The Wailing
Directed by Na Hong-jinIn the small village Goksung in South Korea, police officer Jong-Goo investigates bizarre murders caused by a mysterious disease. His partner relays gossip that a Japanese stranger, who lives in a secluded house in the mountains, would be an evil spirit responsible for the illness. Jong-Goo decides to visit the stranger along with his partner and a young priest who speaks Japanese. They find an altar with a goat head, pictures on the walls of the infected people that died, and an attacking guard dog that prevents their departure until the stranger arrives. Jong-Goo finds one shoe of his beloved daughter, Hyo-jin, in the house of the stranger, and soon she becomes sick. His mother-in-law summons the shaman Il-gwang to save her granddaughter while a mysterious woman tells Jong-Goo that the stranger is responsible. Who might be the demon that is bringing sickness to Goksung?
The Wailing Ratings & Reviews
- rg9400November 1, 2024The Wailing is a movie that fails to come together in my opinion. At its core, I think it flirts with interesting ideas related to xenophobia and utilizing "othering" as a scapegoat for a community and family's problems. This is a very compelling theme; unfortunately, the movie completely ditches this commentary in favor of shock. And that is truly what this movie is focused on, eliciting reactions. Whether it be the titular screeching wailing or the gore or the messed up crimes that make up this movie, everything seems meant to make you uncomfortable. I think these elements are done decently well, but they start to drag as the movie at 2 hours and 30 minutes is fairly long. But as things escalate and the movie starts to ask why things are happening and how to stop them, it starts to fall apart. Subversion becomes the main focus, and the late movie attempts to create confusion felt frustrating to me. If this movie had been much more tightly edited and cognizant of the interesting themes that lay within this premise, it could have been extremely good. Instead, by focusing on trying to just be extreme, it loses sight of its strengths.
- RazorbitzNovember 29, 2025A film I remember very clearly despite the years seperating my first viewing, and upon revisit I liked it about the same--which wasn't very much. A lot of artistry, a lot of pretention, a lot of absolutely baffling decisions and an insufferable sense of humor that makes my lip curl. I went in with little knowledge on my first viewing--I distinctly remember laughing in surprise when I learned this was considered an all-time classic. I've returned half a decade later with a pair of fresh eyes accompanying me and I liked it even less.I love a good horror comedy but this achieved neither descriptor in my eyes. Some good: The cinematography is absolutely incredible. This alone is why I give it the rating I have, because it is a sumptuous viewing that shines brightly when it casts aside the baffling urge it seems to have to ruin its tension with the worst film cops I've ever seen in a movie as it descends into a slapstick farce. I have enjoyed plenty of Korean cinema but the acting here across the board felt beyond camp at times in a way that felt sucked whatever immersion I might have had out of the experience. I have heard it called the scariest film of all time. I do not understand this. If there was ever a film that made me feel the gulf between my own tastes and the rest of the living world, it's this. There are some great moments of tension, it is true. Narratively, I appreciate the subtext and the uncertainties, the visual storytelling that dances around expectations, an interesting recontextualization. Rather, I would appreciate these elements if the film as a whole didn't give me such a pounding headache from secondhand embarrassment. The ending sequence did nothing for me. For those who like this movie, I am glad you like it. Help me understand! I sincerely ask; does the humor genuinely work for you? What about this movie makes it a GOAT for you compared to other horror films? Other K-Horror films?
- zglas0November 14, 2025Incredible movie that blends genres and leans into the cultural nuances that build this particular horror story
- Timeless CinemaNovember 2, 2025The Wailing has an amazing thriller presentation, with great acting. There are pacing issues & the story crawls across it's 2 1/2 hour runtime. If you can get behind the filmmaking, it's great. But minimal storytelling makes it hard to digest.
- andy bOctober 30, 2025easy 5/5, favorite horror film to date. beautifully done and imbued with smart and reverent biblical references
- aslamdriverAugust 31, 2025This is a proper suspense-horror + supernatural thriller movie, and all elements are mixed beautifully here. It’s a slow-burn film, so I recommend watching it in one sitting,only then you can fully enjoy the atmosphere of horror and tension. The story mainly revolves around faith, trust, and doubt. In the end, everything depends on one decision a man takes to save his family. The script and direction are top-class. If you put yourself in the place of the main character, you will also feel the same confusion about what is right and wrong, and that’s the real beauty of this film. For me, it’s worth every second. A must-watch. 10/10.
- NiztradamusJuly 10, 2025One of the greatest movies of all time. It isn't particularly scary or violent but the writing, suspense and acting are unmatched. I have seen them all and let me tell you, this... this is a fucking masterpiece. Na Hong-jin is with Quentin Tarantino far beyond anyone else when it comes to directing. Check out The Chaser, The Yellow Sea and The Medium (not directed but written by him) as well. Every single one of them would be a true shame to miss.
- Mio AkiyamaMay 25, 2025Immaculate production and story telling but I'm left unsatisfied with the ending.
- dr7843March 13, 2025Very interesting movie
The Wailing Trivia
The Wailing was released on May 12, 2016.
The Wailing was directed by Na Hong-jin.
The Wailing has a runtime of 2h 36m.
The Wailing was produced by Lim Min-sub.
The key characters in The Wailing are Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won), Il-gwang (Hwang Jung-min), Moo-myeong (Chun Woo-hee).
The Wailing is rated Not Rated.
The Wailing is a Horror, Mystery, Drama film.
The Wailing has an audience rating of 8.1 out of 10.