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A man whose family is seemingly cursed by something reaches out to paranormal specialists to exhume his ancestor which leads to more problems.
Written and directed by Jang Jae-hyun, this film is a masterclass in approaching themes such as loss, grief, and legacy while playing with supernatural elements, rituals, and fear. There is a ton in here and it’s lovingly crafted, taking all these themes and elements, mixing them just right, and gifting them to the audience in a perfectly perfected package. The film does have a few tonal shifts here and there, but this works rather well for the story here, helping the mood and atmosphere which in turn help bring the viewer into the story and its elements. The film here shows that careful writing and direction make the most out of everything going on because there is a lot going on. This is a film that introduces ideas and fully explores them while still leaving some things to the viewer to think about.
The cast here is fantastic, the lead group here which composed of the two burial plot specialists, a ritual sorta-witch, and her adopted brother of sorts who supports her work and has his own thing going on is amazing. Kim Go-eun in particular shines. She’s mesmerizing, showing strength and vulnerability, being the center of everything while not actually being the center of everything. She solid and charming and so much more. Lee Do-hyun plays her assistant and his work here is the perfect personality to bounce off her work from. He works more than well here, stealing a few scenes along the way. Then we get Choi Min-sik who is central to everything, and his performance is stunning, his work shows nuance, vulnerability, power, and emotions that feel more than right here, they feel perfect. This is a performance to look back on over and over again, one that keeps the viewer attentive to the film. His work here is just about perfect. Playing his assistance and rounding out the main central cast here is Yoo Hae-jin who is a good sounding board for his colleague with whom he spends most of his screen time. He’s a solid support here, bringing a bit of everyman normalcy to the proceedings. The rest of the cast is just as great, but they each get less screen time than the central four.
Of course, Exhuma is also a film that is fantastically well-done on the technical side of things. The special effects here work superbly well with the film, with some elements looking quite real and the blood effects being just the right amount of icky. The visual effects as well as the practical effects work great and are done with talent and a clear knowledge of what looks best on screen for what is needed here. The cinematography around all of these effects as well as the cast, story, and direction, is lovely. It’s dark at times but knows the balance of light and darkness needed to create atmosphere and even a few visual scares. The careful work here, led by Kim Tae-seong is lovely to watch, giving the film the right images for each moment and respecting the traditions and rituals when they happen.
Exhuma is one of those films that brings together incredible talents on all levels, insuring its high quality throughout and making sure to use these talents just right. The story here is sad and spooky, one that is layered beautifully well with strong performances from everyone involved, some genuine tension when needed, and so much more. One watch is not nearly enough to get it all. The rituals, the beliefs, and the people at the center of it all are compelling enough on their but adding the supernatural elements to it all just pushes the film in the perfect spot to be one of the best of the year, all genres together.