Hoon Payon is a movie that delves into the psychological depths of grief and the struggle of a man to find the whereabouts of his brother. Throughout the movie there is an eerie atmosphere and you tend to question about the motivations of each of the characters.

The movie starts with Tham (Phuwin) entering in to a small village in search for his brother. There he learns that his brother has fled after murdering the abbot and is nowhere to be found. While he stays in the village to get to the bottom of his brother’s disappearance, he encounters strange customs and the monks’ reverence to a bizarre deity. What follows are series of deaths and further disappearances and Tham’s own life at risk.

The film's greatest strength lies in its atmospheric storytelling. The haunting ambiance, coupled with the subdued performances, creates a palpable sense of dread. The director skillfully builds tension, allowing the horror to unfold gradually, rather than relying on cheap jump scares. The constant fear of someone lurking in the corner while eerie occurrences happening around you invokes an unnerving feeling.

The characters in the film are mysterious and complex. Along with our main characters Tham, we have Te, an autistic man who is loving and caring to all but is also a victim of bullying. We also meet Jes, who sculpts statues that are used by villagers in the last rites for the dead and monk Kla who dislikes Tham and constantly butts heads with him. Tham tries to navigate through the multiple characters to learn about his brother and escape from these supernatural occurrences.

In conclusion, Hoon Payon is a horror film that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll. While it may not be a perfect film, it succeeds in creating a chilling atmosphere and exploring the complexities of human emotion and blind faith