The Wailing
2016; directed by Na Hong-Jin

The Wailing has flown under many people's radar, which is a bit of a shame, because it's an effective little thriller that delivers some genuine chills. Like many South Korean releases, it does run too long for its own good, but those viewers out there who haven't succumbed to the pseudo epidemic of ADD swirling around the world will be rewarded with one of the better releases of the year, regardless of region.

The movie takes place in a small village where a mysterious wave of mayhem is making people go crazy and eventually die. A sad-sack policeman feels like there is a connection between the outbreak and a recent immigrant to the village from Japan. What he finds shocks him and the town, though it may not do the same to the viewer. As is too often with this type of film, the twist or explanation isn't as great as the film-makers would like you to believe it to be, but the journey to get there is satisfying enough, especially if you are a fan of the genre.

RATING: 7

This movie has been released uncut and in the original Korean language with English subtitles in North America by Well Go USA. It is available on VOD, DVD, and Blu-ray from Amazon. Extras on the disc-based versions include behind the scenes featurettes and trailers for the movie and other Well Go releases.