What Is the Story About?
A couple who engage in an extramarital affair discovers a mysterious mobile phone that gives people the ability to make others completely disappear from their lives. The gist of Delete is the couple trying to get rid of the shackles of their current relationships in order to have a life together.
Performances?
One of Delete’s strongest assets is its cast. The actors are fantastic in their roles, the main leads especially. Natara Nopparatayapon’s Too however takes the cake for managing to bag the crown for the most despicable character in the show where every character has their own negative shades, ofcourse the human opportunism spares none.
Nopochay Jayanam’s performance steals every frame he is in, even in a supporting role. Chutimon’s character Orn should’ve had a lot more to do, alas her finesse is rather not utilised fully in Delete.
Analysis
Written and directed by Oh Parkpoom Wongpoom, the maker of the cult thai horror-thrillers ‘Shutter’ (2004) and Alone (2007), Delete also is co-written by Claire Jirassaya Wongsutin and Meen Tossaphon Riantong. A genre-bending Or a genre-hybrid thriller drama that occasionally takes on horror, sci-fi and mystery, Delete manages to make a simple premise all the more interesting and complicated throughout its 8 episode run-time.
Delete adapts the template of Shutter ironically in more ways than one. For starters, the thing Wongpoom has for placing horror in pictures. In Delete, his USP is a mobile phone like device that can take pictures and make one disappear into thin air. In short, the premise of Delete is simple. The horror of deletion, the horror of secretly wishing to delete someone from your life, the repercussions and the extend to which people would go to mark themselves safe.
Delete plays out like a self-scathing black-mirror episode where the horror prevails over sci-fi, thriller or its dramatic core. A couple engaged in an extramarital affair, wants to live a simple life together and get rid of their significant others. A simple conversation could’ve done that. But, no. Delete takes it a bit more and complicates it with a lot of twists and turns. And of course, miserable and unlikeable characters for the sprinkle of realism.
Explaining further would spoil the fun, so coming straight to the pros and cons. Delete actually is worth the hype. It has got an extremely talented star-cast, is reminiscent of early 2000s Japanese techno-horror films, comments on human opportunism, has a lot of twists and turns, and a super bomb finale.
But, the show does turn a lot more ambiguous than you’d guess. With shackles piling up one over the other, complications over-riding one another, many ends still remain loose. There is no satisfying closure and a lot more questions unanswered. As a limited series, Delete does injustice to its viewers. But of course, its Netflix and in another month or two there would be a season 2 announcement to tighten the loose ends. Not to forget, there’s no room for logic, we don’t know anything about the device, as yet.
Precisely, Delete is undoubtedly worth a watch. It is in fact a much deserved comeback for one of Thailand’s most prolific horror film-makers with a cast that is pitch perfect. Delve in blindly, you’d dig it.
Music and Other Departments?
Delete’s background score is perfect, giving off the timely spookiness and atmospheric horror to aid the pacing of the show. Even the camera work gives off the atmospherics of a veteran director coming back to his comfort zone in full form.
Highlights?
Concept
Star-cast
Engaging Screenplay
Shocker Climax
Drawbacks?
Loose ends
Logical loopholes
Dissatisfying closure
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes. Definitely.
Delete Series Review by Binged Bureau
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