‘Land of Spirits: The Young Shaman’ Netflix Series Review - Not Good Enough!

Netflix has released this new Vietnamese series which is based on exorcism, ghosts, spirits, and also shamans. The show has a total of eight episodes and an average running time of 40 – 50 minutes.

The series shows us a story of a young shaman called Tinh Lam. We see how his life was before he got engulfed in ghostbusting. The series shows us a glimpse into his life as an exorcist and also the life of those around him. The show claims to be inclined toward the genres of comedy, horror, and fantasy. We see how Tinh lam figures his way out through the spirits and the ghosts as has just started this spiritual journey.

Even though the series claims to have elements of comedy and horror, neither of them is present in the drama throughout. There is a significant difference between the horror element that Asian shows present to us and what mainstream western shows present to us. Only those who are used to these types of Asian comedies will be able to sit through this show. This series even though has tried to justify the genres claimed, has failed due to its clumsy approach.

The series carries a goofy vibe throughout. But the story it tried to portray, along with the concept somewhat doesn’t match the vibe of the characters. The essence of the concept and the story gets lost and is not delivered to the viewers in the best possible manner. The whole story lingers around the main character that is Tinh lam and also the spirits that wander around in his village. But despite all the efforts to make it a good show, this horror comedy fails to give an impactful experience.

Certain scenes or episodes seem too draggy that it is inevitable to skip those scenes. The characters of the show are always up to something to make the show funny by doing some silly or stupid stuff. These actions have made the show unbearable to watch and difficult to sit through. As mentioned earlier even though the series claims to be scary, there isn’t anything that is shown which might be scary. The ghost or spirit appearances in the show mostly gave a comical vibe which completely spoils the whole scene. The show seems completely lost by trying to make it look scary and funny at the same time.

It can get annoying to see the characters giving in reactions that are completely unnecessary over the slightest of things that happen. As a result, there is no way any viewer can get a connection with any of the characters or root for them. The Young Shaman has failed in many aspects, and it is just a silly horror comedy that has no hints of proper horror or a good comedy. Viewers who are familiar with these types of shows and also enjoy them might be able to sit through this show, but if you are someone who is new to this kind, then probably this show should not be on your watchlist.

Final Score – [4/10]
Reviewed by - Poornima Balsu
Follow @BalsuPoornima on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times