Exhuma (2024)

Good buildups but there's a tone shift

Spectacular cinematography and insane acting performances, the horror element is effective with a good amount of reasoning behind the plot, though the way it turns out at the end might be a little anticlimactic for some. The third act takes a weird tone shift after all the amazing buildups that were done earlier, more specifically its resolution part was given a superpower treatment instead of supernatural ones. Still, the historical and geopolitical backstory had lots of details which are quite logical, and their quality suspense holds well enough to make this an excellent movie overall.

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Has you on the edge of your seat.

Its places you into the action right from the beginning and takes you on a journey that is full tilt from start to finish. I was lucky to see this in a cinema in New Zealand so if you can see it on the big screen I recommend you do so, its certainly just that much more immersive and impressive surrounded by a sea of strangers. There's some powerhouse performances from all the leads, I love Lee Do Hyun, so him and the subject matter was what drew me to the film. I think for me the only downside was this story seems like it could have been fleshed out more in a series rather then a movie, it felt like it was wrapped up too quickly for me at least. They hinted at the background of the main characters but you never felt completely invested in the horror they were facing because you weren't given enough information about them. The soundtrack is masterful and the cinematography sublime. I still very much recommend this film.

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Confusing backstory for international audiences

I'll start with the positives first. Acting was phenomenal, and so was the directing and cinematography. Loved the music too. Story also made sense and characters didn't make dumbass mistakes usually seen in horror movies. It was fairly entertaining and kept me at the edge of my seat as well. I'm not a fan of jump scares and I'm glad there weren't any.

Not so good: If you're not Korean, you'll probably have a hard time understanding the context. The whole metal stake thing was confusing to me and I had to google it separately to understand what the heck was going on. The Japanese demon(?) thing was poorly explained as well - like what was it, why was he cursed by the monk and buried with that Korean dude who supposedly was loyal to the Japanese colonial administration etc. Kim Go Eun's character was also badly fleshed out as well. her backstory was close to non-existent and we know almost nothing about her other than 1. she's a shaman, 2. she speaks Japanese, 3. she has 2 sisters. Like why does she speak Japanese? Did something happen in Japan with some Japan ghost? Why did she become a shaman? She's advertised as the lead so I'm not sure why we know so little about her. Setting up for a sequel maybe? Who knows. As a result, it was pretty hard to relate to the characters since we barely know anything about them. I was watching solely based on the plot and wanting to know why and what was happening, which honestly left me with more questions than answers. The demon CGI wasn't great and broke the immersion too. I much preferred the first half when it was about the grandfather's angry spirit.

Overall, this is a fairly entertaining movie that I do not regret watching. However if you're not Korean it might be difficult to appreciate the nuances in the plot.

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must watch

let's start by the cast, they could not have picked a better cast. their chemistry was just wonderful. they did so well. i felt so many things while watching the movie and the first ceremony scene gave me chills all over... so so good! i love how the had comedy (dark humor) all over, for example when mr. almost died and he said he was ready to go but then he thought oh my daughter's marriage. i was tearing up and that just cracked me up hahaha. every character did such an amazing job, and of course... kim goeun and lee dohyun never dissapoint. the ending was good but made wonder if there will be a sequel because of their unfinished business (their flashbacks etc.) either way, im satisfied with it. please, go and watch it if you have time and if your city is playing it. i feel like a movie theater experience will be even better.

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Insanely thrilling

The overall buildup is amazing and had me on edge of my seat! Story was great and they made an amazing mixture of supernatural, folklore, shamanism.

The use of subtle horror rather than giving a physical face in some scenes was amazing and gave more thrill and suspense.

Each actor/actress pulled of their role perfectly - as expected of a star studded lineup!

The movie sets the tone perfectly ; despite having some scenes where it drops, but overall, a very good and enjoyable watch.

Side note: Lee Dohyun and Kim Goeun are so attractive in this film <3

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Respect the Dead

The atmosphere of the film is haunting. The only film I could compare this to is "The Wailing". Exuma has elements of belief in Feng shui, Buddhism, Shamanism and even Christianity. And if the viewer believes, they are guaranteed to be terrified watching this. Personally, I was completely engaged with the film, and although I was aware that it was about paranormal stuff, I was convinced that it was real, which made the viewing experience very intense for me.

I was confused by how our main characters, in the first part of the film, routinely and even disrespectfully carry out their work, but when they are faced with the special task of digging up a problematic mysterious dead body in a coffin, they become completely dedicated to their work. As a priest, I also perform funerals daily and sometimes I am not completely concentrated, so this film encourages me to try, as much as possible, to give sincere respect and a dignified tribute to each deceased person and assist their eternal rest.

All in all, the actors did a great job. The sequence of the story changed its course throughout the film, but at the end we still see a meaningful unity that leads us to appreciate the cooperation and connection between the four main protagonists.

After the news of the film's success in Korean cinemas, I had high expectations for this and indeed, Exuma didn't disappoint.

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One word "OverHyped"

Exhuma is a tale of shamanism and exorcizing trauma. The 1st half of the movie sets up an atmosphere for you to get curious about what's waiting for you ahead as you expected they may explain the course of the action but here you get disappointed cuz without explaining the movie went ahead on another dimension of Korean/Japnese flok shamanism from handling the ghost to fighting with an Oni real quick.

Screenwriter and Director Jang Jae-hyun specializes in horror movies, and as such, he often leaves the mystery to the audience's interpretation.

In the 2nd half of the movie, you understand what is happening presently and Oni's past but many things are unexplained like what is the relation b/w ML and Fl are they a couple (least likely) or siblings or just working partners or senior/junior? while watching the movie It wasn't clear what the relation b/w the MLs and the two females who were in the hospital while Hwa Rim was dealing with the Oni. According to MDL, Oh Gwang Shim [Hwa Rim's senior] and Park Ja Hye [Hwa Rim's junior] explain.
You may ask why you don't understand while watching? Is that your first supernatural/horror movie?

Nope, I have watched so many supernatural/horror/folk/exorcism movies whether it's Korean, Japanese, Thai, Indian, or Hollywood but they bother to explain or give you the hint so you can understand. But the story was narrated without giving any hints of explaining "it is what it is" and what was the relation b/w the 1st ghost we saw (Grandpa Park) and the Oni wasn't explained! ?

Now what I like and dislike about this movie;

Cinematography: No doubt it is excellent cinematography and gives you the experience to the fullest. The graphics were good too.

Acting: The acting of both actors was top notch and you can see them as a shaman. Kim Go-Eun acting as a shaman was excellent while performing the exhumation. Lee Do-hyun's acting was also impressive as a hot shaman. The acting was the main element of this movie that kept you in your seat. you connect with the characters despite no backstory.

Story: As I said before, the story leaves many loopholes where we as an audience find difficulty connecting the dots. The mystery and the suspense in the story were well presented. This movie didn't have any jumpscares or maybe I didn't find any.

Styling: One more thing that I like is the styling and costume of both leads. Kim Go-Eun's clothing style and her aura, she was the whole mood. Also, Lee Do-hyun's tattoos and hair bun stole the show.

In conclusion, to understand this movie I had so many questions, Like; what was the Park family's secret? Who was Gisune? (I have known about the Kitsune) the grave robber's angle? Who possessed Bong Gil? That was confusing but I thought the General Oni(demon) possessed him. What kind of creature was that snake (Nure-onna) that was killed after the ritual?

I had to do some research and find I am not the only one who was confused thanks to that Reddit explanation I got my answers. If you don’t know much about Korean/Japanese history/shamanism it will be difficult to understand as well.

Without knowing the explanation I gave this movie 6.8 out of 10 for excellent acting, cast, and cinematography. Also, I can't deny the fact that this movie is Overhyped because of the cast. If you had to find an explanation outside of the movie then what to say?

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disappointing

Exhuma promised spine-chilling horror but delivered predictable scares and a lackluster plot. Despite its atmospheric cinematography, the film relies too heavily on clichés and fails to innovate within the genre. Jump scares feel telegraphed, and the central mystery lacks depth, leaving viewers unsatisfied. While the cast delivers solid performances, they're stifled by a script that fails to engage
Visually, "Exhuma" delivers in spades, with atmospheric cinematography and expertly crafted set pieces that serve to heighten the sense of impending doom. From dimly lit corridors to decrepit graveyards, every location exudes an aura of malevolence, inviting viewers to lose themselves in the film's sinister world.However, where "Exhuma" truly falters is in its execution of scares and plot development. Despite the best efforts of the cast and crew, including standout performances from the lead actors, the film struggles to deliver genuine moments of terror. Jump scares are telegraphed well in advance, robbing them of their intended impact, while the central mystery lacks the complexity and depth needed to sustain interest. Ultimately, Exhuma falls short of my expectations.

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Worth watching

Nowadays it’s hard to find a good horror movie that can be actually described as horror. And this one definitely was the one I was searching for. From the beginning to the end every character was good written and the actors’s perfomance was amazing.

About the horror elements, it was definitely 10/10. The story showed something different and unexpected, every moment and scene were really interesting. This movie showed that it’s not necessarily for a horror movie to be all blood and chasing, which make me give it 10/10 about it. Strongly recommend to watch it.

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