THE WAILING is the third film in the career of Korean director Na Hong-jin and it's a very different beast to his first two, THE CHASER and THE YELLOW SEA. Both of those are among my favourite films of all times thanks to their breakneck action and intense thrills, whereas THE WAILING is much more old-fashioned, a slow-burning piece of atmospheric horror that's all about the mood and mystique rather than intensity and thrilling action.
The film has a rural setting and sees the typically inept Korean police force attempting to make sense of weird deaths and the weird murderers committing them. Before long it becomes clear that an old Japanese hermit, played by yakuza film regular Jun Kunimura, is somehow connected to the deaths. What follows is two-and-a-half hours of sustained horror involving possession, curses, disease, rituals, and even some zombie mayhem. Some viewers might find the slow pace off-putting, but I found this film rewarding right up until the twist-upon-twist climax. It's exceptionally slow and features some stand-out sequences, like the zombie attack and the endless ritual. The performances are neatly-judged and the mystery keeps you guessing right until the end. It's a very interesting film, one made to reward repeat viewing.
The film has a rural setting and sees the typically inept Korean police force attempting to make sense of weird deaths and the weird murderers committing them. Before long it becomes clear that an old Japanese hermit, played by yakuza film regular Jun Kunimura, is somehow connected to the deaths. What follows is two-and-a-half hours of sustained horror involving possession, curses, disease, rituals, and even some zombie mayhem. Some viewers might find the slow pace off-putting, but I found this film rewarding right up until the twist-upon-twist climax. It's exceptionally slow and features some stand-out sequences, like the zombie attack and the endless ritual. The performances are neatly-judged and the mystery keeps you guessing right until the end. It's a very interesting film, one made to reward repeat viewing.