Also, there is no sense of fear and horror. The director's shooting style is old fashion e.g. the actor seeing a big lobster monster creates laughable and weirdo atmosphere. Insurance agent, step-father and psychologist's overacting makes it worse. So directing, acting, cinematography don't come well all together!

Set in Hong Kong "Legally Declared Dead" is a glimpse into how the lure of money can attract the darkest and most desperate aspects of humanity.

I believe this its actually based on the work of a Japanese writer. Irrespective, its tale of how how money can realise the absolute worst aspects of human nature is universal.

Themes of psychosis, nihilism, inequality, entrenched criminality, addiction, betrayal, inhumanity and its converse, are all explored. A warning up front too. This is a deeply dark film. It pulls no punches and it is, by any standards, disturbing.

Its well paced, with a creepy menace that slowly intensifies as the film scuttles, slinks and slithers towards its troubling conclusion.

Acting is outstanding too, with believable characters that are sympathetic and at the other extreme, utterly abhorrent.

Perhaps its only downside is a lack of any real sense of hope. That said, sometimes what you see is what you get and what you get, may or may not be what you and others, might feel you deserve.

8/10.

An eager and honest insurance broker is drawn into difficulties in his work: a son has died, apparently by suicide, but he's not so sure that's the case. The father is very, very adamant about receiving the insurance payout on the child's life insurance policy, and our insurance broker just doesn't think it's proper, until he knows more about what happened. In the meantime, the mother of the child is disabled in that she's partially blind and getting blinder by the minute; might she be at risk next? And is the father exactly as he seems in this complicated moment?

I loved that this story-line turns itself upside down in so many ways, while still maintaining a lot of uncertainty about what's really going on. It took the comments of my husband, though, to bring home to me the real point, which I won't reveal here, except to say that there are many ways that can lead to moral destruction. Recommended!