MUDBORN (泥娃娃) (2025)

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Shieh Meng-ju
Cast: Yang Yo-ning, Cecilia Choi, Derek Chang, Puff Kuo, Tracy Chou
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror and Violence)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website:

Opening Day: 22 January 2026

Synopsis: Hsu-Chuan, who works at a VR gaming company, accidentally brings home a broken clay baby doll from a haunted house while developing a new horror game. Unexpectedly, his pregnant wife, Muhua, a conservator of artifacts, becomes obsessed with this clay baby doll and continues to restore it. As strange events continue to occur in their family, and she becomes frail, he at his wit’s end, seeks help from a psychic exorcist, Ah-Sheng. This doll’s horrifying secrets and the rhyme’s forbidden curses soon surface…

Movie Review:

Taiwanese filmmaker Shieh Meng-ju may be directing a feature film for the first time, but he is hardly a newcomer to cinema. An established and highly respected editor, Shieh has worked on some of Taiwan’s most known genre films, including Cheng Wei-hao’s The Tag-Along 2 (2017), John Hsu’s Detention (2019) and Kai Ko’s Bad Education (2023). With Mudborn, Shieh steps confidently into the director’s chair, and it feels like a natural progression for a craftsman who understands rhythm, tension, and when to let dread breathe.

Shieh makes a savvy choice by venturing into horror—a lucrative genre both globally and locally. More specifically, Mudborn draws from Taiwanese folklore and a well-known children's tune, tapping into cultural anxieties and spiritual beliefs that feel especially unsettling to domestic audiences. The gamble pays off: the film performed strongly at the Taiwanese box office, proving that locally rooted horror has the power to draw crowds.

The story centres on a married couple whose lives are thrown into turmoil when supernatural forces begin to intrude upon their quiet existence. Yang Yo-ning stars as the husband, a grounded, determined man trying to protect his pregnant wife while navigating forces far beyond his understanding. Yang delivers a solid, restrained performance, anchoring the film emotionally as a man weighed down by fear, responsibility, and mounting dread. His portrayal never slips into melodrama, which helps keep the supernatural elements feeling unsettling rather than exaggerated.

As the wife, Cecilia Choi takes on the more physically and emotionally demanding role. Playing a character who becomes possessed is rarely easy, and Choi commits fully—enduring contorted movements, extended takes of discomfort, and moments that require her to surrender control of her own body language. Her performance lends the film much of its visceral unease, making the possession feel invasive and deeply distressing rather than theatrically showy.

Mudborn unfolds at a deliberate pace, spending its early stretches building atmosphere and hinting at something wrong beneath the surface. While this slow burn may test the patience of viewers expecting immediate scares, it ultimately lays crucial groundwork. The movie finds new energy when Derek Chang enters as a ghost catcher—a character who injects both urgency and unexpected humour into the narrative. Chang strikes an impressive balance, cracking witty one-liners while remaining fiercely focused on his dangerous task. It’s a commendable turn from the young actor and easily one of the film’s highlights.

Visually and tonally, Mudborn doesn’t attempt to reinvent the horror genre, and seasoned viewers will recognise familiar tropes. However, Shieh’s background as an editor shines through in his control of mood and timing. The film prioritises atmosphere over shock value, allowing tension to seep in gradually. By the time the final act arrives, the sense of unease is firmly established.

Ultimately, Mudborn may not break new ground, but it succeeds as a chilling, culturally resonant horror experience. It marks a promising directorial debut for Shieh and leaves the door enticingly ajar for a sequel—suggesting that this foray into folklore-driven fear may only be the beginning. 

Movie Rating:

(It may not reinvent horror, but Mudborn knows exactly how to unsettle—and that’s enough)

Review by John Li