The sweet dilemma with writer/director Benjamin Wong's indie flick Ba is that it doesn't have nearly enough true horror for horror devotees, though it likely has a little too much horror for those who might appreciate the poignancy of the film's family drama elements.

After spending some time on the indie fest circuit, Ba found its distribution home with indie distributor Ethos Releasing. The film stars Lawrence Kao as Daniel, a single father in his 30s raising his eight-year-old daughter Collette (Kai Cech) alone. The two have an obviously close connection, a fact that helps to keep us invested in Ba throughout its 79-minute running time. Living without much in the way of options with little money and no stable home, Daniel makes the kind of deal you just know he's going to regret. It may be extreme, however, one can't help but think it's the kind of deal many a parent would think about to protect their child. In this case, Daniel becomes a grim reaper of sorts, a skeletal soul who helps people along their paths toward death with a mere touch. It's a dark fate for sure one that he must keep from his beloved daughter and one that ends up, of course, having a pretty serious impact on his ability to be the father he wants to be. 

For some, as noted, there's simply no way that Ba is going to be nearly dark enough. For others, especially those engrossed in the father-daughter dynamics (which for my money are the most successful elements in the film), the film's diving into darkness distracts from a solid family drama. 

Kao is tremendously effective as Daniel, nicely blending together Daniel's conflicted soul and paternal instincts. We never stop believing in Daniel's relationship with his daughter. This is equally true for the film's real highlight - young Kai Cech as Collette. While not always given much to do here, Cech brings to life this young girl who possesses a sort of blind faith in her father even when the evidence would suggest otherwise. As she becomes more curious about her father, it's captivating to watch Cech shift Collette's character and demeanor in subtle, effective ways. 

Wong takes a story that is at least modestly familiar and adds new elements. Ending the film in a way that resonates as both hopeful and honest, Wong has crafted an engaging indie drama that will hopefully find the audience it deserves. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic