The Wailing

“Surprises, is flamboyant and intelligent and will leave you full of wonder. That's freaking masterful!” wrote Ekko and gave 'The Wailing' six stars.

The world would be a duller place without South Korean cinema. Where else would one come up with writing a ghost-demon-zombie-cop thriller? There are exorcist exorcisms of the 'Exorcist' caliber, insidious monstrosity as in 'Ring', saw-blade survival battles — equal parts effects, thriller twists and raucous misanthropic laughs. And quite characteristic of South Korean film and 'The Chaser' director Na Hong-jin, it's executed with a seriousness and production design that must make Hollywood whisper about remakes.

In the village of Goksung, a sinister behavior spreads like a slow-moving epidemic: People are struck by murderous rage that goes beyond their loved ones, then a sleepwalking state -- and death. Suspicion is directed at a recent riverside newcomer who appears to be cultivating witchcraft. The local policeman Jong-goo tries to maintain composure at first, but when his own daughter shows signs of “the contagion”, rational reality dissolves.

'The Wailing' became an international breakthrough for contemporary Korean horror and is referred to as one of the most intense and original horror films of the 21st century. Politiken called the film “a hallucinatory 'blast from the past' in which national traumas negotiate the Korean soul.”

Directed by: Na Hong-jin
Starring: Jun Kunimura, Jung-min Hwang, Do-won Kwak, Woo-hee Chun
Country/year: South Korea, 2016
Running time: 156 min.
Formato: Blu-Ray
Language: English subtitles
Age limit: Allowed for children over 15
Original title: Goksung

Part of the series: The Monsters Who Changed Us
The monsters always come back. Maybe because they've never really left us. In collaboration with Golden Days, Cinemateket invites you to an idea-historical journey through the most fascinating creatures and nightmares in film history.