The Medium (Thai: ร่างทรง Rang Song, literally: Mediumship) is a 2021 Thai-South Korean mockumentary supernatural folk horror film[2] co-written and produced by Na Hong-jin and directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun. It is a co-production of Thailand's GDH 559 and South Korea's Showbox.[3] The film premiered at the 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival on 11 July 2021.[4] It was theatrically released in South Korea on 14 July 2021.[5] It was selected as the Thai entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards[6] but was not nominated.
| The Medium | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Banjong Pisanthanakun |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Naruphol Chokanapitak |
| Edited by | Thammarat Sumethsupachok |
| Music by | Chatchai Ponhprapaphan |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 130 minutes |
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| Box office | US$7.23 million[1] |
The film was judged the best feature film at the 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and was awarded the Bucheon Choice Award for the best film.[7] On the box office front as per Korean Film Council data, it is ranked 15th among all the films released in the year 2021 in South Korea, with gross of US$7.35 million and 831,126 admissions, as of 26 September 2021.[1] It is the 6th highest-grossing Korean film of 2021.[1]
Plot
editA documentary crew travels to the Isan region of Thailand to interview Nim, a medium/shaman who claims to be possessed by the spirit of Ba Yan, a local goddess. She had been chosen to be Ba Yan's host after her sister, Noi, refused to accept the role and converted to Christianity.
Nim attends the funeral of Noi's husband, Wiroj, who died of a heart attack, and reveals that misfortune had befallen the men in his family. Wiroj's father killed himself after he was caught committing insurance fraud. Wiroj's son, Mac, died in a traffic accident. Noi is left with her daughter, Mink, and they live with Manit (Nim and Noi's brother) and his family.
Mink starts behaving strangely and exhibiting multiple personalities, including those of an attention-seeking child, an old man, a drunkard, and a prostitute. She also hears voices in her head, has nightmares, and experiences abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. She is fired from her job after her boss discovers that she has been having sex with different men at her workplace. Nim initially believes that Ba Yan has selected Mink to be the next host but Noi refuses a ceremony to transfer the spirit from Nim to Mink. Nim learns that Mink had committed incest with Mac, who had actually hanged himself, and thinks that Mac's ghost is haunting Mink. After Mink attempts suicide, Noi thinks Ba Yan is punishing Mink for refusing to be her host so she arranges for a shaman to conduct the transference ceremony without telling Nim. The ceremony fails and a possessed Mink attacks her mother before running away. Meanwhile, on the way to the shrine, Nim sees that Ba Yan's statue has been decapitated.
A month later, Mink is found in a delirious state in the ruins of her grandfather's factory. Nim brings Mink to see a more powerful shaman, Santi, who says Mink has been possessed by numerous evil spirits. Mink's ancestors had been cursed for committing wicked deeds, hence the misfortunes that befell her family. The failed transference ceremony worsened Mink's condition by making her more vulnerable to possession by any spirit. Nim, along with Santi and his students, prepares for an elaborate ritual to exorcise Mink. In the days leading to the ritual, Mink creates havoc at home by briefly abducting Manit's son, boiling her family's dog alive, and eating it, among other things, while Nim dies in her sleep the day before the ritual.
During the ritual, Noi volunteers her body as a vessel to attract all the evil spirits haunting Mink, so that Santi can trap them in a container and bury it deep in the ground. Meanwhile, the possessed Mink has been locked in her room and the door is sealed with paper charms; Manit's wife and others keep watch to ensure she does not come out until the ritual is complete. Halfway into the ritual, Manit's wife hears her son's crying coming from Mink's room and thinks that Mink has kidnapped her son again. She enters the room, only to be stabbed to death by Mink. All hell breaks loose when the evil spirits possess everyone involved in the ritual, making them fight and kill themselves or each other.
In the meantime, Mink kills everyone at home and goes to the factory, where she meets her mother and a few survivors. Now possessed by evil spirits, Noi momentarily claims to now be the vessel of Ba Yan when she chants a prayer while touching her daughter's head, attempting to exorcise her. However, she is distracted when Mink apparently returns to normal and calls her "Mother". Mink uses the chance to burn her mother alive, while the survivors are eventually overwhelmed by the possessed.
A mid-credits scene shows Nim undergoing a crisis of faith one day before her death. She wonders if she has really been possessed by Ba Yan before breaking down in tears.
Cast
edit- Narilya Gulmongkolpech as Mink
- Sawanee Utoomma as Nim
- Sirani Yankittikan as Noi
- Yasaka Chaisorn as Manit
- Boonsong Nakphoo as Santi
Production
editThe film was shot in the Loei province in northeast Thailand (Isan).[8][9]
The film was announced in February 2021,[3] and was scheduled for a July 2021 release in South Korea.[10]
Release
editThe Medium is sold by Finecut for the upcoming European Film Market and the film's rights had been already acquired by The Jokers for future theatrical release in France,[11] and by Koch Films to German-speaking territories.[12] As of September, Shudder had acquired the overall streaming rights and it will stream in the US on October 14.[13]
In Asia, the film has been licensed to Edko Films for Macau and Hong Kong (22 September 2021), MovieCloud for Taiwan (25 August 2021), Synca Creations for Japan (29 July 2022), to Encore Films for Malaysia (2 December 2021) and Indonesia (20 October 2021), Golden Village for Singapore (12 August 2021), M Pictures for Cambodia (26 November 2021) and Laos (6 January 2022) and Lumix Media for Vietnam (19 November 2021).[12]
The film premiered on July 11, 2021, at the 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival,[4] and it was released theatrically in South Korea on July 14, 2021.[5]
Home media
editThe film was made available for streaming and broadcasting in South Korea on IPTV, Skylife, HomeChoice cable TV, KT Seezn and others from September 16, 2021.[14]
Reception
editBox office
editThe film was released on 14 July 2021, on 1403 screens.[1] According to the integrated computer network for movie theater admissions by the Korea Film Council (KoFiC), the film ranked at first place at the Korean box office on opening day by collecting 129,917 audiences, surpassing the audiences of Black Widow. On the 4th day of release, it became the highest-grossing film in the horror genre by surpassing US$2.67 million gross. The cumulative audience of the film stands at 403,019 as of 17 July 2021.[15]
According to Korean Film Council (KOFIC) data, it is in 6th place among all the Korean films released in the year 2021, with gross of US$7.32 million and 831,126 admissions, as of 26 September 2021.[1]
Critical response
editThe review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 81% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 6.60/10.[16]
Jo Yeon-kyung of JTBC Entertainment News rated the film with 4 out of 5 stars and wrote that the film has a dense narrative, and the sequences of worship and scenes of exorcism are combined with Thailand's unique culture to generate newness. Describing the scary parts of the film, Yeon-kyung wrote, "The scariest thing is that the closer you get to the ending, the more you are getting used to the huge scene unfolding before your eyes. Of course, the level of understanding and impact may vary depending on the individual audience."[17]
Seo Jeong-won writing for Maeil Business praised the performance of Narilya Gunmong Konket and opined, "I am so immersed in acting that I have to worry about the trauma that can occur." Warning the audience about some portions of the film that showed cannibalism, animal cruelty, self-harm, and incest, Jeong-won wrote that they are careful as they might find it cruel. But in Jeong-won's opinion those were essential to narrative.[18]
Kong Rithdee gave the film a positive review in the Bangkok Post, praising its use of Thai folklore with the visual and narrative resemblance to South Korea thrillers.[19]
Choi Young-joo of CBS No Cut News wrote that the film directed in the form of found footage, has a documentary character. Writing about the shamanic beliefs of the Isan region that not only humans but also everything in nature has a soul. Any action committed by ancestors became a curse and was passed down to posterity, in the context of the film it is the character Ming. Young-joo with respect to that belief wrote, "The Medium is a movie that makes you experience with your whole body that there are horror movies because there are human beings." Young-joo pointed out that in the film all the evils that humans can commit were in some way described, and although it was shown to portray human evil, it did come to mind as to how far and how it would be shown.[20]
Variety praised the film's musical score, production design, and references to Thai culture, but criticized its length and the mockumentary format.[21]
Accolades
edit| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Bucheon Choice Features | Best Film | The Medium | Won | [7] |
| Maniatic Fantastic Film Festival | Won | [22] | |||
| San Sebastian Horror and Fantasy Film Week | Won | [23] | |||
| Molins Horror Film Festival | Best Cinematography | Naruphol Chokanapitak | Won | [24] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Medium box office (2021)". KOFIC. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "The Medium Blends Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist, and Its Own Particular Terrors". Gizmodo. 20 October 2021.
- ^ a b Brzeski, Patrick (24 February 2021). "Berlin: South Korea's Na Hong-jin to Produce Thai Horror Film 'The Medium'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ a b Jeong Jin-wook (11 July 2021). "'랑종' 부천국제판타스틱영화제서 세계최초 개봉" ['Rangjong' opens for the first time in the world at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival]. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ a b Park Pan-seok (11 July 2021). "나홍진 '랑종' 올여름 최고 화제작 등극 '블랙위도우' 제치고 예매율 1위" [Na Hong-jin's 'Rangjong' ranks first in ticket sales, surpassing 'Black Widow' to become the most talked-about film this summer]. Osen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ ""ร่างทรง" ได้รับเลือกเป็นตัวแทนหนังไทยเสนอชื่อเข้าชิงออสการ์ ครั้งที่ 94" ["The Medium" has been selected as the Thai film representative for the 94th Academy Awards.]. Komchadluek (in Thai). 31 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ a b Kim Ji-eun (15 July 2021). "4단계 속 부천영화제 폐막…장편 작품상에 '랑종'" [Closing of the Bucheon Film Festival in 4 stages... 'Rangjong' at the Best Feature Film Award]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ^ Kim Ye-eun (19 July 2021). "'랑종', 개봉 첫주 55만 돌파…손익분기점 넘었다" ['Rangjong' surpasses 550,000 in the first week of release... The break-even point has been exceeded]. Export News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- ^ "'The Medium' has its predecessor to thank for growing anticipation". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- ^ Seung-hyun, Song (3 June 2021). "Na Hong-jin's Thai-Korean film 'The Medium' coming to theaters in July". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (1 June 2021). "Trailer Drop Heralds Release of Thai-Korean Horror 'The Medium' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Bifan buzz title 'The Medium' is hot seller for South Korea's Finecut". Screendaily. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ McAndrews, Mary Beth (1 October 2021). "'The Medium': Shudder Drops New Trailer For Thai Found Footage Horror Film". Dread Central. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
- ^ Jo Ji-young (16 September 2021). "[공식] 나홍진 제작 '랑종', 오늘(16일)부터 VOD 서비스 시작" [[Official] 'Rangjong' produced by Na Hong-jin, VOD service starts today (16th)]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ Park Soo-in (18 July 2021). "'랑종' 40만 관객 돌파, 개봉 4일째 손익분기점 달성" ['Rangjong' surpassed 400,000 audiences and reached break-even point on the 4th day of release]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ "The Medium". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
- ^ Jo Yeon-kyung (9 July 2021). "[리뷰] 문제작 '랑종' 안내문 빙자한 경고문" [[Review] A warning message disguised as a notice for the problematic 'Rangjong']. JTBC Entertainment News (in Korean). Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ Seo Jeong-won (13 July 2021). "[영화 리뷰] '랑종', 빠져들 수밖에 없는 공포" [[Movie Review] 'Rangjong', the fear that you can't help but fall in love with]. Maeil Business (in Korean). Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ Kong Rithdee. "Into the devil's lair". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ Seo Jeong-won (14 July 2021). "[노컷 리뷰]'랑종' 믿음과 죄악에 관한 끔찍한 대물림" [[No Cut Review] 'The Medium' A terrible inheritance about faith and sin]. CBS No Cut News (in Korean). Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ Harvey, Dennis (14 October 2021). "'The Medium' Review: Good Spirits, Bad Spirits, and a Shamanic Exorcist Auntie". Variety. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "แรงต่อเนื่อง! ร่างทรง คว้ารางวัล Best Feature Film จากเวที Maniatic 2021 Fantastic Film Festival มาครองได้สำเร็จ". Newsis (in Thai). Naver. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "เก็บอีกหนึ่งรางวัล! ร่างทรง คว้า The Best Film จาก San Sebastián Horror and Fantasy Film Week ครั้งที่ 32 มาได้สำเร็จ". Newsis (in Thai). Naver. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "'ร่างทรง' แพร่สะพัดความสะพรึงถึงชาวสเปน คว้ารางวัล 'ถ่ายภาพยอดเยี่ยม' หรือ Best Cinematography จากเทศกาลภาพยนตร์ MOLINS HORROR FILM FESTIVAL 2021". Facebook (in Thai). GDH. 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
External links
edit- The Medium at IMDb
- The Medium at the Korean Movie Database (in Korean)