Jake Sawyer (Jason Behr) is a traveling tattoo artist. He specializes in tattoos that supposedly heal people. When in Singapore, he comes across a group of Samoan tattooists at a tattoo show. He tries to ask them about their designs and what they mean. He is particularly interested to know if any of them have healing powers. The Samoans won't tell him a thing, however, other than that it's not for him. They ask him to leave so that he won't steal their designs. As he leaves, he "borrows" one of the special instruments that they use in their tattoos.
While there, he also meets Sina (Mia Blake). She is also Samoan, but raised in a big city, so she doesn't really believe in the power of the Samoan tattoos. In Samoan culture, the tattoo is a very important ritual, and the design is passed down from father to son. To not receive your tattoo would bring shame upon your family. Due to an unfortunate accident, Jake is pierced with the special instrument. After that, his tattoos definitely don't heal anymore. Instead, they kill. Jake has to seek out Sina and the Samoans to figure out why this is happening and how he can stop it, before Sina dies too.
Also included on the DVD are some really good special features. There are the normal deleted scenes, which are good. I actually wish at least one had been left in, because it helped you keep up with where Jake was. There are also several features on the tattoos that they created for the movies and interviews with real Samoan tattooists. I found those the most interesting of all.
I would tell everyone who likes good horror or suspense movies, or anyone who likes tattoos, to go buy this movie. It is very well done. The acting is superb, the sets and background scenes are wonderfully done, and you might even learn a little about other cultures from it. I'm glad I got it to review, because I might have passed on it in the store, and that would have been a big mistake! It's one of the best and well done horror movies that I have seen in a long time. Seriously, go buy it, now!
