Possessed (2009)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

i have to say, the koreans know how to make a good movie. i think that for every 10 i watch maybe only 2 are bad and the rest are all very good. this particular movie was no exception. it was a very well made movie with a very good cast. the girl that plays the missing little sister is probably one of the hottest acting commodities in Korea right now. she is a great actress already at such a young age. there's at least 2 other movies that she was the main lead that i can recall and both were even better than this( sunny and hansel&gretel ). she could have won awards for either one of those movies.hmmm..., what genre to put this movie in? it has got elements of religious fanaticism, supernatural elements, eastern Asian mysticism, a decent detective and mystery story...oh well, who cares...it is just a good movie that is all. the movie was paced fairly well and the story was not too convoluted. it wasn't too scary or creepy to me like some reviewers have said, although i think it will scare some people.i personally enjoy these types of movies with east-Asian mysticism, Christian fanatics and supernatural elements and it was a fairly entertaining movie and i always wanted to find out what was going to happen next.

The previous reviewer is one of those guys that I disagree with most of the time. "Faithless Hell" (aka "Possessed", aka "Living Death") (2009) is a shining example, because it's difficult to comprehend how someone could bash this as being a "bad" horror movie.First of all, the acting and camera-work are both top notch, which automatically raises "Faithless Hell" to a respectable level that should disqualify any assertions that it is somehow poorly made. The performance of the lead actress is no less than fantastic, and is most definitely deserving of a "2009 Best Actress In Horror" nomination (if there was one) alongside OK-bin Kim who gave us a blistering performance in "Thirst" (2009). Sang-Mi Nam plays the concerned elder sister in the kind of professional, restrained manner that is sorely lacking in genre films from the west. The supporting cast also does an admirable job. You really can't ask for much more than this in terms of acting quality. It's first rate.I find that those who dislike South Korean horror tend to go in with the same expectations as when they watch modern Hollywood or European horror movies, which is a major problem considering the massive chasm of differences between the industries. For example, Hollywood horror will frequently resort to jump scares and loud noises in overly repetitive ways, but you're not going to get this kind of talentless hackery in "Faithless Hell." I can remember only one jump scare in the entire film (near the beginning). Consequently, viewers who come out of this aggravated that "Not once did I jump in my seat" really have no idea what to look for in a slow-burning horror film such as this. "Faithless Hell" does an exquisite job at building an interesting, occultish mystery surrounding the disappearance of a young girl while peppering in some cool nightmarish visions along the way.And that brings us to another issue, the alleged "confusing" nature of this film. Let me tell you this: "Faithless Hell" is a very straight-forward movie because the narrative is shown (and at times even explained) clearly to the viewer with little in terms of ambiguity. BRIEF SPOILER The crane bite, the leg-scratching scene, and the potato sack scene were all nightmarish visions brought about by the Crane Spirit as it attempts to make its transition from the dead girl to her older sister. There are also a number of appearances by crane footprints (talismans, foggy windows, etc.) for emphasis, and the very end where the detective's child becomes miraculously healthy acts as confirmation that the possession is complete. END BRIEF SPOILER Much of this is explained by one the characters at the police station, so there shouldn't be much confusion here at all. Sure, the visions themselves are kinda freaky and incomprehensible, but they only occupy a few minutes of running time and serve a purpose outside of narrative drive – they provide the visuals that communicate the effects of the Crane Spirit on the lead protagonist.With regards to the relationships between the protagonists, it's underscored and subtly expressed through day-to-day interaction. It's obvious that the friction between the lead protagonist and her mother is due to the mother's fanaticism, and it's obvious that the lead protagonist is open to non-fanatical forms of religion. There's nothing confusing about this relationship, and "Faithless Hell" is under no obligation to offer a "protest against religious fanaticism" or "speak in favor of faith." In fact, I personally find it much more interesting and realistic when such themes are explored but not fully answered or pushed by the filmmakers.As I've mentioned before in my IMDb comments – especially the one for Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Retribution" (2006) – audiences really need to start using their brain cells while watching Asian horror movies. Almost none of them are as confusing as reviewers make them out to be. If you want a confusing Asian horror film, watch "Spider Forest" (2004) or "Marebito" (2004). I'll give you those, but "Faithless Hell" is not even remotely close to being confusing.In terms of industry trends, South Korean horror has been solid from 2008-2010. "Missing" (2009) and "Blood Pledge" (2009) were both mediocre, "G.P. 506" (2008) was dreadfully boring, and "Death Bell" (2008) was frankly incompetent. Fortunately, we have "I Saw the Devil" (2010), "Faithless Hell" (2009), "Thirst" (2009), "Midnight F.M." (2010), "Yoga Institute" (2009), "Chaw" (2009), "Bedevilled" (2010), and "Loner" (2008) to enjoy.

First off there is one particular nasty scene that served no other purpose than to shock the viewer (And by nasty I mean disgusting not gruesome). While I have no problems with using such methods I do think it has to build up to something. Sadly there is no real climax or wtf moment to speak of. Well,there is one little scene that truly belongs to the genre,only it comes far too late. And when this scene plays out you just don't care anymore. Like many Korean horror movies this one is slow and very confusing. And it is maybe somewhat commendable that this director tries to do something new. But would it have hurt to put in some decent scares. Not once did I jump from my seat. Not that it is always required. But in this case much needed since the suspense is seriously lacking. There is a drama element that could have been used more to provide more impact. The relationship between the mother and the daughter(s) seems to be at the core of the few events that are played out. The background on this relationship is so minimal that it made it real hard for me to care for these persons. (I sense some sort of protest against Religious fanaticism. But on the other hand it also speaks in favor of faith.What do you mean confusing?) Had the director put in more depth into the main characters then maybe all of it would have made much more sense. "Living Death" doesn't offer anything else to redeem itself. So why invest time in this movie.Edit:People who judge others based on one written review and think to know what kind of person it is because he expressed his dislike for a movie they liked, need to take a look at themselves.Especially when is implied that braincells aren't used.Funny how this always applies to the so called art house titles and festival movies that are pretentious and ambiguous on purpose so that it can be interpreted in many ways.In some cases that surely could be a positive thing since it makes you think.Or it could be perceived as a bad thing since it masks the fact that the director could not decide or be bothered to give a solution.It all comes down to the interpretation of the viewer or the willingness of the viewer for that interpretation.I surely can appreciate subtleness in certain genres.But that does depend on the execution and the style it is presented in.If some of the story or dialogue is lost on the viewer one does have to ask whether this is because of the inability from the viewer to comprehend or that the director fails to tell the story adequately.In my opinion a brilliant film maker is someone who knows how to deliver the message to every man.It's not that difficult to be vague even when they are under the impression it is obvious.People like me who deal with real life as real as it can get don't need to look for that kind of substance in books or movies.For me movies are pure escapism.That doesn't mean I don't appreciate it if a movie makes you think.I applaud it providing it is something I can relate to.But for each person this is different of course.This is only an excerpt of the million thoughts I have.But for the sake of humanity I will save those for myself.Why bother you with this particular thought then?To make it clear that each opinion is valid and that one's intelligence can't be measured based on this one opinion. Back to the movie. In my opinion Living Death doesn't offer enough for me to like it wholeheartedly.It did not impress me as it did with others on this board.I saw some elements like the mother daughter relationship that needed exploring.Some people do need more to be convinced especially when it is branded a horror movie.There are some conventions you can't escape from when it comes to horror.In that aspect it doesn't matter if we are talking about Hollywood type horror or Asian Horror.I sometimes favour Asian Horror because it usually knows how to build up tension and suspense in subtle ways.Living Death fails to do that.Here endeth the sermon!

I kept thinking of MOTHER by Bong Joon-ho as I watched this movie. Not because the stories are the same, although one could conjure up a few loose similarities, but because of the mature tone of the direction, how masterfully well executed it is. I feel vindicated in my feeling as I have since discovered that the first time director of this film, Lee Yong-Ju, started working in the industry as assistant director for Bong, on the 2003 masterpiece MEMORIES OF MURDER. Certainly some of Bong's genius and attention to detail rubbed off on Lee.POSSESSED is more thriller than horror. It's got some scares and a few jolts here and there, but it's really more eerie than frightening. The story concerns a girl who returns home from college when she learns her younger sister has gone missing. She discovers her mother has become a religious fanatic who believes only prayer will bring her sister back. But back from where becomes the big question. People all around her commit suicide. There's a cult, a Shaman, and a handful of freaky people who engage in weird ceremonies with a hope for salvation or cure from disease. It's not a pedantic essay on religious belief but that is the main theme of the film and it serves to give the proceedings some depth. It also situates the film on a terrain of the supernatural which, when you make a film, gives you license to bend realities and play visual tricks from time to time. But nothing is cheap here. The intended audience isn't the summer of fear kids. It's more serious than that and it never gets close to outrageous.The film has gone through an almost endless number of titles. It started off as Scream but as the religious elements became more important and obvious it ended up with the international English title, POSSESSED. My favorite was DISBELIEF HELL, which is the closest literal translation of the Korean Bool-sin-ji-OK ... 불신지옥 (不信地獄), "hell of the non-believers."POSSESSED is very well cast. I have the feeling that director Lee was intent on reigning in the two young girls from any tendency to play cute or mug scary for the camera. Again, nothing cheap here. Shim Eun-Kyung, a young Korean phenom known for her playful and cute roles on TV, plays the Possessed little girl and could have phoned in her performance but instead, in a role that doesn't offer a lot of screen time, is remarkably restrained. Nam Sang-Mi, a young starlet in her own right, plays her older sister and the film belongs to her. She's the character in the film who returns to her hometown to investigate all the weirdness going on and she moves through the film like it's all unfolding in front of her just like it is for the audience. She's beautiful to look at and there's a realism to her performance that is truly engaging. There is a scene, which demonstrates the abilities of both Nam and director Lee, where someone clobbers her over the head with a blunt instrument. After she's hit, we see her react, look back and make eye contact with her assailant as if she wasn't told she was going to get hit in the scene and really wants to say "what the hell was that? What are you ..." Clobber again! Her eyes project a real, confused fear, and the director's capturing them make for an awesome moment.Although I single out the two youngsters for praise here the rest of the cast, all veterans you'd expect good performances from, deliver at equally high levels. Everything about this film is good: the acting, the thoughtful script, the cool cinematography, the eerie score, the skilled direction. I can't recommend Possessed enough, but don't go in hoping for a return to the innocent glory days of RINGU or JU-ON. This is Asian Horror 2.0. Lee Yong-Ju has taken it to another level. It's more mature in his accomplished hands and if you like Asian horror, or, better yet, if you've become bored with Asian horror, see this movie. It will renew your faith.