'The Wailing': thriller posing spiritual questions

Il-gwang (Hwang Jung-min) performs a shamanic ritual in the film “The Wailing.” / Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Korea

Poster for “The Wailing

By Yun Suh-young

"The Wailing," or "Gokseong" slated for release on May 12, is not the simple crime thriller that it appears to be in the trailer ― it's deeper and scarier.

What initially starts as a story about a policeman uncovering a series of mysterious deaths in his village becomes more than just an investigation of a suspect. It delves into complex questions such as, why some people become victims, to what extent people can trust others, and what is the true face of good or evil ― is good hidden behind evil or evil disguised as good? But the director leaves these questions unanswered, letting the audience do the work.

People start dying one by one in a once quiet village where policeman Jong-gu (Kwak Do-won) lives. However, the deaths, apparently murders, are strange and horrific. Victims display savage behavior and become mentally deranged before dying. Rumors begin to spread, attributing the cause to wild mushroom intoxication or to a stranger in the village known to be Japanese. When his daughter starts to show the same symptoms as other victims, Jong-gu starts tracking down evidence. Believing the words of Mu-myeong (Chun Woo-hee), a witness who claims that the stranger is to blame, Jong-gu calls in Il-gwang (Hwang Jung-min), a shaman, to resolve the case with "gut," a shamanic ritual. He also invites a priest to join the search for the killer.

The film transforms a thriller into a metaphysical inquiry, blending religious elements from local shamanism, Christianity and Catholicism. The movie starts with a phrase from the Bible, Luke 24:38-40, "And he said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.' And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet." In the end, the film shows a demon with a nail-pierced palm, repeating the same phrase from the Bible.

"Trust" and "doubt" seem to be the underlying keywords in this film, although the director doesn't answer his own questions. Toward the end of the film, Jong-gu is in utter confusion about who to trust and who is telling the truth. The figure causing him confusion tells him to trust before the rooster crows three times, reminiscent of a scene in the Bible where Jesus says the same to Peter. Jong-gu doubts, however, and exacerbates the situation.

The film is a mix of comedy, crime thriller, horror, occult and zombie genres, confusing the audience in terms of the film’s identity.

Throughout the 156 minutes, audiences will feel like they are riding on a rollercoaster of fear, shock and confusion. The intensity of the imagery will linger in their minds and their confusion about the story and the ending will follow them outside the theater, leaving them feeling uneasy and unresolved. Who is speaking the truth and who should be believed? Who is good and who is evil?

The open-ended and ambiguous ending is apparently what the director intended.

"I mulled over the ending and decided I had to leave it open. It was something that I couldn't dare speak of. This result came from multiple interviews I had with leaders from several different religions," said director Na Hong-jin during a press screening on May 3. This is his third feature film and a return in six years since "The Yellow Sea" (2010). His other previous work includes "The Chaser" (2008).

"It is up to the audience to interpret the film. They can interpret it any way they like. You can take it in as it is, or you can twist it."

Regarding the inclusion of religious elements in the film, Na said he could not "understand the causes of such crimes although they might have a logical reason."

"So I had to take it outside of the realm of reality. It all started from the question, 'Could there be another reason?' Is there a God? If there is, would he be always good? I thought that could change depending on how I felt," he explained.

This is not a film for people who like clear-cut endings with a straightforward message. Although rated PG 15, the film is more for adults than teenagers because it features terrifying and intense scenes and is also difficult to understand.

The film will be screened in the Out of Competition section at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18 and will be released on May 27 in North America.

President of Fox International Production Tomas Jegeus, who was also attending the press event, said he was glad to find a director such as Na.

"He is a man with a unique vision, a unique way of presenting the movie. We're lucky to find a filmmaker of this caliber in Korea," said Jegeus, adding that Fox will increase production of Korean films.

"In Korea we didn't even make one film a year. Next year onwards we're planning up to 3-4 films a year," he said.