The Evil Within: The Wailing

The Wailing (Goksung), is the latest horror-thriller movie to tackle the supernatural. Think about shamans, rituals, and of course the evil among us.  

Directed and written by Hong-jin Na, the story takes place in the village called Goksung. Manic possessions and vicious murders began to happen when a mysterious stranger (Jun Kunimura) arrives in the quiet, rural area. His presence, as well as the recent events, have caused panic, suspicion, and fear among the villagers.

Professional and personal interests collide when police officer Jong-Goo (Do Won Kwak) takes the matter into his hands when his daughter, falls under the same fate. To cast off the spell, he asks help from a shaman (Jung-min Hwang), but not without a conflict with a mysterious woman (Woo-hee Chun) who appears when you least expect her. 

The movie starts off slowly, immersing the audience in the eerie environment. Gloominess looms over as the film's mood, save some humour injected once in a while, courtesy of Jong-Goo. Still, the suspense, gore, and violence will make you uncomfortable. Plus, the length of the film—lasting for almost two hours—are quite excruciating, especially if you want to end the suffering of a father who only wants the best for his family. 

All in all, the movie is a good pre-Halloween film; catch it if you can. I cannot assure you it will not give you goosebumps and terrifying vision of the creepy red peepers when you close your eyes. 

***

 Starring Jun Kunimura, Jung-min Hwang, Woo-hee Chun, Do Won Kwak, The Wailing opens in  cinemas nationwide on 13 October.