'Shutter', a Thai horror film directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, was released in 2004. The film masterfully weaves a tale of horror that delves into the subjects of guilt, punishment, and the afterlife.
The story revolves around Tun (Ananda Everingham), a young photographer, and his girlfriend, Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee). After celebrating at a friend's wedding, they hit a young woman with their car on the way home and, in panic, decide to flee the scene without offering help.
Following the hit-and-run, strange occurrences begin to plague their lives. Tun starts to find mysterious white shadows and spectral figures appearing in his photographs. His friends who were present at the wedding start dying in strange circumstances. Haunted by the photographs' oddities, Jane starts investigating them and finds that the spectral figure appearing in the pictures is a woman named Natre (Achita Sikamana).
While Jane becomes increasingly disturbed by the supernatural happenings, Tun becomes distant and avoids her inquiries. Jane discovers that Natre was actually Tun's ex-girlfriend from his college days. Unbeknownst to Jane, Tun and his friends had sexually assaulted Natre, and Tun had taken photographs of the act. Unable to bear the shame and torment, Natre committed suicide.
The mystery behind the hauntings unravels when Jane confronts Tun about Natre. He finally confesses to the cruel acts that led to Natre's suicide. The photographs weren't just a tool for Natre's revenge but served as a medium to reveal the truth. Tun's friends who died were all part of the assault, and Natre's spirit was haunting them for revenge.
The climax of the film is both horrifying and tragic. Tun, tormented by the guilt and horror of his past actions and the relentless haunting, tries to escape, only to find Natre's vengeful ghost is a part of him. In one of the final scenes, it's revealed that the reason Tun has been experiencing severe neck and shoulder pains is that Natre's ghost has been metaphorically and physically carrying the weight of his guilt - Natre has been clinging onto his back all along. In a state of fear and desperation, Tun falls from the balcony of his apartment.
'Shutter' ends with a chilling scene in the hospital where Tun, now paralyzed, can only move his eyes. The final shot shows a heavy shadow cast on the lower part of the hospital room's curtain, indicating that Natre's spirit is still with him.
'Shutter' is a skillful blend of horror and psychological thriller, presenting a story where the real horror isn't the vengeful ghost but the monstrous actions of the living. Through its suspenseful narrative and haunting visuals, the film becomes a compelling critique of guilt, atonement, and supernatural vengeance.