Dead Talents Society is a Taiwanese mixture of Beetlejuice and Monsters, Inc.. Adopting the point of view of the ghosts in a universe that ghosts are only allowed to exist if they have a human connection or, are famous haunters, the film follows rookie ghost Gingle Wang as she joins a competition to become a haunter, so she can continue existing. The problem is that she is not scary and basically, not good in anything that she does.
The connection with Monsters, Inc. is not only through its premise of ghosts (or monsters) engaging in haunting competitions but also in its narrative structure. Much like Pixar’s approach, the film establishes a unique universe, uses it to delve into character studies, and culminates in emotional moments. While the emotional scenes aren’t deeply profound, they do elevate the film.
The film excels in its humor and world-building. The funniest moments often a combination of the two, such as a worker ignoring hauntings, a car driving through the protagonist, or an audition where ghosts describe their scare tactics. The rules of the universe are both creative and well-defined, though the world itself feels somewhat limited despite its ambitious scope. The film suffers from uneven pacing, with certain scenes dragging; as usual in comedies, a tighter 90-minute runtime would have enhanced its comedic flow. Secondary characters, like Makoto and the ghost friend Camilla, offer little to the narrative. Despite its limited special effects, the film’s charm remains intact. Overall, Dead Talents Society is a fun and touching film with a lot of potential, but it would benefit from more refined pacing and character development.