If "The Chaser" and "The Yellow Sea" have not solidified Na as one of the best Korean filmmakers of this generation, his third feature has certainly done so. "The Wailing" is a cinematic masterpiece in every sense and it will haunt your soul long after you've walked out of the theater.
While it pays homage to "The Exorcist" in many ways, this is no horror film, and in fact, it is unlike any film I've ever seen. The once familiar clichés turn against you. The cultural and spiritual elements add a distinct Korean flavor. The film is completely absent of jump scares and instead, opts to draw out tension in what feels to be a very short two-and-a-half hour experience. Credit goes to the clever editing as I often found myself mind-blown during scene transitions, and craving more pieces to put together in this complex puzzle of a plot. While there's a lot going on here, it's hard to miss the visceral images that are given such detail, and it helps that every plant has a payoff.
The performers have a lot of range, from tacit facial expressions to downright melodramatic wailing. Child actor Kim Hwan-hee stands out even among a veteran ensemble cast that includes Hwang Jung-min and Jun Kunimura. Na is often criticized for stoic machismo, but these characters are dynamic; the protagonists increasingly vulnerable, and the antagonists all the more menacing.
When the credits rolled, I could not get up. And when my legs could hold me again, I found myself coming back to the theater. There is a sick appeal to this emotional and physical torment, so enjoy it twice, maybe three times, or even more.
Many people were left with questions by the end. After many subsequent viewings, I simply say: you see what you want to see.
While it pays homage to "The Exorcist" in many ways, this is no horror film, and in fact, it is unlike any film I've ever seen. The once familiar clichés turn against you. The cultural and spiritual elements add a distinct Korean flavor. The film is completely absent of jump scares and instead, opts to draw out tension in what feels to be a very short two-and-a-half hour experience. Credit goes to the clever editing as I often found myself mind-blown during scene transitions, and craving more pieces to put together in this complex puzzle of a plot. While there's a lot going on here, it's hard to miss the visceral images that are given such detail, and it helps that every plant has a payoff.
The performers have a lot of range, from tacit facial expressions to downright melodramatic wailing. Child actor Kim Hwan-hee stands out even among a veteran ensemble cast that includes Hwang Jung-min and Jun Kunimura. Na is often criticized for stoic machismo, but these characters are dynamic; the protagonists increasingly vulnerable, and the antagonists all the more menacing.
When the credits rolled, I could not get up. And when my legs could hold me again, I found myself coming back to the theater. There is a sick appeal to this emotional and physical torment, so enjoy it twice, maybe three times, or even more.
Many people were left with questions by the end. After many subsequent viewings, I simply say: you see what you want to see.
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