Byeonshin

They've all been aping the 73 film for the most part, and falling short while they did. This had a very different take on it, and some smart ideas of its own. It didn't over rely on jump scares either, aiming for atmosphere and overall creep instead of giving you fluff and "Boo! I scared you." Films like this actually manage to stick in the brain for a while. Every time I thought to myself that a two hour run time might be a bit excessive, it kept proving that every moment of my time it was using was vital to the plot. The gore was well done but not excessive, I mean there was quite a bit, it's a Korean film, but if anything this was a tamer amount than some films from that country.

Just a fun enjoyable creepy experience, nicely done.

A shapeshifting demon has attached itself to the family of a catholic priest struggling with a failed exorcism and a loss of faith.

This is an interesting take on the possession idea as the focus is very much on the demon rather than the victim. Without giving too much away we are never sure precisely who is the demon as it moves from person to person.

As with most modern Korean cinema this is is a great piece of visual story telling. We are constantly guessing who and how the demon is possessing. The way the evil unfolds around the family as it turns them against each other is dramatically portrayed.

But the story kind of lets itself down in the end. Throughout this film there are reminders of the physical artifice of the church but despite the evidence of demonic possession, the impotence is ultimately frustrating.

The confrontation with evil is left down to the single younger brother but it's not really clear why. For me a little bit too much is left unsaid and implied meaning doesn't balance out the constant sense of foreboding well enough. In the end we are left with a romantic sacrifice and some rather unconvincing ghostbusters style special effects.

This film has a lot going for it and while it leaves us with many unanswered questions the performances are convincing.

This is a straight forward exorcism movie, with absolutely nothing new for the genre, the exact same formula but with the typical Asian twist that you will easily see it coming in the last act.

Sadly to say, I did not enjoy it, it felt overlong, boring and a tad bit all over the place, especially the first part. Surely enough, it takes its time to properly start, even tho it is quite clear what the movie is about, and then it just goes over and over the same things every single possession movie did so before.

It was rather hard for me to keep my interest going, but nevertheless I can definitely say that Byeonshin is a difficult movie to watch, simply because it tries too much in a area that has so little to offer. We all have seen this many times before and simply because it is Asian and does not involve a ghost with long dark hair, does not mean that different is good. It was quite a challenge to stay in focus with its development.

Cheers!

It felt like watching the same thing over and over. .The movie is long, kind of felt bored. It is just dragged to much. However, It has a unique concept to some extend as in horror movies, we typically get to see a ghost to enter someone's body and possessed it. But, in this movie shape shifter is kind of new. A demonic spirit or I donno what to referred it, can change shapes and faces too.

It is okay to watch and enjoyable but nothing standout really. The story just go with the flow and the ending feels empty, I think the movie wouldn't be lame if there's more plot and twist like more effort on explaining what is actually happening.