Blending elements of folk horror and creature features alongside a familiar vengeful ghost story, Howling Village is a spooky, suspenseful mystery that provides plenty of chills for any horror fan.

In the end, despite some strong visuals, the film feels just like a ride through a tepid haunted house: scary and mysterious, yet empty and unremarkable.

[Director Takashi] Shimuzu draws us in just enough to spur our interest, and delivers just enough inspired imagery and eerie vibes so the movie's ever so slightly more than just another ghost story.

It's intriguing for Western audiences for its handsome Japanese vistas, and it's not absurd enough to be a howl, but it's not exactly good, either.