Review of The Wailing (2016) by Zembowerboy — 16 Aug 2016

97%.

For about 45 minutes or so, The Wailing plays like some bizarre horror comedy. It's over-the-top and weirdly silly, to the point that I thought to myself there was no way it would end up getting under my skin or freaking me out. Then the rest of it comes and holy damn was I wrong, I'm not sure exactly where the turning point was. And that's a part of its brilliance, it sneaks up on you quietly. It gets you to let your guard down, and even chuckle, only to pull the rug from under your feet. By the end I was overwhelmed, creeped the hell out, and bewildered, left with so many questions, but absolutely satisfied. I'm still thinking about it now, and there are about a billion images from it I can't get out of my mind.

Like a richly dense novel one can't help but devour, The Wailing is definitely lengthy. However, it quickly pulls you in and the nearly three hour running time flashes by. I probably could have watched it for another hour, it's ridiculously entertaining. It's also soul-shakingly disturbing, pulling one in so many emotional directions; it's as draining and exhausting as it is absolutely rewarding.

Unpredictable and wholly original, there's nothing out there like it this year. It's a powerful experience that is damn near impossible to forget. The Conjuring 2 can go **** itself, THIS is genuine horror through and through, leaving so much to digest and process. Incredible filmmaking. Bat **** crazy brilliance.