Review: Korean horror film 'The Wrath' is a gore-fest with a good story
With remakes being the current trend in cinema these days, it’s no surprise that Korean horror film The Wrath is actually a remake of another Korean horror film, Woman’s Wail. Set in the Joseon era, it centres around the family drama that takes place in a haunted house.
The gory factor of The Wrath is apparent from the very first scene, which spills copious amounts of blood and doesn’t let up until the very end. The injuries inflicted will have you squirming, as the film lingers over every single stab, slash, and cut with sadistic detail. While the practical effects are excellently executed, the sheer amount of blood depicted can get a little comical at times, especially when it spurts forth from fresh wounds.
However, the immensely high production values are evident not just from the gore, but the sets and costumes themselves. The period setting is recreated in lavish detail, reminding you that it is set in a time long ago. It’s this sense of displacement that creates even more tension in the viewer. The characters are fairly isolated, and they can only count on themselves to resolve the situation.
Thankfully, jump scares are few and far between. Instead, The Wrath makes effective use of music and slow zooms to generate suspense for the audience. You know that something lurks in the darkness, but the film leaves it to your imagination to fill in the blanks by only showing snippets of what is out there. It’s only when the next scene begins that you realise you’ve been holding your breath during the frightening scenes.
Bolstering the fear factor is an intriguing story that jumps between the past and the present. The atmosphere in the family is tense, and as the story unfolds, you discover long-simmering grudges between characters — which are tied to the nature of the hauntings.
Seo Young-hee delivers an excellent performance as Lady Shin, the matriarch of the household, whose character development is a crucial part of the plot. Her portrayal is equal parts cruelty and sincerity, and her stern demeanour is what contributes to the Gothic horror of The Wrath. In stark contrast, Shon Na-eun is rather wooden as damsel-in-distress Ok-boon, which can feel rather odd at times. Everyone also seems to forget that they’ve invited exorcist Hae-chun-bi (Lee Tae-ri) to the house too, which makes for some some rather glaring plot holes.
Not unexpectedly, the film finishes off with plenty of potential for sequels and spinoffs, although there’s nothing particularly exciting in the credits. It does manage to preserve that mood of horror all the way till the end, keeping your hair standing until The Wrath ends.
Overall, The Wrath is excellent as a horror film and a period piece. While it does go a little overboard on the gore, it more than makes up for it in terms of story, atmosphere and scares. It will be hard to top this when the inevitable remake is produced 12 years later or even a sequel, so it looks like the producers have their work cut out for them if they want to turn The Wrath into a horror franchise.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? Yes.
Should you watch this more than once? No.
Score: 4.0/5
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 94 minutes
The Wrath is a Korean horror movie that is a remake of 1986’s Woman’s Wail.
The film follows the journey of a young bride who marries into a family that has been cursed – all the sons die on their wedding day. She eventually discovers that a powerful supernatural force is at work in the family’s home, and that the dark secrets lurk within the family’s past.
The Wrath is directed by Yoo Young-seon and written by Park Chae-bum. It stars Seo Young-hee (Lady Shin), Shon Na-eun (Ok-boon), Hae-chun-bi (Lee Tae-ri), and Wol-a (Park Min-ji). It is rated NC-16.
Marcus Goh is a television scriptwriter, having written for popular shows like “Lion Mums”, “Crimewatch”, “Code of Law”, “Incredible Tales”, and “Police & Thief”. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find him on social media as Optimarcus and on his site. The views expressed are his own.
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