A Not-So Review: Exhuma

Earlier this year, I met Vanessa and Elah for an afternoon dine-out. It was the first time we had met after a long while (the last time was at Ryan’s post-birthday celebration in Bulacan, and Elah wasn’t there). It was quite funny that we set our get-together on the very last stretch of Holy Week. This meant some establishments were still closed, there was no traffic but fewer transportation options available, including train commutes, and the roads were eerily deserted, almost like a red carpet welcoming serial killers after months of hibernation.

This was the exact scene that greeted us in the afternoon at SM Sta. Mesa upon our arrival. It was breezy and muted, with a few plastic bags adding to the unfamiliar horror of the area, which was probably riotous with a busy crowd and honking roads just a week ago. Still, it was peaceful to walk down the once-familiar sidewalk with Elah, who was with me at PUP, along with the rest of the squad. This sidewalk was no stranger to our rigorous footsteps during those moments when we felt like marching our way to the air-conditioned mall. It was usually packed with sweaty scholars, briskly walking in their sun-touched shirts, hoping that the vicinity would cool down their deep worries as striving students and laborious commuters. But that day, we were neither of these; we were promoted to slaves for capitalism (in case the term “money whore” is not appropriate). Such a promotion is also lawfully bestowed along with an annual holiday break (if the employer follows Philippine holidays) to reflect during Holy Week. Since Elah, Vanessa, and I were all available, we took the chance to finally catch up. I met with Elah first at PITX, and together we journeyed along the people-less route to SM Sta. Mesa.

We were supposed to meet around 2 pm. As expected, the prettiest girl always arrives late. It wasn’t clear, however, if she should come one hour past the discussed time. We were finally complete at 3 pm.

Of course, to compensate for her beauty, Vanessa offered to shoulder a portion of our combined bill. We ate in a Korean-inspired restaurant, and I only enjoyed the taste of tteokbokki. Initially, we planned to go to the cinema and watch the then-trending Korean movie called Exhuma. However, to our surprise, it was no longer available for showing. Our plan was disrupted, and with no other option left, we decided to just fill our disappointment with Korean dishes.

Four months later, I found myself rating the same film with four stars on Letterboxd. While writing my mini-review on my IG story, I breathed a sigh of disappointment:

Exhuma was yet another film that I wish I had seen in the cinema.

Despite the lingering thoughts left with me, I still found myself satisfied with how the film concluded. Sure, I didn’t completely understand the gruesome history of the Japanese general and everything entailed. Yet, it didn’t feel like there was a big hole in the story for that reason. Perhaps it was the overall experience that convinced me that this wasn’t enough of a hindrance to liking the film.

I guess I have seen a handful of faces of horror across different movies that, throughout the years, I no longer feel the chill of seeing a ghost when I watch a horror film. Of course, I still get haunted to an extent, but I feel disappointed that it can only do so on a surface level.

I get scared, but what’s next about it?

Usually, I will just sleep the horror away, and like any other film, it will be a forgettable experience. However, with Exhuma, I felt at ease with the discomfort and was driven by curiosity.

I appreciated that the ghost in Arc 1 was not the usual ghostly face to jumpscare people. It was inexplicably fuzzy and kind of shadowy but still looked like a human form. I really liked that it mostly appeared in the reflection of mirrors. By doing this, I tended to be more attentive to the scene, especially when there was a chance for me to spot the ghost in a reflection. This touch of interaction, whether intentional or not, made me engaged in the course of the first act.

The readily thrown shaman jargons from the outset might throw someone off. As for me, it wasn’t an issue but turned out to be a source of curiosity. I was also genuinely amazed at how they performed the ritual (if that’s what they call it) in an authentic way. It was, yes, performative, but it felt like an honest ritual that wasn’t made just to impress the viewers for another layer of entertainment. Kim Go Eun has proved her artistry once again in this film. I couldn’t see a peeping trace of her previous characters, and she gracefully introduced Hwa-Rim to us. She had a bold disposition and seemed to be very focused on something when she set her mind to it. And with Go Eun’s acting, I had a glimpse of how a shaman looked and how they drove bad spirits away. She didn’t look awkward performing the ritual, and her devouring the pig’s clotted blood was truly mesmerizing.

Of course, the whole cast was exceptional and provided great support to Go Eun. I got honestly distracted whenever Lee Do-Hyun flashed his tattoos, as they were such a perfect match for his man bun. This film almost convinced me to become his fan. And the Feng Shui Master, Sang Deok, who I later found out after searching the cast, was the Old Boy!!! (I haven’t seen it, but his face is familiar). Was it a star-studded film then?

Regarding the Japanese general, I actually liked that it was a giant instead. I didn’t find it corny as some redditors revealed in their testimonies. Even the fireball was really cool and such a unique element for a horror story.

I guess my age might be a factor for this reasoning, but I really enjoy films when they are intentional but not too overt with their theme. When one hears horror, the first thing that comes to mind is probably ghosts, demons, and exorcism with loads of jumpscares to scare the hell out of you. And throughout the years, more and more productions have been dutifully serving them to the cinema. Sadly, not everything they put out there has lived up to what horror means. With Exhuma, I really appreciated that it has a combination of Japanese and Korean folklore, ghosts in a nebulous form, family traditions and superstitions, Feng Shui, and shamans. These elements were effectively executed to create a horror masterpiece in a day and age where this genre is starting to lose its core and value.

If you are into this kind of horror, I strongly recommend Exhuma for you to try.