Written and directed by Jang Jae-hyun, after tracing the origin of a disturbing supernatural affliction to a wealthy family’s ancestral gravesite, a team of paranormal experts relocates the remains—and soon discovers what happens to those who dare to mess with the wrong grave. Starring: Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hai-jin, Lee Do-hyun, Kim Jae-chul, Jeon Jin-gi, Kim Sun-young and Kim Ji-an.
Any horror fan will have lost count of how many supernatural themed flicks they’ve watched with disappointing endings, pulling off a satisfying resolution to a story shrouded in mystery and the unknown is a difficult thing to do. That’s what makes it all the more memorable of an experience when a filmmaker gets it right, and that’s what Jang Jae-hyun has done with Exhuma.
One of the reasons that’s quite surprising is that Exhuma starts off on quite weak footing, it struggles to create a strong atmosphere but stick with it, and it pays off. The writing creates a gradual progression but it’s genuinely gripping, it constantly builds upon itself. There’s a growing presence which pulls you in deeper as time goes on, and it has a perfect intensity to keep you hooked. Jang Jae-hyun also creates four fantastic leading characters in these paranormal experts, they’re incredibly easy to invest in.
That may sound like a simple thing but it’s a factor that’s often overlooked by filmmakers in favour of shock and awe. Forgetting that, why would you care how the story plays out if you don’t care if the characters live or die? It’s an important element to get right and here, they’re such an enjoyable ensemble. Of course, in no small part due to the performances by Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hai-jin and Lee Do-hyun.
Starting with Choi Min-sik, films like Exhuma are his bread and butter, he knows exactly the right buttons to press and has a perfect handle on all the key emotions. Kim Go-eun gives us the middle ground, she creates a character who brings everyone together. She brings an intriguing presence to the table, she’s incredibly smart and has a sincere darkness to her. While Yoo Hai-jin and Lee Do-hyun bring a lighter touch, Do-hyun gives Bong Gil a lovely sweetness and fierce loyalty. Hai-jin adds a touch of comedy, letting the film not take itself too seriously and hold onto its relatable nature, even when it strays into unusual territory.
Then visually, Jae-hyun is again giving us exactly what we want, it’s spooky yet serious, intense yet still has entertainment in mind. It creates such a brilliant balance, which is not a common thing to find with films like this, it knows exactly how to pace itself out, and not overplay its hand with its otherworldly elements. There are also a few extra touches which add a little something more, like its exceptional transition work and a nicely hand-drawn end credits sequence. They show the dedication and passion that went into creating Exhuma, and you can certainly feel that.
Exhuma succeeds beautifully where so many others have failed, it creates a supernatural, mystery themed horror that’s genuinely satisfying and entertaining to watch. It’s slow but purposeful, it’s gripping and it sets its bar for suspicion nice and high early on so that you’re glued in to see how everything unfolds. There’s a superb cast at work, who all create excellent characters, who you could happily keep on watching. Simply put, other than starting with a stumble, it gives you everything you could want.
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