REEL JAPAN

Score: 5/10

THE WAILING is a slick production, full of interesting choices in direction and editing. There are genuine moments of ominous horror. However, viewers may be surprised to find that THE WAILING is a bumbling mall cop movie wrapped in the skin of a demonic possession movie. I am guessing the filmmakers bet that extraordinary contrast would give them extra mileage to reel in the frights. Korean star Kwak Do-Won performs the role of Jong-goo: a lowly countryside policeman, a failing husband, and struggling father. He patrols a mountainous village called Godseong along with his inexperienced partner. Like so many horror settings, this community has been recently blighted by mysterious deaths. But the cops’ antics feel more like light comedy that distracts than dark comedy that forces us to stoically behold the grim truths of existence. 

Suspicions naturally fall on the outsider, a lone elderly Japanese man, played with intensity by Kunimura Jun. The Japanese hermit is as much an idea as a character, as he features in the imaginations and dreams of many characters and Kunimura is able to embody all facets. As an actor, he has often been able to generate dangerous vibes while maintaining decorum, in many of his other roles in Japanese cinema and television (see his factory CEO in MINAMATA). He has worked with international directors before, including Ridley Scott and Quentin Tarantino, so his casting here is not surprising. Kim Hwan-hee plays Jong-goo’s young daughter and hers is the best performance of the movie. 

Writer-director Na-Hong Jin can’t quite decide whether to invoke symbolism of Korean shamanism or Hollywood tropes of bible-centric demons. I’m not so sure the two blend seamlessly as the mystery unfolds. 

There is a difference between surprise twists and flaws in the narrative and THE WAILING has both. Atmosphere takes dominance over story. Some secondary characters are given far too much screen time while one crucial character, Il-gwang, (a shaman hired from outside the village played well by Hwang Jung-min) is not given enough to establish himself. Dilapidated houses in this rural village all look much the same, leading to confusion about the settings. The WAILING is an intriguing film that could have been a great film, with better writing and editing. 

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