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.
