@@rannierunsfast YES! I LOVE THAT MOVIE! I bought it just because I loved the Fatal Frame games, but the film was completely worth buying on its own merit.
The worst part is when you realize that during the ritual sequence, both Il-Gwang and the Japanese man are working TOGETHER on Hyo-Jin, while she's completely powerless to resist. You watch that scene the first time round thinking that Il-Gwang is fighting against the Japanese man, but then you realize you were watching him attacking Hyo-Jin the whole time. It's such a horrendous sense of betrayal and hopelessness, and it makes Hyo-Jin's screaming so much more harrowing, because it's no longer a case of a good guy trying to save her from a bad guy, but two bad guys putting their full strength into destroying her. Watching Hyo-Jin writhing in agony in this scene is genuinely hard to watch when you understand what's actually happening.
Hi, watched the movie yesterday and I belive the Japanese man was trying to bring the man in the car to life again. He had a picture of him while doing the ritual and in the morning we see the man in the car is no longer there anymore. I doubt he was doing a ritual on Hyo-jin.
@@gozdeylmaz7495 That's correct. I think it also explains why the Japanese man was so alarmed and confused when he went to check on the body, and the body was gone. I believe that the demon/spirit possessing him previously was transferred to the body, and only returned after the Japanese man "died" on the road. This was perhaps to ensure that the demon would live on, should something happen to the Japanese man. The full ritual of how possessions/cursing seems to happen is... pictures must be taken twice - once to curse, and then to seal the curse, perhaps? I think that has some play there.
@@sneakysnakeways Well that's an interesting notion but nothing in the movie indicated that the demon in the Japanese man moved into a different body at any point. Only that he seemed to snap out of its control while being chased. The first snapshot is to curse the person and a lot of times the 2nd picture was of the person dead.
I don't think both of them were working against the little girl at that same time. We got to see in that moment what the Japanese man was doing with the pictures. He takes them and uses them in a ritual to bring back to life/control people (the guy in the truck) so they are forced to do his evil doing. The Shaman was helping him in the way that he made the girl more powerless since she had some protection already from the woman in white.
It’s so nice how modern horror is getting a little more creative and risky with it’s themes and plot lines. Midsommar and *Hereditary legit traumatized some people. Horror of the mind mixed with some gore and jump scares is my favorite kind.
(Comments written by Koreans through a translator) Interestingly, when Il-gwang performs ritual thing, the wood he breaks and drives in nails are called "Jeongseung" and are totems that protect the village. Although this is a well-known fact in Korea, most Korean audiences did not notice it at all while watching the movie. This is probably due to the confusion caused by the cross-editing mentioned in the video.
based on the Director`s interview. In Korea, there is an old superstition that every each area have a ghost who protects the people of the village. They call it "Tochack-ryung" means ghost who stick in the land. So the woman here is a kind of good ghost who is fated to protect the village. She wanted to protect her village from that evil spirit. This is why she was wearing victim`s stuff like cloths, hairpin. The shaman is connected to the old japanese man. He is also a japanese. A scene where the shaman is changing clothes, he wore the same underwear as the japanese man. Why shaman does all of this is because he tricks the people of the village and earn money through it. Japanese man is possessed by an evil. Sometimes he is just a normal person and that’s why he was crying at the cliff scene. While the shaman is performing the ritual, the Japanese man is also suffering - Director said it in the interview, that wasn’t the same time event. The director wanted to make the audience a little bit confused. this movie has a simple story line but the director cut and slice some scenes and mix it together and that’s why it makes this movie harder to understand. Based on Director Hong-jin, Na`s interview
The weird thing about this movie is how there are different ways to interpret it. The mushrooms get glazed over a lot, but at the beginning, it’s mentioned how all the village people were eating it. If it’s all truly a dream, it could have been a hallucination caused by the poisonous mushrooms that drove an entire village mad.
The scene when the main character has to decide whether to trust the woman in white is one of my favorite scenes in any horror film because I felt as confused as he did
Confusion is not horror. It's a parlour trick to keep you watching. The second half of this movie ruined it with unnecessary reverses, the building of the initial threat was way more horrifying
agreed. incredible moment. and @@ashvinvasudeva248 I don't think that's an honest reading. Obviously confusion is not horror, but horror as a genre feeds on many different emotions, even laughter (quite often, in my experience of horror). A less interesting movie might have led up to this sort of scene with a story that made it clear that there is a right choice to make here, and we would gleefully deplore the character's bewilderment. Instead, the character's confusion is all the more poignant that, while being completely on his side, we just don't know what he should do (it turns out there was probably no good option at this point to begin with). I'm not arguing with your opinion on the film, just your (mis)understanding of OP's observation
I bought into the con and trusted the shaman over the mysterious woman. This movie was BRUTAL. If anyone reads this please recommend something that hits this hard. Something i'm not super likely to have seen already.
The “zombie” guy along with the last 30 minutes… brilliant film. When he transformed that image sat in my head. Freaky and so damn eerie. And the bleak ending, chefs kiss.
This is one of the most complicated, creepy, straight up terrifying horror movies of all time in my opinion, and the greatest korean horror movie of all time. Its depth, complexity, sounds, events' flow and connection, acting, and storyline is just mindblowing. Some scenes were made in complete silence and those were just a work of art. I've watched it many time and i'm really good with noticing the small details and analyzing between the shots, and yet i never realized that the shaman was doing the harm to the girl, i always thought he was trying to stop the japanese man. It turned out they were working together all along. Korean film directors are on their own league.
This movie actually didnt scare me as much as it preplexed me. Boy, I was CONFUSED alright. Not because I'm not understanding the intention, but because I don't understand why it's so scary. I remember ending the movie not understanding why I'm scared. It's fantastic.
Right I wasn't scared I was like omfg I was upset I was confused I was on the edge of my seat trying to solve the mystery I was upset that I felt bad for evil and was upset when I found out that good was evil and that evil was good bro the movie fucked with my head big time
Haven’t even watched yet and thrilled to see an analysis made for The Wailing. The Wailing is the #1 horror movie - Spiritual Horror! I’m forever recommending it. I thought I was alone on an island loving this movie.
@@sethkang4410 This movie is incredibly popular overseas. Go make a bunch of posts on different forums asking for Asian horror movie recommendations and you’ll get dozens of people recommending this film. It’s arguably the single most popular Korean horror film in the world.
the editing of the final scene, where the woman is warning him to have faith in her, cutting back to the priest finding the devil, is the most suspenseful thing I've ever watched in my entire life. Every cut, every line of dialogue, every emotion from the father, kept me beyond the edge of my seat. I dont know if I'll ever experience another scene like it, and as a Christian, the whole message behind it, to trust and hope in God, even when the process is difficult and your filled with doubt, seeing someone fail at that is devastating. The entire movie is a warning about putting your trust in the wrong things, because evil will present itself as the good guy. Its a horror masterpiece and I only appreciate it more and more as time goes on
I was a proud atheist before watching The Wailing. After watching it, it truly made me question my beliefs, what I thought I knew, made me ask if I was the one being deceived, made me re-examine the evil in the world and the evil in myself, and it ultimately turned me towards Christ. To me, this was far deeper than just a brilliant movie. It truly humbled me and changed my life. I'm forever grateful.
@@evanparrafx WOW, that's amazing to hear! So happy for you, and so amazed God used a horror movie to reach you. I really do think it's a genre that can be so effective in warning about evil and being honest about the effects of sin. I always get warnings from legalistic Christians about how they open up portals to demons, but there's so much horror and sin in Bible stories, they never say those are opening up a portal, lol. Just as an artist and lover of cinema, I appreciate the art and experience of them but they also are sometimes the best way to bring people to truth. Been thinking about this for a long time so it's so cool to get this comment confirming it for me! I'm sure the Christian director and actors would love to hear this testimony too!!!
@@Rayceunit01 Hey thanks for replying! I know your comment was posted a while ago, but I like that you pointed out the importance of faith in the movie. That's something that really hit deep since I lacked faith at the time. I've been obsessed with horror movies since I was a little kid. Still am. I make horror art for a living! But even as a kid, and not being particularly religious, horror movies really provided a moral framework that's largely a Christian worldview. You're right, they're almost always about the dangers of sin, temptation, embracing evil, possession, demons, and on and on. They're not painted in a positive light either, it's scary! And it's usually only the pure virgins that survive these trials. I truly think that horror movies are extremely important and I'll always defend them. Probably even more so now as a Christian. It's the only genre that can really delve into these things too. Haven't seen many dramas about demonic possession. Haha! But The Exorcist really pushed a lot of people to church, The Wailing made me finally find and embrace Christ. If that doesn't show the profound effects of horror as a genre, then nothing will.
No film ever disturbed me more than this one, had to sleep in my sister’s room for almost two weeks with the door locked. Not even “Hereditary” made me feel the same amount of PTSD. Amazing film, but I wish I could forget I’ve seen it lmao
@@everforward5561 That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Why do veterans have ptsd? The war is over. Why do many victims of kidnapping have ptsd? The kidnapper is in jail. It’s pretty obvious our brains don’t work like that.
This was wonderful, South Korean cinema may be the peak of movie making in the world right now; I think they’ve absolutely claimed the crown for their own.
I was dying to hear your thoughts on this film, so well redacted and exemplified!!! always a joy to get a notification from this channel, looking forward to more insightful horror content
Yes!! That's exactly what I love about the movie, the presentation itself is scary but the worst thing is that lingering feeling of being tortured not knowing what is true, who is bad or good, which fully connects us to the character and their suffering, being toyed with by the demon
For the first time in my life, I prayed after watching a movie! I prayed for my protection lol This movie right here, scared the shit out of me. I felt like the universe was going to punish me for watching such content I swear. Something so unsettling about it…
One of the greatest horror movies I have ever seen. It is not often I get so impacted that I cannot sleep, have a massive headache and dizziness while visuals from the movie flashes before my eyes again and again. So awful to be in that moment, yet I love the movies that can do that to me. Even without understanding all the subtle information The Wailing manage to create a terrifying and memorable experience. You did an amazing job explaining some key parts of filmaking that makes this movie so impactful. Great video!!!
Finally!! I have been waiting for you to cover this masterclass of a horror title Easily my favourite horror film of all time, it does so many things in a single attempt and doesn't let it feel over-bloated
This movie was great too. It's hard for me to watch movies nowadays cause my phones a distraction but the subtitles forced me to pay attention. I think I might just watch foreign movies from now on. I don't give a spit about superheros anyways.
Definitely give foreign films more of a chance. Like you say, the lack of easily understandable language and subtitles keeps you glued to the screen. You can't just assume you'll pick up details from background audio.
to be fair, in happy death day the whole nightmare trope is turned into a key part of the narrative and does actually have some noticeable weight on the story as a whole, with the resets or the subsequent nightmare trope serves as a pathway to finding the killer, with the character getting closer and closer with each sequence.
i have had one horror experience in my life, the game Layers of Fear, someone watched me play it and asked if i was ok because i had turned completely pale and was sweating profusely, when i finished playing i decided that wasnt even remotely a fun experience. so now i avoid experiencing any kind of horror content, and instead just watch people analyse and deconstruct it, thats far more entertaining to me. its like a game of telephone barely heard, poorly explained, and interpreted differently every time
Bruh they added a ouija board to that game for a Halloween event. I remember type out words and then some creepy ass display related to the word would appear on an old teleprompter. After watching several of these i started getting more unsettled. Decided to type death to see what would happen, i died on the spot but woke up again staring at wall with the text "Death is but a layer" on it. That was about 10 seconds of psychological torment for me lol
I gotta say, I do find it kind of funny that Happy Death Day's "wake up" scene was used when describing how crappy and trite those scenes are, when not once do we ever get a scene where she is actually dreaming.
I remember being really confused about half way through the movie thinking... what genre is this? What is the threat!? It is a plague, zombies... ghosts?! I'm laughing one second and the next I'm absolutely terrified. But man, when he makes his final decision at the end of the movie I just remember feeling so upset, frustrated and angry. Crazy good movie, thanks for your video essay.
This film was extremely well done. I remember being taken off guard by the fact it was horror lol but it was so engaging and kept my attention the whole time. Everything from the directing, casting, cinematography, symbolism, storyline, and character development. I re-watched it this year, remembering how amazing the first time was. For some reason, the second time was underwhelming but i think it was because I wasnt paying attention lol. With the right of focus, though, it will reel you in, and sets the ambience from the get to.
all-time favorite horror movie, if i were forced to nail an answer down. ive spent like 10 hours watching & rewatching, & each time there's a handful of wrinkles yet-considered that i have to contend w in the narrative ive constructed mentally. each viewing feels like an Occasion. on top of that, watching it off a netflix algorithm rec at 1 in the morning during a bender, w zero expectations, during a harsh period of my life is one of the inciting incidents that got me to embrace writing. such a masterpiece of a muse, appreciate the coverage dawg
I love this film, one of the best horror movies in recent years. The way I changed my mind so many times while watching about who was the real antagonist and the scene where the Japanese man reveals his true self at the end really shocked me. I hope you do another video about this movie, maybe about the religious themes?
The follow through of a nest, goat heads and the Noh mask in the man’s house were a big hint for me, but the editing and the order really had me questioning if I was right by the end. I felt like everything our main character was doing was just making it worse and his last words just made it more crushing. It was a crazy reveal.
The wailing was one of those movies I never expected to be spooked by but between everything that occurs throughout the movie and the symbolism, the meanings when you understand the culture and so much more, it becomes terrifying
Great video! I haven't seen it since it released, but I remember really enjoying the vast majority of it but feeling kinda cheated by the editing of (I think?) the ritual because it was cross-cut sequences that seemed like parallel action and so when I got to the end and realized that things weren't actually playing out the way I thought they were, it felt like I could never have actually figured out what was going to happen. It's not just a matter of being ambiguous (which I liked) but actively misleading the audience in that one moment which undercut the overall effect for me. All that said, because I haven't seen it since that initial time, I never got to connect all of the narrative "Hey, I'ma trick you" stuff, which makes me slightly more accepting of it! So thanks for that. (Other random thought: I get including Happy Death Day from, like, "Ugh, this dang shot again!" perspective, but it's not quite fair to lump it in with all the other movies because it's not a dream sequence (and unlike most time loops, there are actual consequences each time she dies (though the movie kind of drops that whole concept which was too bad)).)
Great to hear from you! Yes, indeed, the cross-cut sequence I presented here WAS a big dividing factor for a lot of Korean critics as well back when the movie premiered. Some thought it's misleading for the sake of it; some thought hinting Moo-myeong's presence with a clearer shot might have been necessary to make the cut genuinely 'clever' and not misleading, etc. I also have some divided stance on this subject, but I thought it's still very interesting to delve into it! Happy to hear it helped with your acceptance of things. And on the note for Happy Death Day, absolutely. Not exactly fair (and in fact, a lot of other shots I used weren't dream sequences from 'horror' films either so...this was just me being sh!tty at finding film clips and hoping people get the point). I actually wrote a little caption at the bottom of each clip saying similar things haha, which I knew nobody would see, but for my conscience I guess! Thanks for the input!
I've been watching this favorite film for years, loving it and not knowing, ultimately, what was going on. Too distracted by the utterly thrilling Shaman's ritual, the possessed child's performance, etc. to notice anything that might tell me what was really going on. You brought so much to light, I doubt that I will ever trust my own senses. But I will learn.....I hope. Going to watch this movie again and look at this analysis again. Thank you for what you do!!!! You blew me away.
One glaring plothole with the shaman + devil working together is why the shaman was forced to go back with the cricket storms. Could not have been the guardian lady, nor could it be the devil since hey are working together.
I think its because the shaman has made a promise with the devil for either fame or money, so by leaving the village he is breaking that promise So I think its the devil doings to stop the shaman from going anywhere and finish his part of the job as promised (Im not sure tho, just speculating)
The Ring. An everyday entertainment box sitting in the corner of my living room became shiver inducing object in the middle of the night whenever I had to pee. Never had the courage to look at it for almost a year.
this is a movie my horror fan self has passed on netflix time and time again and despite my boredom and love for horror i've never clicked it just because it's always unsettled me for no good reason. now watching this i understand why it scared me so much 😭
I couldn’t before , and still can’t , explain to people or understand why this movie is so good. My friends who like more western horrors , gore , jump scares, etc. just don’t get it. This movie is like the vvitch or it follows, it’s the atmosphere , the creeping dread, building tension & anxiety escalated until it boils over in a climax. This movie’s ending , to this day, still affects me. It’s legendary.. just one of my favorite movies in general. This movie is a waking nightmare, the ambiguity makes you so uneasy because you know SOMETHING is wrong , but who or what it is, you don’t know . But it’s there, it’s in the room with them , and you too.. This movie is true horror / terror to me - it’s unsettling , lasting unease - not startling , like a jump scare , which only thrills you for a second. This one stays with you. I love it . Thanks for the video :)))
Excellent video, as usual. While I thought the film was great and have seen it more than once, exactly that ambiguity of the ending throws me off. Maybe I'm just not clever enough for these kinds of films, which is a shame because I do love them.
Spikima, I truly love your videos. I learn so much and they way direct these makes it so interesting to watch. Thank you and keep up the great work brother
Driving for one, is done on the right side in Korea, but left in Japan, implying shaman's connection with the Japanese man. The white animal is a bit more complicated and controversial to get into here, but the two hooks represent that it's not just the Japanese man, but there is one more person working with him, which is the shaman.
Thank you so much for this. I watched this movie almost 4 years ago, it terrified me deeply. I have been looking for a story and image analysis for the longest time to try and understand The Wailing better.
WOW WOW the incredible levels and layers of skill and artistry to both make such a film and to be able to analyze and see those choices are just... mind boggling. people are amazing.
I didn't get any of that from watching The Wailing. I was actually really bored! Oh man, what does that say about me? I never felt anything was that unclear or nebulous. I didn't experience very much tension during the film. I felt like I was watching an extended sequence that finally ends. I think your rundown was amazing, and if I can ever muster up enough oomph to watch it again, I'm sure I'd end up with a very different outlook. I wish you had spoken more on the ending of the film as I don't know anyone else who's seen it and would've loved to of known your take on it. Thank you for sharing Spikima : )
I love how you give such artistic nods to the movie/director (the way you're editing and structuring the whole thing) you're talking about in your own video essays. It's the meta commentary that I love about your content!
I hardly ever watch horror films, however, I watched this one like two years ago. I remember that I had to pause several times because it was too much, and rather than ending up being scared, I felt sad, really sad.
Just finished watching the movie before watching this analysis, I didn't know of it before this! Really great movie and analysis, I really love horror (eg classic J-horror) that goes for that oppressive atmosphere of dread rather than jump scares
Atmosphere lingers, I agree with you. This movie is so creepy, watched it years ago and I still cannot forget the man's demonic appearance. One Indonesian horror titled Jelangkung (2001) left similar feelings to me.
Great movie and well paced. I remember my first watch, I didn't feel very affected by it, though I acknowledged it was very good. That same night, I had nightmares about the film lol. I like when the dread sneaks up on you.
I think the Japanese man and Shaman’s collaboration is hinted during the sunset scene as the shaman looks over at the mountains where the Japanese man shortly then begins his part of the ritual.
Great movie. Great review. I bought this movie. I found the ending very confusing though, had to watch a couple of times to figure out what was going on. I will watch anything with Song Kang Ho.
Oh that was fun to watch again and try to sleep:)...What's YOUR favourite horror film and why?
Thai horror Shutter. The plot is not the most amazing, but the twist has been seared in my mind ever since I watched it
@@rannierunsfast YES! I LOVE THAT MOVIE! I bought it just because I loved the Fatal Frame games, but the film was completely worth buying on its own merit.
Not sure if it counts as horror, but Annihilation is the best movie I've ever seen
Silence of the lamb anyway
REC
masterful use of tension and unlike many movies where the scariest scene is the first scary scene, this movie's ending is where it peaks
The worst part is when you realize that during the ritual sequence, both Il-Gwang and the Japanese man are working TOGETHER on Hyo-Jin, while she's completely powerless to resist. You watch that scene the first time round thinking that Il-Gwang is fighting against the Japanese man, but then you realize you were watching him attacking Hyo-Jin the whole time.
It's such a horrendous sense of betrayal and hopelessness, and it makes Hyo-Jin's screaming so much more harrowing, because it's no longer a case of a good guy trying to save her from a bad guy, but two bad guys putting their full strength into destroying her. Watching Hyo-Jin writhing in agony in this scene is genuinely hard to watch when you understand what's actually happening.
Hi, watched the movie yesterday and I belive the Japanese man was trying to bring the man in the car to life again. He had a picture of him while doing the ritual and in the morning we see the man in the car is no longer there anymore. I doubt he was doing a ritual on Hyo-jin.
@@gozdeylmaz7495 That's correct. I think it also explains why the Japanese man was so alarmed and confused when he went to check on the body, and the body was gone. I believe that the demon/spirit possessing him previously was transferred to the body, and only returned after the Japanese man "died" on the road. This was perhaps to ensure that the demon would live on, should something happen to the Japanese man.
The full ritual of how possessions/cursing seems to happen is... pictures must be taken twice - once to curse, and then to seal the curse, perhaps? I think that has some play there.
@@sneakysnakeways Well that's an interesting notion but nothing in the movie indicated that the demon in the Japanese man moved into a different body at any point. Only that he seemed to snap out of its control while being chased. The first snapshot is to curse the person and a lot of times the 2nd picture was of the person dead.
@@sneakysnakeways great bruh there are too many logics in this movie lolll
I don't think both of them were working against the little girl at that same time. We got to see in that moment what the Japanese man was doing with the pictures. He takes them and uses them in a ritual to bring back to life/control people (the guy in the truck) so they are forced to do his evil doing. The Shaman was helping him in the way that he made the girl more powerless since she had some protection already from the woman in white.
It’s so nice how modern horror is getting a little more creative and risky with it’s themes and plot lines. Midsommar and *Hereditary legit traumatized some people. Horror of the mind mixed with some gore and jump scares is my favorite kind.
hereditary had me distraught
like genuinely flabbergasted
Lol
Ari Aster is one of the best horror/drama producers out there. Hereditary and Midsommar are masterpieces. Looking forward to his next project
Not even trying to hate but I don't get why everyone is so creeped by Hereditary
(Comments written by Koreans through a translator)
Interestingly, when Il-gwang performs ritual thing, the wood he breaks and drives in nails are called "Jeongseung" and are totems that protect the village.
Although this is a well-known fact in Korea, most Korean audiences did not notice it at all while watching the movie.
This is probably due to the confusion caused by the cross-editing mentioned in the video.
“I could go on about the details in The Wailing. From the sound design, symbols, all the way to the camera movement”. OH PLEASE, PLEASE GO ON!
based on the Director`s interview.
In Korea, there is an old superstition that every each area have a ghost who protects the people of the village. They call it "Tochack-ryung" means ghost who stick in the land. So the woman here is a kind of good ghost who is fated to protect the village. She wanted to protect her village from that evil spirit. This is why she was wearing victim`s stuff like cloths, hairpin.
The shaman is connected to the old japanese man. He is also a japanese. A scene where the shaman is changing clothes, he wore the same underwear as the japanese man. Why shaman does all of this is because he tricks the people of the village and earn money through it.
Japanese man is possessed by an evil. Sometimes he is just a normal person and that’s why he was crying at the cliff scene.
While the shaman is performing the ritual, the Japanese man is also suffering - Director said it in the interview, that wasn’t the same time event. The director wanted to make the audience a little bit confused.
this movie has a simple story line but the director cut and slice some scenes and mix it together and that’s why it makes this movie harder to understand.
Based on Director Hong-jin, Na`s interview
Only explanation that actually makes sense.
So dumb story made dumber by a director's dumb choices? Thanks
@@smartypants7954 ?
@@smartypants7954😐
@@smartypants7954the only dumb person is you apperantly
The weird thing about this movie is how there are different ways to interpret it.
The mushrooms get glazed over a lot, but at the beginning, it’s mentioned how all the village people were eating it. If it’s all truly a dream, it could have been a hallucination caused by the poisonous mushrooms that drove an entire village mad.
The scene when the main character has to decide whether to trust the woman in white is one of my favorite scenes in any horror film because I felt as confused as he did
yeah i was racking my brain the entire time
She was partly to blame for their deaths by wearing the victims' belongings and being so ambiguous about herself
Confusion is not horror. It's a parlour trick to keep you watching. The second half of this movie ruined it with unnecessary reverses, the building of the initial threat was way more horrifying
agreed. incredible moment.
and @@ashvinvasudeva248 I don't think that's an honest reading. Obviously confusion is not horror, but horror as a genre feeds on many different emotions, even laughter (quite often, in my experience of horror). A less interesting movie might have led up to this sort of scene with a story that made it clear that there is a right choice to make here, and we would gleefully deplore the character's bewilderment.
Instead, the character's confusion is all the more poignant that, while being completely on his side, we just don't know what he should do (it turns out there was probably no good option at this point to begin with).
I'm not arguing with your opinion on the film, just your (mis)understanding of OP's observation
I bought into the con and trusted the shaman over the mysterious woman. This movie was BRUTAL. If anyone reads this please recommend something that hits this hard. Something i'm not super likely to have seen already.
The “zombie” guy along with the last 30 minutes… brilliant film. When he transformed that image sat in my head. Freaky and so damn eerie. And the bleak ending, chefs kiss.
This is one of the most complicated, creepy, straight up terrifying horror movies of all time in my opinion, and the greatest korean horror movie of all time. Its depth, complexity, sounds, events' flow and connection, acting, and storyline is just mindblowing. Some scenes were made in complete silence and those were just a work of art. I've watched it many time and i'm really good with noticing the small details and analyzing between the shots, and yet i never realized that the shaman was doing the harm to the girl, i always thought he was trying to stop the japanese man. It turned out they were working together all along. Korean film directors are on their own league.
The auditions😊
Oldboy entered the chat
Perfect video to watch before bed tonight.
Absolutely perfect if you have to stay up.
Perfect movie to, I watched it on 31st Oct
This movie actually didnt scare me as much as it preplexed me. Boy, I was CONFUSED alright. Not because I'm not understanding the intention, but because I don't understand why it's so scary. I remember ending the movie not understanding why I'm scared. It's fantastic.
Right I wasn't scared I was like omfg I was upset I was confused I was on the edge of my seat trying to solve the mystery I was upset that I felt bad for evil and was upset when I found out that good was evil and that evil was good bro the movie fucked with my head big time
your korean pronunciation!! its so rare for essay videos to even research about proper korean pronunciation so i love hearing yours
He's Korean
your analysis of the dream sequence as well as the crosscuts are on point, it’s given me a new perspective. great video, thank you!
Haven’t even watched yet and thrilled to see an analysis made for The Wailing. The Wailing is the #1 horror movie - Spiritual Horror! I’m forever recommending it. I thought I was alone on an island loving this movie.
all the good movies are not always popular overseas
@@sethkang4410 This movie is incredibly popular overseas. Go make a bunch of posts on different forums asking for Asian horror movie recommendations and you’ll get dozens of people recommending this film. It’s arguably the single most popular Korean horror film in the world.
@@SnailHatan *forum* not youTuBE
@@sethkang4410 huh? Try formulating an actual sentence
yup. I loved it. especially the exorcism ritual, which was filmed brilliantly with the costumes and energy!!
the editing of the final scene, where the woman is warning him to have faith in her, cutting back to the priest finding the devil, is the most suspenseful thing I've ever watched in my entire life. Every cut, every line of dialogue, every emotion from the father, kept me beyond the edge of my seat. I dont know if I'll ever experience another scene like it, and as a Christian, the whole message behind it, to trust and hope in God, even when the process is difficult and your filled with doubt, seeing someone fail at that is devastating. The entire movie is a warning about putting your trust in the wrong things, because evil will present itself as the good guy. Its a horror masterpiece and I only appreciate it more and more as time goes on
You would have lost in the cave too
I was a proud atheist before watching The Wailing. After watching it, it truly made me question my beliefs, what I thought I knew, made me ask if I was the one being deceived, made me re-examine the evil in the world and the evil in myself, and it ultimately turned me towards Christ. To me, this was far deeper than just a brilliant movie. It truly humbled me and changed my life. I'm forever grateful.
@@evanparrafx WOW, that's amazing to hear! So happy for you, and so amazed God used a horror movie to reach you. I really do think it's a genre that can be so effective in warning about evil and being honest about the effects of sin. I always get warnings from legalistic Christians about how they open up portals to demons, but there's so much horror and sin in Bible stories, they never say those are opening up a portal, lol. Just as an artist and lover of cinema, I appreciate the art and experience of them but they also are sometimes the best way to bring people to truth. Been thinking about this for a long time so it's so cool to get this comment confirming it for me! I'm sure the Christian director and actors would love to hear this testimony too!!!
@@Rayceunit01 Hey thanks for replying! I know your comment was posted a while ago, but I like that you pointed out the importance of faith in the movie. That's something that really hit deep since I lacked faith at the time. I've been obsessed with horror movies since I was a little kid. Still am. I make horror art for a living! But even as a kid, and not being particularly religious, horror movies really provided a moral framework that's largely a Christian worldview. You're right, they're almost always about the dangers of sin, temptation, embracing evil, possession, demons, and on and on. They're not painted in a positive light either, it's scary! And it's usually only the pure virgins that survive these trials. I truly think that horror movies are extremely important and I'll always defend them. Probably even more so now as a Christian. It's the only genre that can really delve into these things too. Haven't seen many dramas about demonic possession. Haha! But The Exorcist really pushed a lot of people to church, The Wailing made me finally find and embrace Christ. If that doesn't show the profound effects of horror as a genre, then nothing will.
@@KrunkCobainplatos cave, Christ is the light
No film ever disturbed me more than this one, had to sleep in my sister’s room for almost two weeks with the door locked. Not even “Hereditary” made me feel the same amount of PTSD. Amazing film, but I wish I could forget I’ve seen it lmao
Well try watching hereditary
@@eissamaqsudi7811
Do you read the whole comment?
@@THaB4DGuY Bad bait
Why? It's not like something is coming for you all the way over from Korea.
@@everforward5561 That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Why do veterans have ptsd? The war is over. Why do many victims of kidnapping have ptsd? The kidnapper is in jail. It’s pretty obvious our brains don’t work like that.
This was wonderful, South Korean cinema may be the peak of movie making in the world right now; I think they’ve absolutely claimed the crown for their own.
They deserve every praise for originality and design
I watched this movie with friends thinking it would be fun to watch a horror movie during a sleepover. None of us could sleep that night.
This is one of those looks so good I must leave, watch the movie, and come back type deals. Great curation, Spikima, I will be back
Took me a while to find the time, but.. a HELL of a good movie. Deeply felt and realized horror film. Ending has me gutted. Brutal.
I was dying to hear your thoughts on this film, so well redacted and exemplified!!! always a joy to get a notification from this channel, looking forward to more insightful horror content
This movie broke my heart and it remained in my head for a very long time. It was the greatest horror movie I've ever seen
the editing breakdown was so well done
Yes!! That's exactly what I love about the movie, the presentation itself is scary but the worst thing is that lingering feeling of being tortured not knowing what is true, who is bad or good, which fully connects us to the character and their suffering, being toyed with by the demon
For the first time in my life, I prayed after watching a movie! I prayed for my protection lol This movie right here, scared the shit out of me. I felt like the universe was going to punish me for watching such content I swear. Something so unsettling about it…
well this comment right here stopped me from taking the plunge...because shit i can't even let that vibe in my house
Lol indeed
@@YokoSanchez pleease shfbhbsi idk why this comment is funny to me😭💀
@@YokoSanchez lmfao same
@@af-bl7ee yo same bruh
Your videos are always perfectly constructed and help me understand movies from a different perspective. Keep up the incredible work.
These essays are so well written, I’m not a film buff but I really appreciate your careful analysis. 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 very insightful
Keep up the good work 😊😊😊
All this detailed analysis and I still have no idea what this movie is about.
One of the greatest horror movies I have ever seen. It is not often I get so impacted that I cannot sleep, have a massive headache and dizziness while visuals from the movie flashes before my eyes again and again. So awful to be in that moment, yet I love the movies that can do that to me. Even without understanding all the subtle information The Wailing manage to create a terrifying and memorable experience. You did an amazing job explaining some key parts of filmaking that makes this movie so impactful. Great video!!!
Finally!! I have been waiting for you to cover this masterclass of a horror title
Easily my favourite horror film of all time, it does so many things in a single attempt and doesn't let it feel over-bloated
This movie was great too. It's hard for me to watch movies nowadays cause my phones a distraction but the subtitles forced me to pay attention. I think I might just watch foreign movies from now on. I don't give a spit about superheros anyways.
Definitely give foreign films more of a chance. Like you say, the lack of easily understandable language and subtitles keeps you glued to the screen. You can't just assume you'll pick up details from background audio.
Pro tip
Turn off your phone.
Focus on what you re doing.
There are other non foreign films that aren’t superhero films
@@MisterPyramid no
@@MisterPyramid wow racist. Go support Trump somewhere else
to be fair, in happy death day the whole nightmare trope is turned into a key part of the narrative and does actually have some noticeable weight on the story as a whole, with the resets or the subsequent nightmare trope serves as a pathway to finding the killer, with the character getting closer and closer with each sequence.
I still wail this movie as one of the best horror movies I've ever seen
i have had one horror experience in my life, the game Layers of Fear, someone watched me play it and asked if i was ok because i had turned completely pale and was sweating profusely, when i finished playing i decided that wasnt even remotely a fun experience.
so now i avoid experiencing any kind of horror content, and instead just watch people analyse and deconstruct it, thats far more entertaining to me. its like a game of telephone
barely heard, poorly explained, and interpreted differently every time
Bruh they added a ouija board to that game for a Halloween event. I remember type out words and then some creepy ass display related to the word would appear on an old teleprompter. After watching several of these i started getting more unsettled. Decided to type death to see what would happen, i died on the spot but woke up again staring at wall with the text "Death is but a layer" on it. That was about 10 seconds of psychological torment for me lol
That game of telephone analogy is fucking great dude. I might borrow it myself, thanks :]
I gotta say, I do find it kind of funny that Happy Death Day's "wake up" scene was used when describing how crappy and trite those scenes are, when not once do we ever get a scene where she is actually dreaming.
I remember being really confused about half way through the movie thinking... what genre is this? What is the threat!? It is a plague, zombies... ghosts?! I'm laughing one second and the next I'm absolutely terrified. But man, when he makes his final decision at the end of the movie I just remember feeling so upset, frustrated and angry. Crazy good movie, thanks for your video essay.
This film was extremely well done. I remember being taken off guard by the fact it was horror lol but it was so engaging and kept my attention the whole time. Everything from the directing, casting, cinematography, symbolism, storyline, and character development. I re-watched it this year, remembering how amazing the first time was. For some reason, the second time was underwhelming but i think it was because I wasnt paying attention lol. With the right of focus, though, it will reel you in, and sets the ambience from the get to.
all-time favorite horror movie, if i were forced to nail an answer down. ive spent like 10 hours watching & rewatching, & each time there's a handful of wrinkles yet-considered that i have to contend w in the narrative ive constructed mentally. each viewing feels like an Occasion. on top of that, watching it off a netflix algorithm rec at 1 in the morning during a bender, w zero expectations, during a harsh period of my life is one of the inciting incidents that got me to embrace writing. such a masterpiece of a muse, appreciate the coverage dawg
DUDE, the wailing is one of my favourite few horror movies and there's so much new stuff i found from this video!
I do like that happy death day takes that "nightmare sequence" and basically makes it the main conflict of the entire movie.
Easily one of the greatest horror movies ever and I'm glad you did a breakdown on this. I've learnt new things thanks to you!
So much dread and hopelessness in this film. That's what's horrifying.
There is no analysis greater than this, when it comes to The Wailing. Brilliant!
I remember being in the edge of my seat when I first watched the Wailing. I had no idea who to trust.
I love this film, one of the best horror movies in recent years. The way I changed my mind so many times while watching about who was the real antagonist and the scene where the Japanese man reveals his true self at the end really shocked me. I hope you do another video about this movie, maybe about the religious themes?
i did not pay enough attention to the wailing, missed a lot of this details. great video!
The follow through of a nest, goat heads and the Noh mask in the man’s house were a big hint for me, but the editing and the order really had me questioning if I was right by the end. I felt like everything our main character was doing was just making it worse and his last words just made it more crushing. It was a crazy reveal.
The wailing was one of those movies I never expected to be spooked by but between everything that occurs throughout the movie and the symbolism, the meanings when you understand the culture and so much more, it becomes terrifying
I always recommend this movie whenever a friend wants to watch horror. The storytelling of this film is just superb
Great video!
I haven't seen it since it released, but I remember really enjoying the vast majority of it but feeling kinda cheated by the editing of (I think?) the ritual because it was cross-cut sequences that seemed like parallel action and so when I got to the end and realized that things weren't actually playing out the way I thought they were, it felt like I could never have actually figured out what was going to happen. It's not just a matter of being ambiguous (which I liked) but actively misleading the audience in that one moment which undercut the overall effect for me. All that said, because I haven't seen it since that initial time, I never got to connect all of the narrative "Hey, I'ma trick you" stuff, which makes me slightly more accepting of it! So thanks for that.
(Other random thought: I get including Happy Death Day from, like, "Ugh, this dang shot again!" perspective, but it's not quite fair to lump it in with all the other movies because it's not a dream sequence (and unlike most time loops, there are actual consequences each time she dies (though the movie kind of drops that whole concept which was too bad)).)
Great to hear from you!
Yes, indeed, the cross-cut sequence I presented here WAS a big dividing factor for a lot of Korean critics as well back when the movie premiered.
Some thought it's misleading for the sake of it; some thought hinting Moo-myeong's presence with a clearer shot might have been necessary to make the cut genuinely 'clever' and not misleading, etc. I also have some divided stance on this subject, but I thought it's still very interesting to delve into it! Happy to hear it helped with your acceptance of things.
And on the note for Happy Death Day, absolutely. Not exactly fair (and in fact, a lot of other shots I used weren't dream sequences from 'horror' films either so...this was just me being sh!tty at finding film clips and hoping people get the point). I actually wrote a little caption at the bottom of each clip saying similar things haha, which I knew nobody would see, but for my conscience I guess! Thanks for the input!
I've been watching this favorite film for years, loving it and not knowing, ultimately, what was going on. Too distracted by the utterly thrilling Shaman's ritual, the possessed child's performance, etc. to notice anything that might tell me what was really going on. You brought so much to light, I doubt that I will ever trust my own senses. But I will learn.....I hope. Going to watch this movie again and look at this analysis again. Thank you for what you do!!!! You blew me away.
One of my favourite horror movies. So glad you covered it. Would love to see your take on Lake Mungo.
One of the scariest ending sequences I have ever seen. I have immediately opened this video to shake out the chills.
YES. I love this movie and I'm so glad to hear more discussion about it whenever
One glaring plothole with the shaman + devil working together is why the shaman was forced to go back with the cricket storms. Could not have been the guardian lady, nor could it be the devil since hey are working together.
I think its because the shaman has made a promise with the devil for either fame or money, so by leaving the village he is breaking that promise
So I think its the devil doings to stop the shaman from going anywhere and finish his part of the job as promised (Im not sure tho, just speculating)
The Ring. An everyday entertainment box sitting in the corner of my living room became shiver inducing object in the middle of the night whenever I had to pee. Never had the courage to look at it for almost a year.
if you enjoy that genre, I highly recommend 2005s reincarnation, another korean horror and one of the most frightening movies of all time
Not only one of the best horror movies I've seen, but damn this movie had me on the edge of my seat
Bruh my overstimulated dopamine filled brain cant keep up with all these details
this is a movie my horror fan self has passed on netflix time and time again
and despite my boredom and love for horror i've never clicked it
just because it's always unsettled me for no good reason.
now watching this i understand why it scared me so much 😭
I love na hong jins movies, I’d love to see a you do a sort of essay on the chaser 👍🏻 love your work man
I couldn’t before , and still can’t , explain to people or understand why this movie is so good. My friends who like more western horrors , gore , jump scares, etc. just don’t get it. This movie is like the vvitch or it follows, it’s the atmosphere , the creeping dread, building tension & anxiety escalated until it boils over in a climax. This movie’s ending , to this day, still affects me. It’s legendary.. just one of my favorite movies in general. This movie is a waking nightmare, the ambiguity makes you so uneasy because you know SOMETHING is wrong , but who or what it is, you don’t know . But it’s there, it’s in the room with them , and you too.. This movie is true horror / terror to me - it’s unsettling , lasting unease - not startling , like a jump scare , which only thrills you for a second. This one stays with you. I love it . Thanks for the video :)))
Excellent video, as usual. While I thought the film was great and have seen it more than once, exactly that ambiguity of the ending throws me off. Maybe I'm just not clever enough for these kinds of films, which is a shame because I do love them.
Spikima, I truly love your videos. I learn so much and they way direct these makes it so interesting to watch. Thank you and keep up the great work brother
Thanks for watching my friend!
Your analysis is compelling whoa
Watched the movie several times and still missed so many points excellent work
I didn’t get how the driving on the left , the sacrifice of the white animals, and the two hooks for the bait were giveaways
Driving for one, is done on the right side in Korea, but left in Japan, implying shaman's connection with the Japanese man. The white animal is a bit more complicated and controversial to get into here, but the two hooks represent that it's not just the Japanese man, but there is one more person working with him, which is the shaman.
Thank you so much for this. I watched this movie almost 4 years ago, it terrified me deeply. I have been looking for a story and image analysis for the longest time to try and understand The Wailing better.
I am so glad this isn't an April fools joke, your videos are excellent
When it comes to The Wailing, no jokes on this channel, if anything, out of respect haha
I where would’ve noticed the two hooks on one worm thing BRO genius. Even if unintentional I love that parallel
awesome video man, really masterful analysis
I really really like this movie. No screamers, no jumpscares but managed to scare the hell out of me
I introduced so many people in my life to the wailing. Thats how impressed i was by this movie's atmosphere and cave scene.
This movie was the first horror to scare me emotionally. I felt such a heavy hearted burden on everything that was happening in this village.
I've watched this movie twice a while ago and been entertained and befuddled by it both times. This is a great analysis of it.
WOW WOW the incredible levels and layers of skill and artistry to both make such a film and to be able to analyze and see those choices are just... mind boggling. people are amazing.
곡성 너무 좋아하는 영화에요 .. 좋아하는 공포영화들을 전문적으로 분석해주신 영상들도 많고 한글자막이 있어서 너무 행복합니다 이런 채널을 알게 되다니 ㅠㅠ 바로 구독하고 아까워서 하나하나 소중한 도토리 꺼내듯이 보고있어요 .... 좋은 영상 감사합니다!
영상 재밌게 봐주셔서 제가 더 감사합니다~ ㅠㅠ 좋은 컨테츠들로 찾아뵐게요 :)
literally almost cried when he was having flashback before he died...
I love how you disect horror. please keep it up!
It’s also the tonal shift in the beginning that it’s so startling and adds to the unsettling feeling and disturbing plot
Excellent movie. Slow, but so worth the wait. You could feel the torture the poor guy was going through. And in the end, his choice was decisive.
Thanks for the nightmares love you Spikima
Any time. Much love
I didn't get any of that from watching The Wailing. I was actually really bored! Oh man, what does that say about me? I never felt anything was that unclear or nebulous. I didn't experience very much tension during the film. I felt like I was watching an extended sequence that finally ends. I think your rundown was amazing, and if I can ever muster up enough oomph to watch it again, I'm sure I'd end up with a very different outlook. I wish you had spoken more on the ending of the film as I don't know anyone else who's seen it and would've loved to of known your take on it. Thank you for sharing Spikima : )
I love how you give such artistic nods to the movie/director (the way you're editing and structuring the whole thing) you're talking about in your own video essays. It's the meta commentary that I love about your content!
Happy you noticed! ;) That's what makes it fun for me too
@@SpikimaMovies thats why we love your vids lad.
This is easily the best horror movie for Me, and in my favorite movies of all time easily, what an absolute masterpiece
Same for Me as well ❤
Never seen an in depth review like this about The Wailing. Well done!
South Korea has a lot of film gems.
I can't stop talking about this movie .. So glad someone is talking about it
warning major spoilers ahead: literally shows the ending of the movie
I hardly ever watch horror films, however, I watched this one like two years ago. I remember that I had to pause several times because it was too much, and rather than ending up being scared, I felt sad, really sad.
Just finished watching the movie before watching this analysis, I didn't know of it before this! Really great movie and analysis, I really love horror (eg classic J-horror) that goes for that oppressive atmosphere of dread rather than jump scares
Atmosphere lingers, I agree with you. This movie is so creepy, watched it years ago and I still cannot forget the man's demonic appearance. One Indonesian horror titled Jelangkung (2001) left similar feelings to me.
기다렸습니다 잘보겠습니다요
감사합니다! :)
Absolutely love the content! Hoping you do one on PIG! It was probably my favorite film from last year!
When the wailing is better than the nun 2, the wailing keep me on the edge of my sit, no to mention the plot twists.
Korean and Japanese horror films are truly amazing. And no jump scares.
Great movie and well paced. I remember my first watch, I didn't feel very affected by it, though I acknowledged it was very good.
That same night, I had nightmares about the film lol. I like when the dread sneaks up on you.
Literally rewatched this movie from the beginning as soon as it ended. So unique.
For 14 years, I haven't had any movie scare me so much not until this came out
Absolutely loved this movie!
I think the Japanese man and Shaman’s collaboration is hinted during the sunset scene as the shaman looks over at the mountains where the Japanese man shortly then begins his part of the ritual.
The only movie I’ve had to stop watching and finish it the next day because it was like midnight and I was scared out of my goddamn mind
Great movie. Great review. I bought this movie. I found the ending very confusing though, had to watch a couple of times to figure out what was going on. I will watch anything with Song Kang Ho.