🎬 #223 Darker Forces.
I've seen one of this filmmaker's previous films, and it was, in fact, his debut film, "The Chaser". For those who haven't seen it, it is and has been described as even more bleak than "Seven". It's really relentless. It forces you to look only into the dark sides of humanity and the ineptitude of systems to catch killers and the ramifications of that. Really recommend it.
I was eager, and have been eager because of The Chaser, to see this film for a while, and finally this week I got round to watching it. If you've seen any of his other films, you'll know the world that you're stepping into. This time it's a film that can't really be summed up as simply as a story of possession.
Please enjoy
Bry
FILM: THE WAILING
2016
Dir Na Hong-jin
2 hrs 36 mins
The Wailing does what a lot of fantastic Korean films do best, which is balance, effortlessly pirouette between really dark themes then suddenly, almost, slapstick comedy. And believe me, you really need those woven in just as a bit of respite, sprinkles of light in the intense blackness. This is especially necessary as the last third of the film, when things really ratchet up, creates an inescapable sense of impending doom.
What's so impressive is that you're constantly questioning whether or not this is a supernatural thriller, because you're balancing the events with physical causes and supernatural causes. The filmmakers really walk that tightrope the entire duration of the film, if you're really open minded. It's only when you look back on it, that you realise that even the more extreme scenes might be explained by other, more earthly things.
The horror of The Wailing is, I would say, found more in the unknown. Nothing is explained about why anything is happening in this particular place. There's no rhyme or reason, no motive, nothing like that to grasp onto and give yourself a mooring in the chaos. The director is not going to give the audience anything that simple or easy. The idea of randomness is established in the opening moments. A perfect set up to the idea of senseless violence happening for no other reason than that's what happens. This image is echoed a couple of times throughout the film, as is the idea of being watched, or being judged.
What's great too is that there are no traditional film heroics on display here. Just normal people dealing with extraordinary things. In fact, the lead character, a policeman, heads up the least qualified police force imaginable, cast adrift in a small village. Even other characters that you'd normally imagine are here to save the day, are literally not fully qualified to 'do' what you'd expect them to do. It’s messy and murky - just like the damp and dark corners of wooden homes they find themselves searching more of.
There is something about hot weather that makes me want to delve more into horror, maybe because I know the nights are bright for longer. Seek out The Wailing while the Summer nights can still comfort us.