Exhuma

Spoilers 

Exhuma (2024) might be one of the most intriguing horror films I’ve seen in a long time. Starting out as your standard paranormal horror, Mr. Park goes to a shaman to help terminate whatever it is that is haunting his family. 

As the film progresses, we follow the standard paranormal structure, the story is set up, the paranormal entity is introduced and people die, then the paranormal entity is contained. However, this three act structure often follows a 90 minute run time as opposed to the 2.5 hour run time of Exhuma. Unlike your standard Hollywood paranormal activity style film, Exhuma subverts all expectations. What you believe to be a ghostly scare quickly turns into an exploration of the continuing effects of the Japanese occupation of South Korea. 

What starts out as just another horror film touches beautifully on the complex dynamics between the Japanese occupiers and the wealthy military families of Korea, as well as the relationship between the occupying forces and the pain and suffering they have left in their wake amongst the average citizens.

Mr. Park’s family demonstrates the relationship between the wealthy military families and the Japanese occupying forces in such a unique way. Firstly, there is his position as a Korean-American with his home base being in America. Here, he is removed from his people and his country. Parallel to this is the history of the nearly 22% increase in the Korean population following the removal of the Japanese forces in 1945 with roughly 3.5 Koreans returning to their country. This separation foreshadows Mr.Park’s grandfather's position as a Japanese conspirator and sympathizer. While their people were returning to their now free country, Mr. Park’s family moved away from their homeland, severing their connectedness to their people which is also shown through the minimal relationship that Mr. Park has with his aunt and the cultural differences in decision making that we see during the discussion surrounding the cremation. Then there is Mr. Park’s grandfather. The haunting force hell bent on taking his family to the grave with him and his continued utterance of how hungry he is. This dynamic is allegory for the sympathizers relationship to Imperial Japan. The hunger signifies the lust for power and wealth that was gained through their cooperation with the imperialist army. The desire to take his family to the grave with him paints a much larger picture, that of a man who is willing to sacrifice his own people, his own family to sacciate his lust and provide him comfort, no matter the cost. We do not see him as a desperate man, a coerced man, simply a man of power who wished to maintain it above all else. 

Then there is Mr. Kim, a man who makes money as he states, “by selling land to rich pricks”, this parallels Mr. Park’s families connection to the Japanese imperialists. Though they may not have been selling land, they were selling the souls of their people for the occupying forces to lay claim to the land. However, unlike Mr. Park’s grandfather, Mr. Kim chooses to fight back despite his fear. With the land being a major focal point of the entire show, highlighted by the shaman’s plea for Mr. Kim not to return to the burial site, “Please don’t do this, it’s a Japanese ghost. They killed anyone and everyone just for being nearby”. Nearby being the key word here, amplifying the importance of land and the position one takes up on that land. The Koreans who were murdered were not occupying palaces, or military strong holds, they were simply living on the land - their land. A land that Mr. Kim states must be fought for for the future generations. 

There’s much more to dive into on the historical side of this film, however I’ll let the movie speak for itself in that regard - its not subtle. But there is much more here than simply symbolism and an impactful message. It is also just a really good horror movie. 

The effects, both practical and CGI are incredibly well done and add to the spectacle that is Exhuma. I particularly loved the costuming in the show, from the ritual outfits, to the everyday clothing choices, to the monumentous task of creating bringing to life the 10 foot Japanese ghost in a way that fit the paranormal element of the film. Aside from the costuming and effects, what really drew me into the film was the use of colour. When the film first starts, we are shrouded in a blue gloom, feeling the weight of the Park family curse on us as we move within their story. As we are then brought to the grave site and the story begins to spread itself outside of this singular family, the hills turn red, as does the rest of the film. As we are drawn back into the Park families story we return to the blue gloom - that is until the murders when again the scenes are draped in red hues signifying the Park families connection to the blood spilled at the hands of imperial Japan. 

The only part of this movie that I have any complaint about is the fact it fell prey to my number one hated trope - someone sacrifices themselves for a person they love and instead of using that chances to escape, the person just stands there, leaving their loved ones sacrifice to mean nothing. It’s a trope I cannot stand and for a brief moment it pulled me out of the film. But all in all, this is an absolute must watch.