Gonijam: Haunted Ayslum might not be the most original film ever, but it does capture and execute the thrill and terror of exploring an abandoned haunted building pretty well.
Synopsis
The crew of a horror web series travels to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast, and it soon encounters much more than expected as it moves deeper inside the nightmarish old building.
My Thoughts
From the moment the characters in this South Korean found footage film, and us as the viewers enter the asylum, the atmosphere is tense, and every little sound, shadow, or unexplained movement helps keep you on edge.
The scares in the film don’t really rely on sudden loud noises, but instead, they creep up on you slowly, and in some scenes, you know exactly what is going to happen, but it doesn’t feel any less tense, and I also liked some of the humor in the dialogue as well at times.
The movie doesn’t look messy either, neither is it too over the top which you often see in these types of movies.
The cameras are steady, and the lighting is clear enough to see what’s happening,and there are also a few parts where the movie tries to mimic the glitches of a live-stream, but personally I didn’t feel that really added too much.
While the movie doesn’t introduce anything entirely new to the genre, it does everything well enough that it doesn’t really matter.
The pacing is pretty good, if a little slow at the start, and the scares are effective without feeling forced, and while the film does have a few flaws, again, I felt it didn’t really matter too much.
There’s a lot to like about Gonijam: Haunted Ayslum, and while not original at all, I thought it was executed pretty well.
As for the characters, they are fine, none are overly annoying (Which is rare) and as mentioned, some of the dialogue is quite humorous at times, and they all did just fine with no major complaints from me.
Good Points
Atmospheric Tension: The film excels at creating a creepy atmosphere,and from the moment the group enters the asylum, the uneasy feeling builds steadily.
Found Footage Style: Unlike many found footage movies, this one has clear visuals and steady shots and the live stream setup feels authentic as well.
Sound and Silence – The sound design is really good, with subtle noises, whispers, and moments of silence that help heighten the tension.
Bad Points
Not Overly Original: The story follows many familiar horror tropes, making some of the twists and scares feel expected rather than surprising.
Character Development: The characters are pretty much an after thought as you never really care about them, which some might not like.
Backstory: While the backstory behind the asylum is mentioned and hinted at, I would liked to have known more.
Is It Worth Watching?
Yes.
Some may not like the seen it all before aspect, but it’s done pretty well and it has some strong tension, even if it is a little bit predictable.
But I definitely recommend it.
Gonijam: Haunted Ayslum On IMDB
Gonijam: Haunted Ayslum Trailer
Where To Watch
Director and Cast
Director – Jung Bum-shik
Main Cast – Wi Ha-joon, Park Ji-hyun, Oh Ah-yeon, Moon Ye-won, Park Sung-hoon, Yoo Je-yoon and Lee Seung-wook
Found Footage Horror Movies 
Let Me Know Your Thoughts!