Director: Kimo Stamboel, Timo Tjahjanto (The Mo Brothers)
Writer: Timo Tjahjanto
Cast: Iko Uwais, Julie Estelle, Chelsea Islan, David Hendrawan, Epy Kusnandar, Zack Lee, Sunny Pang, Very Tri Yulisman
Running Time: 118 minutes
If you take The Raid, multiply the violence by 100 and chuck in some Kill Bill and Jason Bourne. You get Headshot!
A young man with a head wound (Uwais) washes up on the shore of a small Indonesian village. He’s taken to a local hospital and cared for by kindly doctor Ailin (Chelsea Islan), who dubs him Ishmael after the book she’s reading, Moby Dick. When he wakes up two months later, he has no memory of his real name or past life. Ailin suggests they go to Jakarta to get the bullet fragments removed from his skull, and she goes ahead of him on a bus ride. However, gang members working for the sinister Lee (Sunny Pang) ambush the bus and kidnap Ailin to draw out “Ishmael”. Ishmael then goes on a rampage to rescue Ailin while flashes of his past life begin returning to his memory.
Directed by Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto(Mo Brothers) this is their follow up release to their 2014 hit 'Killers'. The plot is relatively thin in Headshot, but it's enough to keep you emotionally invested. The story is actually more compelling than The Raid, although it is almost your typical damsel in distress plot. There's also a cheesy love story between the leads which surprisingly almost always works. They even manage to deliver some sentimental moments between Ishmael and Ailin which gives some key scenes a better emotional payoff.
The violence is on another level from any action film in years, it actually puts The Raid to shame. While Gareth Evan's action films have shock moments or "punchlines" during fight scenes to break it up, Headshot seems to have fight scenes to break up the shock moments and gore! No object is safe as bus seats, windows, bullets, chopsticks and even typewriters are used as weapons during extremely bloody brawls. There is definitely more than one moment that will leave you wincing in your seat! In fact, there is probably about 10!
The Mo Brothers use a different style of filming action from most Asian directors which has its positives and negatives. During the tightly choreographed fight scenes the handheld camera is often shaky or spinning around the actors which can actually mask how intricate the Silat fight scenes are and it doesn't let you digest every move you see. However, sometimes these unconventional camera techniques work in the action's favour to deliver exciting scenes such as Iko jumping out of a window while doing a somersault and the camera follows him by also doing a somersault...
Iko Uwais delivers a really good performance, taken out of his comfort zone he has some emotive acting to do this time which he performs effectively. Julie Estelle and Very Tri Yulisman who are more commonly known as Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Man from The Raid 2, show up as a pivotal part of the story and both deliver great fight scenes against Iko. Sunny Pang stars as the main villain Lee and although he manages to be chilling and intimidating, some of his dialogue scenes are odd as he talks in English and Iko replies in Indonesian. Chelsea Islan is decent as the love interest in her butter-wouldn't-melt role, and she even manages to get you rallying behind her when she is in distress.
Being an action film there are a fair few silly moments. The villains appear to have a very bad aim, even when they are close to an unarmed Iko Uwais they still manage to miss him. There are also some characters surviving punishment which doesn't seem humanely possible. The love story seems a little contrived at times with Ailin seemingly falling for Ishmael rather quickly and under odd circumstances. These can be overlooked though as the plot takes a backseat to the action!
This new Indonesian martial arts thriller can't quite match The Raid, but it does come incredibly close!
Will certainly entertain fans of the action and martial arts genres, although if you are squeamish be prepared to cover your eyes.
8/10
See this if you liked: Merentau Warrior The Raid Killers
Headshot is getting a limited release in the UK and USA on March 3rd 2017. So hunt this one down!
If you are in Scotland, it will be shown at the Glasgow Film Theatre from the 3rd to the 9th of March.
Without them there would have been no Magnificent Seven. Clint Eastwood wouldn't have a Fistful of Dollars. And Darth Vader wouldn't be a Samurai.
Mifune: The Last Samurai, a new film by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki, explores the accidental movie career of Toshiro Mifune, one of the true giants of world cinema. Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director Akira Kurosawa during the Golden Age of Japanese Cinema, including Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. Together they thrilled audiences and influenced filmmaking around the world, providing direct inspiration for not only The Magnificent Seven and Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood’s breakthrough, A Fistful of Dollars, but also George Lucas’ Star Wars. Weaving together film clips, archival stills, and interviews with such luminaries as Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. Narrated by Keanu Reeves.
Mifune: The Last Samurai is a chronologically told portrait of one of the most important and influential actors to ever grace the big screen. Mifune as an actor and a person left an undoubtedly large impression on the world, but can an 80 minute documentary do his legacy justice.
Starting off with a brief introduction to Chanbara cinema, the audiences is treated to the foundations of early Samurai films traced back to the earliest days of cinema while viewing a collection of clips from extremely rare or long forgotten films. 'Chanbara' is the Japanese word for “sword fighting films” and is derived from the sound of two swords crashing together. A real highlight is the only surviving scene from a 1926 film ‘Chokon’ in which a Samurai takes on multiple enemies on his own, while licking the blood off of his sword to give him strength.
The documentary goes through his life from being born in China, to getting drafted to fight in World War II, to returning and trying to make a living as an assistant camera-man to then accidentally becoming an actor. All the way until his untimely death. Drawing the attention of Akira Kurosawa at Toho studios, a fierce collaboration between the actor and director started which would stretch over 16 films. Kurosawa left many choices up to Mifune and allowed his to create and mold his own characters, ultimately allowing him to create his own heroes.
There are many intriguing interviews from big name Hollywood interviews like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg who offer their own praise on Mifune’s work and how it inspired them. But it's the candid interviews from his family, friends and Co-stars that are the real heart of the film. Kanzo Uni was his frequent fight choreographer and takes great delight in telling you he was killed by Mifune onscreen more than 100 times. His daughter explains why Mifune turned down the role of playing Obi-Wan Kenobi after George Lucas himself sought him out.
One of his Co-stars explains a hilarious yet scary situation while shooting the finale of ‘Throne of Blood’ were Mifune’s character is bombarded with hundreds of arrows. What people don't know is that these were all real arrows being shot towards Mifune which he actually had to dodge… and it was college students firing the arrows… and they also had no insurance for this scene. Stories like that show how dedicated to his art that Toshiro Mifune was. And just how crazy he could be.
The main problem with The Last Samurai is it is just too short. It's never really a problem to leave you wanting more. However, appearing in almost 170 feature films, the majority of these films aren't touched upon and some of the big ones are alluded. They also hint at why Mifune and Kurosawa stopped collaborating without really giving any detail. The same can also be said for his documented affair. Although, these could have been avoided because the documentary is more a celebration of his life and career and these issues might bring the tone down.
Mifune: The Last Samurai is still a very well constructed informative picture which will open eyes to newcomers of his work and the Samurai genre. And for his already established fans it offers a great intimate insight into his life with many details and stories they won't be aware of.
Yesterday marked the first full day of this year's Glasgow Film Festival. Showing over 100 films, the GFF is one of the leading UK film festivals. It's guaranteed to be a fun and welcoming event which breathes life in to the already bustling city and nightlife, it's an event that really shouldn't be missed.
This year there is umpteen world cinema screenings at the event including many new releases as well as some bona-fide classics!
Some of the main highlights include the new Korean Thriller 'Age of Shadows' directed by Kim Jee-woon(I Saw The Devil/A Bittersweet Life). There is also screenings of the new Indonesian action film from the team that brought you The Raid and starring Iko Uwais 'Headshot'.
Some promising Independent films will be screened such as the 2014 Korean film How To Steal A Dog based on the novel by Barbara O'Connor. There is a Canadian/Chinese production Old Stone which will have the director Johnny Ma in attendance. And one that I am extremely excited about is a new anime release A Silent Voice directed by Naoka Yamada(K-On!).
For fans of the golden age of Japanese cinema, there is a retrospective on Toshiro Mifune. Including screenings of the 2015 documentary Mifune: The Last Samurai, there is also some of his classic work being shown including Seven Samurai, Yojimbo and Rashomon. What's even better is that they fall under the Festival for A Fiver category. Which means you can see Seven Samurai on the big screen for £5!
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are many reasons to visit Glasgow Film Festival 2017. For a list of all their screenings and more information visit their official website. Have fun!
This year the world fell in love with La La Land. Why not also fall in love with Perhaps Love.
Acclaimed director Peter Chan takes the helm for this lavish, award winning musical concerning the love triangle between a handsome actor, his beautiful co-star, and a talented film director. Lin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and his ex-lover Sun (Zhou Xun) are shooting a movie for celebrated director Nie Wen (Jacky Cheung) when the flames of their former passion are gradually rekindled. A charismatic director who has poured his entire heart and soul into making a movie about a passionate love triangle, Nie finds his entire production about to collapse as Lin does everything in his power to win back the ravishing Sun.
Perhaps Love was marketed as the first Chinese musical for 40 years, which is highly surprising when you consider how many talented pop stars and singers work in the Hong Kong Film industry. This film definitely plays up to those strengths with the singing being on a much higher level than something a Ewan McGregor or Ryan Gosling could deliver.
A compelling movie-within-a-movie story that works extremely well with disguising the fact it's actually a musical. Rather than random outbursts of songs as a main character casually walk down a street, we are treated to the musical numbers happening as part of the movie the characters are filming. This is genuinely a breath of fresh air for people who aren't usually invested in the musical genre as it comes across less jarring.
The cinematography is exquisite! The locations and sets are remarkable! The costumes are dazzling! Perhaps Love really looks like a big budget film. It plays up to it's strengths and remarkably it's one of the most ambitions Chinese productions ever.
The songs are incredibly powerful and compliment the heart-wrenching love story perfectly. One of the main songs is a haunting number by Jacky Cheung with stunning operatic vocals accompanied by grand orchestral music backing it. The songs and moments like this are what take the film to another level!
There is a few missteps along the way. The general feel comes across rather depressing and some joy or humour injected throughout wouldn't go a miss. The story also gets somewhat muddled towards the end of the third act. But these are minor criticisms on the whole.
Brilliant performances all round from the main cast of Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhou Xun and Jacky Cheung, fortunately there is no weak link in sight. Another great outing from legendary Hong Kong go-to director Peter Chan(Comrades: Almost A Love Story, Dragon, The Warlords).
For the best experience I would highly recommend this blu-ray release from Tai Seng, it delivers stunning picture quality and fantastic sound, and it is region free!
7.5/10
25th Hong Kong Film Awards
Won: Best Actress (Zhou Xun)
Won: Best Art Direction (Chung Man Yee, Pater Wong)
Won: Best Cinematography (Peter Pau)
Won: Best Costume & Makeup Design (Chung Man Yee, Dora Ng)
Won: Best Original Film Score (Peter Kam, Leon Ko)
Won: Best Original Film Song (Peter Kam, Jacky Cheung)
A very average Hong Kong Film which doesn't really offer anything new to the genre but it's still a fairly entertaining ride mostly due to the cast.
Jersey is the self proclaimed King of Gamblers in Hong Kong. When he hears the story about his idol, Cool, disappearing for 3 years, he hopes to one day find him. After winning big his girlfriend, Banana, decides that they should go to Tokyo for shopping. One night, they go to a Chinese restaurant, where the owner turns out to be Cool. Cool was betrayed by old friend Yeung Kwong, who married Cool's girlfriend Nancy. Cool wants revenge but first, he must deal with the #1 Asian Gambler, Tetsuo.
Nick Cheung and Louis Koo star and both deliver fine performances but not enough to elevate this beyond gambling movie mediocrity. There are some great special effects for its time with Louis Koo's character Cool being able to throw cards and use them as a weapon, which will be repeated in gambling films for years to come. Cheung often over acts and becomes a bit hammy, but his character is usually used for silly fun.
There are actually some decent action pieces through-out with some good gimmicky fight scenes which help pad out the running time. Nick Cheung actually delivers some fun Kung Fu scenes which was unexpected for this film and role.
However, it's not enough to save this film from being generic fluff. Wong Jing is the producer and it has his name all over it. If you enjoy the crazy Hong Kong gambling films, I'm sure you'll enjoy this. Otherwise it's just an extremely average time waster.
5/10
See this if you liked: God of Gamblers Poker King From Vegas To Macau
Note: This film is a sequel in name only to the 1999 film The Conman in Vegas starring Andy Lau.
2016 has been a brilliant year for Asian Cinema with big hits coming from everywhere! Records have been shattered and some of films have went on to become international hits! South Korea had an extremely strong year and have actually dominated this top 10 list.
As always, there are many films from 2016 I haven't had a chance to check out, because of release schedules many wont be out till later this year in the UK... if at all!
China kicked off a great year of Asian Cinema with the wildly original and at times completely bonkers fantasy romantic comedy The Mermaid.
Shan, a mermaid, is sent to assassinate Xuan, a developer who threatens the ecosystem of her race, but ends up falling in love with him instead.
Directed by Stephen Chow, The Mermaid was always going to guarantee laughs but I don't think anyone expected it to turn out as hilarious as it was.
Laughing it's way to bank, The Mermaid went on to become the highest grossing Chinese film of all time!
Read my full review here.
Surprise hit from Korea is disaster movie The Tunnel. Directed by Kim Seong-hun(A Hard Day - 2014) and starring Ha Jung-woo(Berlin File/Yellow Sea) and Bae Doo-na(The Host/Sympathy For Mr Vengeance)
Lee Jung-soo (Ha Jung-woo) drives home for his daughter's birthday. While driving through a tunnel that goes through a mountain, the unthinkable happens. The tunnel collapses. When Lee Jung-Soo regains consciousness, he finds himself trapped inside his car. The car itself is buried under tons of concrete and debris. All he has inside the car are his cellphone, two bottles of water and his daughter's birthday cake. He forms a kind of special bond with the head of the rescue team, Dae-kyung, who teaches him how to survive in the tunnel.
What makes The Tunnel so gripping is rather than using the tried and tested formula of character development and story until about midway when the disaster hits, directed Kim Seong-hun has the disaster happen very early on, then we get to know and understand the character as he tries to survive. The film falls heavily on Ha Jung-woo as the films 2 hour running time is mainly focused on him being trapped underground in a car, luckily his strong performance anchors it. Throw in some social commentary undertones about politicians trying to make themselves look good and large companies and media running the country and you have a very interesting disaster film.
8. Lowlife Love (Japan)(IMDb 6.5 - Rotten Tomatoes NA)
Lowlife Love in an independent Japanese film which also happens to be the debut production for UK Asian cinema distributor Third Window Films and directed by Eiji Uchida (Greatful Dead)
Tetsuo is a lowlife. As a film director, he had an indie hit many years back, but refuses to go against his artistic integrity. One day, two new students come to his school: Minami, a naive girl from the countryside who wants to be an actress, and Ken, a scriptwriter. Tetsuo thinks Minami could be a real star, and Ken has a brilliant script that could relaunch his career as a director. With the help of an unsavory film producer, they strive to turn this project into something tangible, but Minami's ability starts to impress others, and Tetsuo's world soon falls apart.
A brilliant tale exploring the dark seedy side of low budget film making in Japan and the 'lowlifes' involved. A great cast with many familair faces popping up that Third Window Films fans will recognise. Kiyohiko Shibukawa shines as Tetsuo, playing a mixture of admirable and a complete sleezeball. Although unfamiliar with her previous work Maya Okano is breathtaking as the innocent Minami and gives off a great sense of vulnerability. An incredibly fun yet also disturbing picture.
Trivisa is an excellent example of the classic Hong Kong cinema of yesteryear and gives you hope that the future of Hong Kong cinema could return to what it once was.
In early 1997, mobsters Kwai Ching-hung, Yip Kwok-foon and Cheuk Tze-keung, whom have never met one another, known in the underworld as the "Three Kings of Thieves", are plotting together to score a final hit before the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong. However, none are initially aware of the rumour. Yip is living as a fugitive after a gunfight with the Royal Hong Kong Police. He now makes his fortunes by smuggling counterfeit electronics. Kwai is very cautious and uses several pseudonyms to hide his identity. Although the scale of his crimes is nowhere as large as Yip's and Cheuk's, but he has managed to commit repeated robberies that are totally unknown to the police. Cheuk has recently abducted the son of a rich tycoon and successfully extorted a ransom, all while under police surveillance. Wanting to raise the bar for himself, he hears about the rumour and becomes obsessed with the idea, going to extreme lengths to seek out Yip and Kwai.
Produced by legendary HK director Johnnie To and directed by 3 up and coming directors from Milkyway Image, Trivisa is full of energy and has a lot to say. Full of metaphors for current Hong Kong life from dealing with the effect of the Hong Kong and Mainland divide. Each one of the Three Kings of Thieve's stories gets their own director and although the stories intertwine they are all very different. Jordan Chan really shines as the flamboyant Cheuk Tze-keung and although all of the stories are great, his isn't as devolped, but that's balanced out by his outstanding performance.
The one film on the list that I urge everyone to go in blind with. No trailers. No reviews. Nothing. See this film without any of it being ruined, the experience will be worth it.
Himeanôru depicts the story of co-workers where one of them is gunning to make a cafe's waitress his. When the co-worker visits said cafe to see the waitress his friend is yearning for, he also meets an old class-mate he has not seen in some time. In a twist and transition the waitress tells the visiting co-worker that she is being stalked by a man. That man is none other than the old class-mate.
That's as much as one can say without ruining any of the surprises. Gaku Hamada(Fish Story/Sake Bomb) delivers another great performance in his typical awkward but lovable role, I have become a big fan of his work over the past few years even if he does tend to play similar characters. Again, I really don't want to kill the effect this film can have on you, it really caught me off guard and I'm glad I went in blind. You should too!
5. Inside Men (Korea)(IMDb 7.1 - Rotten Tomatoes - NA)
Inside Men has 2 different versions on release. The theatrical version is 130 minutes, while the directors cut is 180 minutes. It was the longer version I viewed, so I can't comment on the theatrical version, but I personally believe the 3 hour length is justified.
Lee Kang-hee, an editor at an influential conservative newspaper, raises congressman Jang Pil-woo to the position of leading Presidential candidate using the power of the press; behind this is his secret deal with the paper's biggest sponsor.Ahn Sang-goo, a political henchman who supported Lee and Jang, gets caught pocketing the record of the sponsor's slush fund, resulting in a dismembered hand. Woo Jang-hoon, an ambitious prosecutor, starts to investigate the relationship between Jang and the sponsor, believing that it's his only chance to make it to the top. While getting down to the brass tacks of the case, Woo meets Ahn, who has been methodically planning his revenge. Now the war between the one blinded with power, the one hell-bent on vengeance, and the one eager for success begins.
This is easily one of the best political thrillers to be made in years. Lee Byung-hun is back in Korea and doing what he does best, act. One of the greatest actors working today and he delivers another stellar performance as gangster Ahn Sang-goo. The film has an extremely tight woven intricate plot which keeps you on your toes as the story unravels and the 3 hours flies by.
Inside Men went on to sweep the Grand Bell Awards(South Korea's Oscars) by winning Best Screenplay, Best Planning, Best Actor for Lee Byung-hun, Best Director and Best film. Incredible!
Park Chan-wook is back on top form with a very unique and peculiar film.
Helmed by acclaimed director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy), this period drama set in 1930s Korea explores the relationship between a Korean handmaiden and a Japanese heiress. The handmaiden (Kim Tae-ri) is secretly a pickpocket who is working as part of a scheme to swindle the heiress (Kim Min-hee) out of her fortune, but that plan takes a backseat when the two women begin to fall in love. The Handmaiden was adapted from the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, although the setting was changed from Victorian England to Japanese-occupied Korea.
Fantastic performance all round from the entire cast. The cinematography is stunning. The story is mesmerizing, although a little baggy and confusing in places. It's essentially told in 3 parts, from different points of view with many twists and turns. Just when you think the story is going one way, it goes the complete opposite.
If you don't like your movies to have sexual content then probably best avoiding this one as some of the sex scenes can be a little startling. But if you don't mind... then fire away!
One of the very best zombie films ever made. It's just that damn good!
Seok-Woo (Gong Yoo) is a fund manager in Seoul. He is separated from his wife and lives with his daughter Soo-An (Kim Soo-Ahn). Seok-Woo doesn't spend much time with his daughter or show affection to her. On the night before Soo-An's birthday, Soo-An insists on seeing her mother for her birthday. Seok-Woo has no other choice, but to take her to Busan. Early the next morning, they board the KTX train for Busan at Seoul Station.Before the KTX train leaves Seoul Station, a zombie like girl jumps onto the train. The girl is infected with a horrific virus that is spreading like wildfire. Seok-Woo, Soo-An and the other passengers on the KTX train must now fight for their lives.
This is a brilliant edge of your seat thrill ride. That may be an over used metaphor but it is extremely appropriate for Train To Busan. When all hell kicks off, the film is incredibly exciting and tense. I just about chewed all my nails off as I prayed for my favourite characters survival.
The setting of the train adds to the dramatics as they are stuck fighting for survival against the odds with no weapons. Trying to navigate between each carriage is nerve wracking viewing as their luck gets worse and worse.
The strong point of the film is the cast. Every character is important and fleshed out. The father is a bit of an asshole, but he goes on a great character journey throughout. One of the passengers on the train is almost the real villain of the story and is probably actually the most hated character I have seen since that old crazy Christian women in The Mist. You really do care about the well-being of all the characters on this wild train ride which is commemorable.
You have probably heard all of the hype surrounding this film. Believe it all.
2. Your Name (Japan)(IMDb 8.7 - Rotten Tomatoes 97% - 8.3)
The only animated film on the list, and it is simply a beautiful work of art.
Mitsuha Miyamizu, a high school girl, yearns to live the life of a boy in the bustling city of Tokyo—a dream that stands in stark contrast to her present life in the countryside. Meanwhile in the city, Taki Tachibana lives a busy life as a high school student while juggling his part-time job and hopes for a future in architecture.
One day, Mitsuha awakens in a room that is not her own and suddenly finds herself living the dream life in Tokyo—but in Taki's body! Elsewhere, Taki finds himself living Mitsuha's life in the humble countryside. In pursuit of an answer to this strange phenomenon, they begin to search for one another.
Kimi no Na wa. revolves around Mitsuha and Taki's actions, which begin to have a dramatic impact on each other's lives, weaving them into a fabric held together by fate and circumstance.
Your Name has owned 2016. It came around at the right time and everything just fell in place and felt perfect. It has went on to become the highest grossing anime film of all time. And it has got so popular the director has asked people to stop seeing it because he is worried it has became too big and he doesn't think it is healthy. Ha!
Your Name is more than just a body swap drama. It's a moving sci-fi fantasy melodrama with a compelling story that also examines current Japanese youth culture.
It is one of the most stunning animated movies ever made, the backgrounds and scenery are incredibly accurate and the animated time lapses might trick you in to thinking you are actually watching a 4K recording of a genuine time lapse.
The musical soundtrack is upbeat bouncy rock composed by J-Rockers 'Radwimps' which suits the theme and image of the film perfectly. Their songs accompany some great montages which are real highlights of the film and their hit song Zen Zen Zense is unbelievably catchy.
Your Name will tug at your heart strings and in the end will leave you feeling like you have just witnessed something truly special.
The Chaser. The Yellow Sea. The Wailing.
Na Hong-jin is now 3 for 3 with films. Each one is a masterpiece!
Within a seemingly peaceful village, a plague of mysterious & violent deaths suddenly take place. The police conclude poisonous wild mushrooms are the cause of the deaths. Police Officer Jong-Goo (Kwak Do-Won) hears a rumor from a coworker about a mysterious Japanese man (Jun Kunimura) living nearby. The rumor points to the Japanese man as the man causing these mysterious & violent deaths. Jong-Goo, while on duty, meets Moo-Myeong (Chun Woo-Hee). She tells Jong-Goo that she saw the Japanese man where the last deaths took place. Jong-Goo's doubts about the man begin to waver.
What an incredible piece of cinema!
The Wailing has everything going for it. It's a genre blend starting off as a mystery thriller with some comedy elements mainly delivered by the incompetent bumbling police force. But when the film shifts, it turns in to an incredibly haunting and compelling horror.
There is an unbelievable 3 way inter-cut scene with the Shaman performing a ritual, the girl contorting in pain and the Japanese man performing his own rituals that will leave you feeling uneasy and stressed.
The small Korean town is a perfect backdrop for The Wailing with a slew of stunning locations to suit the story and mood. The cinematography is wonderful with every frame delivering it's purpose.
The Wailing has one of the most suspenseful endings of any horror film, it literally leaves you on edge as you try to put the pieces together and figure out what is about to happen. It is truly extraordinary.
The Wailing is easily film of the year for me. It stays with you. It haunts you. You will think about it nonstop afterwards. You might even go on the internet to read peoples interpretations and opinions of the film afterwards... That's what I done anyway.
The Wailing has the power to go on to become the new Oldboy, the next cult film that's so good it crosses over and introduces the mainstream audience to great Korean cinema. That is, if it doesn't get overshadowed by the popularity of Train To Busan.
