An experienced monk who holds his prayer beads in one hand and a deadly axe in the other, aims to hunt down an age-old spirit that has awoken, and at the same time is determined to cause as much carnage and devastation as possible on planet Earth, by possessing humans one by one. An interesting and unique concept brought to us by a set of Korean filmmakers. It’s worth noting that The 8th Night is currently streaming on Netflix.

Director: Tae-Hyung Kim
Writers: Tae-Hyung Kim
Starring: Sung-Min Lee, Nam De-Reum, Park Har-Joon, Dong-Yeong Kim

Korean based horror flicks often have strong reputations for being some of the best around, but sadly, there didn’t seem to be anything remotely terrifying or even the least bit scary when it came to The 8th Night – the latest release from Netflix that hit our screens on the 2nd July. The movie on the whole seemed to come off as more of a bizarre and eerie thriller, rather than the gruesome and hard-hitting horror that I’d wrongfully come to expect, prior to watching.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little let down by what eventually transpired throughout the one-hundred and fifteen-minute runtime – which felt a tad too long considering the nature of the flick – especially when you factor in the rather confusing and overly complicated storyline that was put forward by the filmmakers themselves. With that being said, the special effects were more than noteworthy and certainly impressive enough to make the film watchable at least.

The special effects weren’t the only positive aspect of the film however, another came in the form of the cinematography on display. Based and filmed entirely in South Korea, there were some really impressive camera shots, highlighting the streets of Korea, as well as some that highlighted the more rural parts of the country too. The soundtrack also seemed to suit the majority of the scenes, but it did seem a little dramatic and overly sinister at times.

In terms of the cast, it came across as small but effective. Sung-Min Lee starred as the determined monk responsible for leading a large majority of the film, with Nam De-Reum acting in a strong support role. Elsewhere, Park Har-Joon and Dong-Yeong Kim each adopted the role of a detective, with both having their fair share of screen time.

All in all, if you head into The 8th Night (not to be confused with The Seventh Day (2021)) with low expectations, or better still, no expectations at all, then you may find yourself enjoying this Korean flick. With that being said, with a runtime that seemed a little too long and a story that most definitely was too convoluted, I don’t think this one is worth recommending.

“It’s the fate of the protector.”

Monk – The 8th Night