The Wailing (2016)
Seventeenth review is for a Korean and Japanese horror film that has been on my to-watch list on Netflix since 2016. Mystery, virus, zombies, possession, traditional medicine, xenophobia, cannibalism, and a little girl who came to act baybeeee. Includes #spoilers :
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The Wailing (2016) Pros: The intro had me so invested, I really appreciate the crime/horror/comedy/mystery vibe. The hospital scene with the first infected person we saw where his collarbone popped in his chest, wilddd. Every off-beat, funny moment like the convo about adult diapers, the side eyes from his family when he’s having nightmares, the fight with the zombie where they kept fumbling. Also love me some hijjnx and Asian movies love to include some kind of odd, funny scene that cuts the tension (The Host, As The Gods Will, Ichi The Killer) The crows, multiple healing and spiritual traditions. The ritual duel was dope, intense and well done. Not mad at the runtime. That daughter child actor came to act okay!!
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Cons maybe: The ending got a little confusing for me but I think if I were to watch it again it would put all the pieces I learned at the end together. Was the demon and the other shaman working together like disciple and master (hence the diapers) or just the same being showing a different body at different times? Unlikely because why would the Japanese older version be battered and bruised hiding in a cave when he coulda just switched around? Was the lady in white actually good and keeping the bad spirits away? Because in the time that homeboy ran through the spiritual barrier to the house the girl didn’t have the time to cut up her family so was she slicing while the lady spirit delayed him? Reading up on it after answered my questions but if you had these questions too you are not alone.
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I rate this a 9, for all the positives I mentioned, it surprised me, kept me along for the mystery, and that little girl was murking people which is usually a taboo in film. Kids are to be protected but nah, they gotta stay away from her. Would recommend✨
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