The Shining (Goksung) 2016

Patrick Martin said: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.

That woman in white you were calling pure goodness? She straight up said the Shaman is working with the devil. If she’s supposed to be all "pure good," how can she be lying through her teeth? How can we trust a single word she says?

Dennis Martin6 said:That woman in white you were calling pure goodness? She straight up said the Shaman is working with the devil. If she’s supposed to be all "pure good," how can she be lying through her teeth? How can we trust a single word she says?

Look, I think I made my point pretty clear regarding my take on the Shaman. Just because she claims he's untrustworthy—basically saying he's just a puppet—doesn't mean he's actually in league with the devil. It’s exactly what I’ve been preaching: the guy is there for the paycheck, which makes him totally unreliable and wide open to shady business, especially after that whole session went south.
So, when she told her not to listen to him, it wasn't because they're running some direct deal with the devil.

It feels like maybe just me and Patrick Martin actually *got* this movie, 😵 whereas the rest of you are acting like we didn't even watch the same film 🤔

Not trying to sound like a broken record here, but I’m basically echoing everything Patrick Martin said in all my posts about this one. Honestly? It’s a top-tier flick—the plot, the acting... everything. I guess Patrick Martin and I just approach horror from a slightly different angle since we're actual enthusiasts. Personally, I know what I'm talking about—I've seen pretty much every horror movie out there, whether it's Japanese, Italian, or some obscure indie stuff from overseas. I watch them through a different lens than your average moviegoer who just picks a horror movie because they're bored and want a scare.

Patrick Martin, don't sweat it... I totally get where you're coming from. 👍👍
I get worked up too—it's honestly baffling how some people can just completely miss the obvious 😵

Finally, thanks Kurtz, someone actually making sense for once ☕ 😬

You all have one major issue. The director describes the scene where the Shaman performs his ritual as "Putting a Hex," which implies a curse. That makes your entire interpretation pretty problematic. Then you have an angel at the end repeating what our protagonist says, yet the man lacks both faith and patience. Finally, there's that ending where the Shaman takes either a photo or the hero's soul.

Regardless, this is easily the best film of the year so far. The atmosphere is stunning from the opening shot, almost reminding me of Seven during those first few minutes. There’s some decent humor sprinkled in, too, and that scene where the Shaman does his thing is genuinely one of the highlights.

The Shaman ended up being in way over his head himself (I mean, if he actually had a deal with the devil, I guess he wouldn't have been 🤷 ) and he just wanted the whole mess to be over with. By the end, he was basically throwing out bad advice without even realizing it because he was totally lost. Everything just spiraled in the wrong direction—there was no coming back from that. He didn't even have a clue what was happening to himself, let alone to that lost cop...

Joseph Edwards4 said:You all have one major issue. The director describes the scene where the Shaman performs his ritual as "Putting a Hex," which implies a curse. That makes your entire interpretation pretty problematic. Then you have an angel at the end repeating what our protagonist says, yet the man lacks both faith and patience. Finally, there's that ending where the Shaman takes either a photo or the hero's soul.

Regardless, this is easily the best film of the year so far. The atmosphere is stunning from the opening shot, almost reminding me of Seven during those first few minutes. There’s some decent humor sprinkled in, too, and that scene where the Shaman does his thing is genuinely one of the highlights.

At this rate, even the blind should be able to see the truth, though I doubt Ajuto will. Looking forward to a clever rebuttal. ☕

What does this director actually know about his own film? 🐔

I have to say, there’s definitely room for Patrick Martin’s interpretation here. The conversation flows like this: a reporter asks the director where the idea for the "scene where WE see Shaman Putting a Hex on a girl" came from, and the director talks about his upbringing—Christianity, Buddhism, and so on. Regardless, I think the right takeaway is that the Shaman and the Japanese person were in on it from the start.

Keep in mind, a Shaman in that culture heals illnesses caused by evil spirits, so there's a chance Patrick Martin is onto something. But honestly, I just paraphrased the director saying "Putting a Hex" to keep things simple. To me, the clash of religions is the core theme. Given the director’s history, his background, and his research, my take is that the Shaman and the Japanese person teamed up to come to that place specifically to take the souls of the locals. They work together to beat the angel guarding the area.

By the way: both the Shaman and the Japanese person are in danger of facing the devil if they don't do their job, which is why they fear Satan too. Just as a priest represents God on Earth in some capacity, perhaps the Shaman represents Satan? But they aren't powerful enough on their own, which is why they need the angel—who is much stronger—to play out this whole game. This is the conclusion I reached after looking into the director's interviews, his childhood, his research, and what everyone else thinks about the film.

Noah Roberts46 said:At this rate, even the blind should be able to see the truth, though I doubt Ajuto will. Looking forward to a clever rebuttal. ☕

What does this director actually know about his own film? 🐔

Joseph Edwards4 said:You all have one major issue. The director describes the scene where the Shaman performs his ritual as "Putting a Hex," which implies a curse. That makes your entire interpretation pretty problematic. Then you have an angel at the end repeating what our protagonist says, yet the man lacks both faith and patience. Finally, there's that ending where the Shaman takes either a photo or the hero's soul.

Regardless, this is easily the best film of the year so far. The atmosphere is stunning from the opening shot, almost reminding me of Seven during those first few minutes. There’s some decent humor sprinkled in, too, and that scene where the Shaman does his thing is genuinely one of the highlights.

It doesn't necessarily have to be just about the little girl
🤷
before the whole family—including the cop—gets hit by a curse, and it’s not even the Shaman's fault; it happens because they messed up during his session.

I mean, let's be real—that guardian character is "brilliantly" written to be all mysterious and vague, as if nobody could possibly guess her intentions are actually noble or whatever.
Honestly, even for a Shaman, her whole vibe and the way she carries herself is just... questionable, to say the least.
And if it’s that bad for someone with actual spiritual insight, imagine what it does to a regular guy walking down the street. 🤷

Bottom line? This movie treats goodness like it's some fuzzy, undecided concept, while evil? Evil is sharp, decisive, and hits you right in the face.

I suppose I agree with Patrick Martin regarding the plot. To be honest, the whole thing irritated me with its forced mystery and those messy, convoluted twists. Who is doing what to whom... it was exhausting. The Enterprise is a far superior film. I'm disappointed.

Even five years after my first watch, I’m still scratching my head—who was actually the villain here? Was it the Japanese person, the woman, or the Shaman? There's even a theory floating around that the Japanese person and the woman were actually working together.

It was a refreshing watch, honestly. There's just something about filmmakers from that part of the world—they really know how to craft a movie that is absolutely bone-chilling.