Instead of focusing on the horror created by evil spirits, the film concentrates on characters and narrative. However, it heavily sacrifices the rest of the characters for the sake of one individual. The genre's pleasure of occult mystery is diminished, and the crucial exorcism scenes lack impact, leading to more drawbacks than benefits. This is "Black Nuns" (directed by Kwon Hyuk-jae), where Song Hye-kyo endlessly asks the name of the evil spirit.
Sister "Unia" (Song Hye-kyo), known as the "Black Nun," sees a boy named "Hee-jun" (Moon Woo-jin), whose body is possessed by one of the twelve forms of an evil spirit, not just a wandering ghost.
Realizing that waiting for an exorcist who cannot come immediately will surely lead to the sacrifice of the possessed boy (Hee-jun), Unia breaks the taboo that "a nun who has not been ordained cannot perform an exorcism." However, Father "Paolo" (Lee Jin-wook), who is responsible for Hee-jun, insists that only medicine can save the boy.
In her dilemma, Unia accidentally sees Sister "Mikaela" (Jeon Yeo-bin), a disciple of Paolo, and realizes her secret. Unia desperately asks Mikaela for help to sneak the boy out of the hospital, avoiding Paolo's gaze. Although Mikaela feels resistance to the unyielding Unia, she decides to lend her strength for Hee-jun, whom she feels a sense of kinship with. The two nuns, after confirming the boy's condition again, perform a dangerous ritual by any means necessary to save him.
The film is a sequel to "The Priests" (directed by Jang Jae-hyun), which opened a new chapter in Korean occult films, depicting the story of people who embark on a forbidden ritual to save a boy possessed by a powerful evil spirit. Director Kwon Hyuk-jae, known for "Count" and "The Solver," takes the helm.
The story revolves around the nuns, who hold the lowest status within the Catholic Church. It portrays their noble spirit of sacrifice, willing to break taboos to save the boy, even if no one acknowledges their efforts.
The film's greatest strength is Song Hye-kyo, and its weakness is that (the strength) is only Song Hye-kyo. From start to finish, the film is driven by the "exorcism ritual," where Song Hye-kyo's narrative becomes the film's narrative, essentially lacking a story. Except for Song Hye-kyo and Jeon Yeo-bin, who forms a "woman's romance" with her, all other characters feel disposable and lack depth. With no tight "build-up" in the film or characters, there is no climax to speak of. (Especially Lee Jin-wook lacks presence relative to his screen time.)
It feels like watching a fusion strategy of "The Tomb," where the Catholic exorcism ritual is combined with shamanistic rituals and Western tarot astrology, but the central point to smoothly integrate these elements is weak. It's a fresh attempt, but the connections are not solid, leading to a brief interest that quickly becomes awkward.
Moon Woo-jin, playing the boy possessed by an evil spirit, skillfully carries out his mission, but due to the aforementioned lack of narrative and the high wall set by Park So-dam, who shocked audiences in the previous film, he feels relatively weak. As a result, even the main exorcism scenes fail to evoke tension or fear. When asked for a name, the response is a curse, creating an endless loop. (The not-so-scary evil spirit is particularly talkative.)
Having tasted the flavor of transformation, Song Hye-kyo strives to fill the gaps in the story. From her first appearance smoking a cigarette, she showcases various faces: a girl crush who speaks her mind, a chic yet warm twist, a desperately sacrificial spirit, and unwavering courage.
For occult enthusiasts, the thrill is hard to match. It attempts to replace the lack of horror with a heavy aftertaste, but this too may divide opinions. The appeal as a character-driven movie is also below expectations. The mise-en-scène is well-executed according to the genre's characteristics, and the use of the OST varies by segment, sometimes effective and sometimes counterproductive.
The greatest virtue is the ending that fully utilizes her passionate performance and the warm cameo of Kang Dong-won in a post-credits scene. Director Jang Jae-hyun, who created "The Priests," "Svaha," and "The Tomb," makes it clear why he is a "master of the occult." As a family film for the Lunar New Year holiday and as an occult film targeting enthusiasts, the target audience (identity) seems somewhat ambiguous.
Releasing on the 24th. Rated for ages 15 and up. Running time: 114 minutes. Break-even point: approximately 1.6 million.
