The Wrath: Some Ghosts Need Compassion

When a rich residence gets possessed by a determined dead lady during the Joseon era, the harried homeowners can afford the very best exorcist (Lee Tae-ri) in the region. But what if that shaman-for-hire recommends a kinder, gentler approach to the vengeful spirit? What if he argues for compassion instead of immediately banishing the murderous ghost to the netherworld? Would you keep him on retainer? Based on The Wrath (Yoo Young-sun's 2018 sartorially lavish remake of 1986's Woman's Wail), I'm guessing most of us would. Especially after watching this supernatural life coach vomit black blood profusely before giving sound advice to his clients instead of running for the hills. Perhaps his stick-to-it-ness is a sign of the times.

Because no one flees the palace in The Wrath. Not the servants. Not the wives. Not the shaman's extensive support network. There's a real sense of "We can handle this" at work for these people despite the proven track record of their unforgiving terrorizer. A trail of corpses isn't about to stop the returning son (Kim Ho-chang), the self-satisfied step-mom (See Young-hee), or the pregnant widow (Son Na-Eun) from believing they can take on this grudge-bearing ghost. Clearly, since this is a fright flick, not everyone who thinks they can outwit the family curse proves to be correct. Delusions of grandeur are par for the course. But hey, someone's got to do it. Or at least die trying.

Where to Watch: The atmospheric The Wrath isn't playing in a theater near you. It's streaming on Shudder.