Koma

August 2005 – Press Release
KOMA
"Human kidneys are not difficult to come by. You simply take a surgical knife, make a horizontal cut in the lower back, and take it out."


Manila, 20 July 2005 – Remember the urban legends of kidney theft that send chills down the spines of party animals? Don’t remember? No problem. Revisit the nail-biting tension in KOMA. In German, ‘koma’ has a similar meaning to ‘coma’ in English, only laden with another dimension of horror. In short, KOMA is set to creep you out. It plays on the well-known organ-stealing tale, but turns into a white-knuckle psychological thriller. The suspenseful story is filled with enough surprising twists to satisfy fans of vigorous mysteries. It is stylish and offers plenty of atmospheric shades that once again show the mighty Hollywood what great thrillers Asian cinema can make. Premiering Saturday, 20 August at 21:00 on STAR CHINESE MOVIES.

Imagine a typical kidney theft: Guy at a party. Girl approaches him to go to another party in an apartment. They continue to drink and even have some other drugs to heighten the party mood. Guy crashes. Guy wakes up and finds himself completely naked in a bathtub filled with ice. He looks down at his chest and finds "CALL THE POLICE OR YOU WILL DIE" written with a lipstick. Guy immediately picks up the phone and dials. He explains the situation to the operator, who tells him to get back into the tub at once and sends a rescue team over. After being examined, he learns that his kidney is stolen and being sold on the black market.

That’s basically the same scenario in the mental thriller KOMA, except here, the victim is female and the line between victim and victimiser blurs uncomfortably as the end draws near.

Hong Kong director Law Chi-leung (INNER SENSES), who is celebrated for his humanity in any genre he takes on, knits an emotional cat-and-mouse game between the two women. Award-winning actresses Angelina Lee Sin-je (THE EYE) and Karena Lam Kar-yan (INNER SENSES) play a game of victim and victimizer until they can no longer tell the two identities apart. Their fates are further entwined with suspicion, friendship, betrayal and passion, but the closer they come together, the closer they draw towards unimaginable danger.

The crime thriller features stunning production, spot-on acting and great writing. If you love Asian cinema, especially horror and thriller genres, then KOMA is definitely a must-watch. The thriller is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the very last moment! Premiering Saturday, 20 August at 21:00 on STAR CHINESE MOVIES.