The Shining (Goksung) 2016

Noah Roberts46 said:No, the Japanese person isn't the demon—they're just a possessed individual acting as the vessel for it, much like how a Shaman performs tasks on its behalf. Later during the ritual, the Japanese person actually fought back against the demon, effectively weakening its influence.

He warned his father not to break the ritual because they were attempting to force that evil spirit into the girl while simultaneously purging the good spirit protecting her. Of course he wanted the ritual to succeed.

The girl wasn't infected; she was possessed. If she were truly possessed, she would have been killing people already.

I think both the Japanese person and the Shaman were photographing victims. To be honest, the distinction between the "living" and "dead" shots isn't clear to me either; maybe they were just photographing the possessed before "finishing them off." Personally, I think the demon at the end is more about shock value and symbolism to rattle the audience.🤷

Honestly, why do you guys even care?

It’s obvious the Japanese person was possessed the whole time; the devil is literally inside them.
By the end, after resisting every single attempt to wipe them out, they actually get stronger than ever. They even take on that primal, demonic look.
And the Shaman? At the end of the day, he's just a witness to the whole mess. He tried, but it didn't work, and honestly, from the way he was acting, you could tell from the jump that his exorcism attempts were becoming totally routine and half-assed.
When he finally runs into the "guardian" in front of that bitch, he spills everything—his entire reality, the whole situation he's trapped in. He realizes just how dangerous this stuff is because even the "good/innocent" side is starting to look down on him.

He warned his father not to break the ritual because it was meant to trap that evil spirit in the little girl and push out the good spirit protecting her, so obviously, he wanted the ritual to succeed.

What "good spirit"? The kid got sick and kept getting worse, so that's why they brought in a Shaman. What kind of freaking "good spirit" are we talking about here?

The little girl was infected, not possessed. If she were possessed, she would have been killing people already.

The Shaman saw the whole thing coming and warned them about the different stages. They failed to cast the demon out of her, so naturally, things just spiraled out of control.

It’s pointless. Sure, you can interpret a movie in a dozen different ways, but your take just doesn't hold water for me. Once you've already decided what you're going to believe, any further discussion becomes a tedious waste of time. So, let's just agree to disagree. 🙂

Noah Roberts46 said:It’s pointless. Sure, you can interpret a movie in a dozen different ways, but your take just doesn't hold water for me. Once you've already decided what you're going to believe, any further discussion becomes a tedious waste of time. So, let's just agree to disagree. 🙂

Let's just hang tight and see what the rest of the crowd thinks ☕

Gerald Jackson48 said:I’ve gotta say, I walked away feeling pretty disappointed. Maybe my standards for Korean films have just gotten way too high lately. To me, this movie felt like it was chasing mystery just for the sake of having one. It lacked that deep, core purpose. It didn't feel like there was an actual original idea or a profound thought driving the plot—something we could actually grasp or experience. Usually, that kind of depth is exactly what makes their work so incredible, but it just wasn't there this time.

I couldn't agree more.

Rebecca Peterson3 said:I couldn't agree more.

Sign your name to what? The movie gives you exactly what you're looking for—it's all right there.

Spoiler alert!
Look at the ending. We get this shot where the statue is just sitting there, totally motionless in the Shaman's car while he’s tossing that trunk full of paintings into the back. And then, immediately after, we cut to the father, also standing perfectly still, hovering over his slaughtered family, trying to soothe himself by muttering under his breath: "It's okay... everything's fine... my little one... Daddy's a cop... Daddy will figure it out... Daddy will..."

It's a suggestion that both faith and organized religion are often completely useless, yet somehow essential for society to keep spinning. Because evil is always lurking, just waiting for someone to trip up or get hooked.

Patrick Martin said:Sign your name to what? The movie gives you exactly what you're looking for—it's all right there.

Spoiler alert!
Look at the ending. We get this shot where the statue is just sitting there, totally motionless in the Shaman's car while he’s tossing that trunk full of paintings into the back. And then, immediately after, we cut to the father, also standing perfectly still, hovering over his slaughtered family, trying to soothe himself by muttering under his breath: "It's okay... everything's fine... my little one... Daddy's a cop... Daddy will figure it out... Daddy will..."

It's a suggestion that both faith and organized religion are often completely useless, yet somehow essential for society to keep spinning. Because evil is always lurking, just waiting for someone to trip up or get hooked.

Korean filmmakers used to really make me chew on certain ideas or situations that popped up on screen. Even when they were playing it safe, they knew how to take a shock scene and turn it into something genuinely innovative. But hey...

This one didn't really get my gears turning. Once you strip away the local superstitions and the director's obvious attempts to make the audience feel uneasy, you're left with a pretty standard good versus evil story filled with cardboard characters serving the director's agenda.

It reminds me of a musician who has all the technical skill in the world but hits a creative wall. Instead of writing one killer melody that hits you right in the feels, they just bury the song in extra layers, hoping something sticks.

Anyway, it didn't win me over. That doesn't mean it won't work for someone else, but I'll be looking for my next movie fix somewhere else.

Noah Roberts46 said:No, the Japanese person isn't the demon—they're just a possessed individual acting as the vessel for it, much like how a Shaman performs tasks on its behalf. Later during the ritual, the Japanese person actually fought back against the demon, effectively weakening its influence.

He warned his father not to break the ritual because they were attempting to force that evil spirit into the girl while simultaneously purging the good spirit protecting her. Of course he wanted the ritual to succeed.

The girl wasn't infected; she was possessed. If she were truly possessed, she would have been killing people already.

I think both the Japanese person and the Shaman were photographing victims. To be honest, the distinction between the "living" and "dead" shots isn't clear to me either; maybe they were just photographing the possessed before "finishing them off." Personally, I think the demon at the end is more about shock value and symbolism to rattle the audience.🤷

And why did that Japanese person burn those photos? I don't get it—did he even burn them? Or did they just end up in that Shaman's box... 🤔
It’s absolute nonsense to me.

Patrick Martin said:Honestly, why do you guys even care?

It’s obvious the Japanese person was possessed the whole time; the devil is literally inside them.
By the end, after resisting every single attempt to wipe them out, they actually get stronger than ever. They even take on that primal, demonic look.
And the Shaman? At the end of the day, he's just a witness to the whole mess. He tried, but it didn't work, and honestly, from the way he was acting, you could tell from the jump that his exorcism attempts were becoming totally routine and half-assed.
When he finally runs into the "guardian" in front of that bitch, he spills everything—his entire reality, the whole situation he's trapped in. He realizes just how dangerous this stuff is because even the "good/innocent" side is starting to look down on him.

He warned his father not to break the ritual because it was meant to trap that evil spirit in the little girl and push out the good spirit protecting her, so obviously, he wanted the ritual to succeed.

What "good spirit"? The kid got sick and kept getting worse, so that's why they brought in a Shaman. What kind of freaking "good spirit" are we talking about here?

The little girl was infected, not possessed. If she were possessed, she would have been killing people already.

The Shaman saw the whole thing coming and warned them about the different stages. They failed to cast the demon out of her, so naturally, things just spiraled out of control.

In my view, that wasn't standard vomiting; it was some higher power. Don't forget that blood started pouring from his nose like the Niagaran Falls.

Rachel Cooper3 said:And why did that Japanese person burn those photos? I don't get it—did he even burn them? Or did they just end up in that Shaman's box... 🤔
It’s absolute nonsense to me.

In my view, that wasn't standard vomiting; it was some higher power. Don't forget that blood started pouring from his nose like the Niagaran Falls.

those pictures are basically there to remind you we're dealing with "collectors," right? Like, those things are trophies to them. The devil is building his "archive" while the Shaman builds his. They're both pushing their own agendas, basically working together like two sides of the same coin.

I don't think that's just regular vomiting; it feels like some higher power at work. Don't forget his nosebleed started pouring out like Niagara Falls.

Well yeah, obviously it's a higher power. When that "guardian" figure—you know, pure good—is around, even he doesn't feel comfortable because he knows deep down that part of him is just fundamentally wrong. He's acting like a parasite, really, just feeding off the lives of the possessed.

They could’ve easily cut out a huge chunk of this movie—honestly, they wouldn't have lost a thing by ditching all those rituals, the chicken stuff, and whatever else. Less is definitely more here.

The only thing I was actually waiting for was an explanation as to why the demon is targeting this little girl specifically. But no—it just claims evil is arbitrary, while she’s "good" because of her father's sins.
It’s just completely pointless.
Out of this year's American horror releases, I much preferred the one set on the train.

hollowowl15 said:They could’ve easily cut out a huge chunk of this movie—honestly, they wouldn't have lost a thing by ditching all those rituals, the chicken stuff, and whatever else. Less is definitely more here.

The only thing I was actually waiting for was an explanation as to why the demon is targeting this little girl specifically. But no—it just claims evil is arbitrary, while she’s "good" because of her father's sins.
It’s just completely pointless.
Out of this year's American horror releases, I much preferred the one set on the train.

"The rooster will crow three times, and then you'll lose me," Jesus Peter said—and man, this movie pulls so many parallels to Christianity, which is pretty surprising. Even at the end, when that good angel tells him to wait until the rooster crows three times so his family can be saved, but he just refuses to listen.

Honestly, though? That ritual is the best part of the movie—probably one of the most striking scenes I've seen all year.

Gerald Jackson48 said:Korean filmmakers used to really make me chew on certain ideas or situations that popped up on screen. Even when they were playing it safe, they knew how to take a shock scene and turn it into something genuinely innovative. But hey...

This one didn't really get my gears turning. Once you strip away the local superstitions and the director's obvious attempts to make the audience feel uneasy, you're left with a pretty standard good versus evil story filled with cardboard characters serving the director's agenda.

It reminds me of a musician who has all the technical skill in the world but hits a creative wall. Instead of writing one killer melody that hits you right in the feels, they just bury the song in extra layers, hoping something sticks.

Anyway, it didn't win me over. That doesn't mean it won't work for someone else, but I'll be looking for my next movie fix somewhere else.

Yeah, it's a basic story, sure, but the way they pulled it off was super striking and actually pretty cool. Even when there's too much of that "deep thinking" stuff you mentioned,
I think it's a really compelling look at that eternal struggle between good and evil, and everything caught in the middle.

Mark White11 said:"The rooster will crow three times, and then you'll lose me," Jesus Peter said—and man, this movie pulls so many parallels to Christianity, which is pretty surprising. Even at the end, when that good angel tells him to wait until the rooster crows three times so his family can be saved, but he just refuses to listen.

Honestly, though? That ritual is the best part of the movie—probably one of the most striking scenes I've seen all year.

I'm with you there. That Shaman is absolutely out of his mind—total legend, but man, he’s a wild one, even for a Japanese person.

You’d be so much better off if you actually understood him. ☕

Noah Roberts46 said:You’d be so much better off if you actually understood him. ☕

Yeah, sure, I guess all these little fan theories of yours are totally spot on. 👍

Not even a damn dog would believe the crap you guys are trying to shove down our throats. ☕

Patrick Martin said:those pictures are basically there to remind you we're dealing with "collectors," right? Like, those things are trophies to them. The devil is building his "archive" while the Shaman builds his. They're both pushing their own agendas, basically working together like two sides of the same coin.

I don't think that's just regular vomiting; it feels like some higher power at work. Don't forget his nosebleed started pouring out like Niagara Falls.

Well yeah, obviously it's a higher power. When that "guardian" figure—you know, pure good—is around, even he doesn't feel comfortable because he knows deep down that part of him is just fundamentally wrong. He's acting like a parasite, really, just feeding off the lives of the possessed.

My take? He’s on the dark side (possessed/infected)—that's exactly why this happened to him.

Rachel Cooper3 said:My take? He’s on the dark side (possessed/infected)—that's exactly why this happened to him.

Goddammit, give me a break—he almost wiped him out! It literally took one more hit from the sledgehammer on that wedge and that Japanese person would've been toast, so how on earth is he "infected" or "possessed"?

Man, we clearly weren't watching the same movie!

The Shaman just ended up being more vulnerable because he couldn't finish the job,
and he’s gonna need some serious downtime after this mess before he can even think about getting back to work.

It looks like nobody’s on the same page as Ajuto yet. ☕

The movie didn't really stick with me and I would have forgotten it by now, but lately, I keep running into a guy in Washington, D.C. who looks exactly like a Japanese person. Every time I see him, the film comes back to mind. I start building these little scenarios in my head about what he’s doing here in the States or what his actual intentions might be. Suddenly, the story takes on a whole new dimension. Creepy.

Noah Roberts46 said:It looks like nobody’s on the same page as Ajuto yet. ☕

You both are right and wrong at the same damn time. Look—this movie's plot makes zero sense if you're only looking through one lens. You've gotta account for three different perspectives—the devil, the woman in white, and the director. Each one of them is playing the main guy—and by extension, us—like a fiddle. Every single one of those angles is just as real. It's actually wild because the lead character gets punished both arbitrarily and for his own sins all at once. The detective just can't see past his own narrow worldview, and yeah, it ends in tragedy. The whole film is basically a twisted noir morality tale about being stuck in a single mindset. The protagonist got trapped, but don't fall for it too. 😁

Dennis Martin6 said:You both are right and wrong at the same damn time. Look—this movie's plot makes zero sense if you're only looking through one lens. You've gotta account for three different perspectives—the devil, the woman in white, and the director. Each one of them is playing the main guy—and by extension, us—like a fiddle. Every single one of those angles is just as real. It's actually wild because the lead character gets punished both arbitrarily and for his own sins all at once. The detective just can't see past his own narrow worldview, and yeah, it ends in tragedy. The whole film is basically a twisted noir morality tale about being stuck in a single mindset. The protagonist got trapped, but don't fall for it too. 😁

Look, if the main guy—the detective, or whatever you want to call him—got "hooked," then everyone else would've been caught in the trap too. And I’m talking about those people pushing that theory that the Shaman is actually working with the devil. Total nonsense. Because if that were true, they all would've pulled the plug right at the climax, which would've basically handed that Japanese person a clean slate and a second chance.

And obviously, the kid was in danger during the session because she was essentially the barometer for that struggle. It was a total toss-up until the very last millisecond, just exhausting to watch. She might have made it, but the old man buckled under her pleas—which, let's be real, was the final move the Japanese person initiated just to try and claw his way out of it.