For those who follow Asian action cinema closely, one of the most exciting names at the moment is South Korean filmmaker Hong-jin Na. The director has been to the Cannes Film Festival twice, bringing pulse-pounding action thrillers with him each time: “The Chaser” in 2008, and “The Yellow Sea” in 2011. Now he’s back on the Croisette with “The Wailing,” and it looks like another picture worth paying attention to.
Kwak Do-Won, Chun Woo-Hee, and Hwang Jung-Min star in the movie that kicks off when a rural village experiences of string of mysterious killings following the arrival of a stranger. And if you’ve ever watched a film from Hong-jin Na, that’s just going to be the tip of the iceberg of what is likely a knotty, white-knuckle story.
The director’s films haven’t particularly made an impression in stateside release, but let’s hope his latest not only finds him once again on form, but earning a bit more love from arthouses on this side of the ocean.
