The Wailing Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: The worst cop ever and his family are tormented by supernatural forces that are plaguing the countryside.

Review: Wow...where the hell is this praise coming from?! "The Wailing" was a big hit in Korea, critics are loving it, and it's (currently) sitting at a 7.5/10 on IMDb. Did I watch a different movie than everyone else? This was utter shit. The story is nonsensical, the characters are annoying, the tone is uneven and genre-confused, and the running time is agonizingly long (two and half hours...really, was that necessary?). Oh, sure, there are some positives like the cinematography that showcases the beautiful landscape of Korea. But, I suppose, the main highlight is that the ending, admittedly, is a decent payoff to all the shenanigans. Though...who would want to endure all the bullshit to get to that point?

I'll just jump into the complaints--the movie makes no fucking sense! I've yet to read a plausible explanation from anyone who "loved" this trash. Here's the best I got: some demon or whatever is haunting a small town and trying to gain a physical form. The demon is either failing because the hosts are too weak or because this old man is thwarting the demon's plans. This old man is mistaken for being the source of the possessions which causes the main character and his flunky friends to try and kill the old man. Likewise, some shaman makes matters worse by fucking with the old man as well. Complicating matters further....the old man believes some ghost chick is the demon. Eventually all these zany antics result in the main guy accidentally killing the old man who is subsequently possessed permanently by the demon who gains a physical body. The shaman becomes the unwitting tool of the demon, probably due to fear, and the ghost chick just does whatever it is she does. The film then ends with the demon, somehow, still controlling the main guy's daughter in order to make her kill the whole family. The end? That's how I interpreted the film, and I honestly don't care if I'm way off or not since the plot is too much of a fucking mess and doesn't even come close to explaining things in the concise manner I've provided. And the nonsensical issue is exacerbated by the next issue at hand...

The tone is completely uneven as if the filmmakers didn't have the first clue of how to present this movie. For, maybe, the first hour to 90 minutes, the film plays out like a comedy-horror. Whaaat? The main guy is a bumbling fool and put into increasingly preposterous scenarios like this was coming from Abbott and Costello. This would be perfectly fine if the film didn't suddenly thrust itself into this serious horror film out of nowhere. Who do I blame here...editing, the director, who? And again, this problem is confounded by the running time that makes the film feel like it more than overstays its welcome. Notice how all these problems intertwine with one another? Anyway, there are countless scenes that do not need to be included that do not add, in any conceivable way, to the plot or helping to understand the characters. Speaking of which, the characters are insufferably annoying--especially the main guy who is a Jar Jar without a doubt. Thank Rika that sumbitch dies at least! And, seriously, who the hell was that ghost girl supposed to be? She's a damn liar that's for sure considering she lies about the old man and about the main guy's family surviving if he just waits. Wrong! His wife and mom were dead before he even got there! Just...ugh...I can't go on.

As I mentioned, there are a few positives. For like the hundredth time now, the cinematography is awesome while the story sucks. There are plenty of amazing shots, and the lush outdoors of rural Korea are a sight to behold. Though I hated the characters, the acting is pretty good from everyone; the little girl was especially good (though a little bitch) since she committed fully to the role. Finally, the payoff was surprisingly respectable with the audience watching a situation unfold where we don't know who to trust. The shaman is saying one thing, the old man is saying another thing, and the ghost girl is brought to the forefront. This standoff of who's lying and who's telling the truth was done well; it was strangely reminiscent of a Western minus the guns. If the entire film had been as good as the last 10 minutes you'd hear me singing the praises along with everyone else. Unfortunately, you have to question if sitting through 135 minutes is really worth it just for that?

I think this might be another instance where I hate the English-speaking fanbase of Asian horror. The same problems that they would criticize, say, "Ju-on: The Grudge 2" over are hailed as brilliant here. Realistically, this is a mess of a film from any objective view since it can neither explain its own plot coherently nor keep a consistent tonal expression throughout that overly bloated running time. There are saving graces throughout that torturous running time, however, you will be left wondering why you even persisted to the end altogether. I guess if you are the type who thinks "A Tale of Two Sisters" is the best thing since sliced bread, then this is for you. For me, I was both bored and annoyed throughout and shocked that such a mediocre film is being held up as some kind of paragon of modern horror.

Notable Moment: During the end when you don't know which character to believe is telling the truth. The tension created was commendably presented.

Final Rating: 5.5/10