Notable Mentions: Kim Hwan-hee as the Daughter, Lee Jung-eun's Cameo, the Really Good Parts of the Film
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There are parts of this film that are really, really good. Like the scene at the police station. There is the storm. The power goes out. The policemen start to scream. There is a naked woman standing outside of the glass door. And the scene when Jon-goo and his men toss the Japanese man's body off the side of the road. The camera pans to Jon-goo. In the background, a blurry, white figure is standing on a hill, overseeing the whole event. The film included both eastern and western supernatural elements. I thought that was cool. And that twist at the end.
Then, there are parts of this film that are no so good. I don't like that the victims and the Japanese man are portrayed like zombies. Zombie movies are overdone. Stay away from zombies! There got to be other creative ways to portray the victims. That wasn't a great decision for the film.
The film had the potential to be a masterpiece, but missed the marks in a couple areas. It's on the list for the bits and pieces that excelled.
There are many films that get points deducted for bad child actors. There are many bad child actors. But not Kim Hwan-hee. In The Wailing, Kim Hwan-hee acted like school tuition was due and she's also supporting her debt-ridden, unemployed parents, eight siblings and two dogs. I liked Kim from the start. I liked the way she talks. A little sassy, in the funny kind of way. Kim's acting was natural. Comfortable to watch. Later in the film, Kim's character turned demonic. In The Wailing, Kim Hwan-hee masterfully acted both the part of a sassy, funny, teenage daughter and the part of a demon-possessed monster. Somewhere in the middle, Kim also demonstrated that she's capable of executing emotional drama. The crying scenes. Kim rocked every scene she's in, like a pro. This girl is an acting machine. A force to be reckoned with. A bright star.
Chun Woo-hee, who played Moo-myung in the film, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 53rd Grand Bell Awards, the Korean equivalent of the Oscars. While Kim Hwan-hee was nominated for and won Best New Actor, Kim's outstanding performance did not land her a nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category. Kim's performance in The Wailing far excelled Chun's. Overall, Kim's role was more complex. Her acting was more dynamic and her scenes were more impactful to the film than Chun's. Kim Hwan-hee deserved the Best Supporting Actress nomination more than Chun Woo-hee. Major award shows often neglect young actors due to their age and lesser known status.
