Exhuma is a Korean language horror/thriller movie directed by Jang Jae-hyun. I am not familiar with Jang's previous works but Exhuma clearly show an extremely competent director that has a bright future ahead of him.
I wouldn't call Exhuma an out and out horror movie as I didn't leave the movie with PTSD or dreading the thought of going to bed. However, it does dip into the Korean forklore and traditions which I really enjoyed experiencing. In some ways, this movie reminds me of the Wailing which is more of a thriller but showcases similar Korean customs and rituals of exorcising victims afflicted by spirits. Instead of possessed humans, this movie deals with inauspicious burial sites and how Feng Shui is important when considering where you bury the dearly departed so they don't come back as vengeful spirits to haunt you and your family.
The movie can be neatly split into two halves with the first half introducing the main characters and their weird yet interesting professions in the occult. The midway point is can be thought of as an end of the first episode of a pilot show as it neatly close out the storyline of a Multi-millionaire Korean family that resides in America who are haunted by their dead descendants (I won't say anymore on that to avoid spoilers). However, you will soon realize the first half was simply a starter to the main dish that is the second half where the true horror and folklore aspects of the movie show up.
All the actors of the movie have done a great job portraying the roles but I would like to give special shout out to Kim Go-eun and Choi Min-sik who both play complex characters that have many layers to them which we get gradually revealed towards the start of the third act. Lee Do-Hyun also plays a subdued yet faithful protegee to Kim who gets to show off his acting range in the second half of the movie.
In conclusion, I will recommend Exhuma to anyone who loves Korean horror movies in a similar vein as the Wailing. The movie is shot very stylishly and showcases the beauty of the Korean countryside mixed with the modern urban landscape of the cities.
