Out of his depth, local police officer Jong-goo investigates a spate of killings, as well as an outbreak of madness seemingly connected to the recent arrival of a mysterious Japanese man who resides in the outskirts of the village. What’s more, he is horrified to discover his young daughter may have fallen under the stranger’s curse. Jong-goo calls on a charismatic shaman to free his daughter from the stranger’s dangerous influence, but the shaman’s intense exorcism ritual threatens to worsen the situation. Jong-goo, with his world collapsing around him, realises he must confront the ultimate evil himself.
Without a doubt one of the true horror stand outs of the year, The Wailing manages to pack an immensely pacy punch despite its epic run time. A film that manages to be both darkly funny and extremely bleak, it’s strong cast and incredible set-pieces will keep even the most jaded horror fan on the edge of their seat.
