In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Wednesday 17 August 2016

GOKSEONG [2016]

aka The Wailing

If creeping you out, tensing your nerves and breaking your heart is what you're looking for then Na Hong-jin's moody supernatural thriller Gokseong is a nod in the right direction.
Set in a tiny South Korean village, a spineless policeman's life is turned upside down when his daughter is infected with a mysterious disease that is spreading throughout the small community.
It's a finely tuned meshing of all sorts of horror and thriller ingredients that gracefully mix with it's tale of human drama and dark, dark humor.  By simultaneously capturing the vast rural forest surroundings with the claustrophobic interiors of the housing, Hong-jin keeps the viewer in constant discomfort that makes it difficult to shake off once all is said and done.

4 life-changing rooster crows out of 5

1 comment:

Borderline said...

I was really surprised with how funny this one was. The acting was superb, but the third act left me all kinds of confused. I've since read some other reviews that may have shed some light on the ending, but overall it felt uneven. 2 1/2 out of 5 from me.