An occult film without ghosts or exorcism has appeared. It is The Savior, which turns the formula of equivalence between Song Ji-hyo's miracle and Kim Hi-eora's curse into both sides of a coin through Kim Byung-chul.
The movie The Savior (director Shin Jun, provided by Studio Plum, distributed by MINDMINE, produced by Mayday Studio, Studio Plum, co-produced by I Film Corporation, Grida Studio) is a mystery occult film in which miraculous things happen to Yeong-beom (played by Kim Byung-chul) and Seon-hee (played by Song Ji-hyo), who moved to the blessed land Obok-ri, and they learn that all of it is the price someone paid for misfortune.
Unlike other occult films that commonly feature divine beings such as ghosts, exorcism, priests or shamans, The Savior maximizes mystery elements. In particular, it establishes a kind of formula of equivalence between miracles and curses by having the unknown entity perform miracles for some people while bringing misfortune to others, thereby building its worldview.
Seon-hee lost her son's leg and her own sight in a traffic accident that suddenly struck their ordinary life. Her husband Yeong-beom moves the family to Obok-ri to restore happiness to his wife and son. But unlike its epithet as the blessed land, Obok-ri is gloomy. On the surface it looks like a quiet countryside, but from the first day of the move, unknown sounds ring in Yeong-beom's head and crows refuse to leave the house. The townspeople appear to be believers hoping for miracles, but at the same time their single-minded desire only for miracles reveals an almost fanatical madness.
And a mysterious old man (played by Kim Seol-jin) appears. This man, his whole body covered in wounds like a cancerous mass, suddenly ran into Yeong-beom's car one day. As a doctor, Yeong-beom saves the man and arranges for the unidentified, homeless man to stay in a warehouse until a place can be found for him. Then a "miracle" appears to Yeong-beom and Seon-hee's family: the lost leg of their son and Seon-hee's sight are restored. Mother and son are instantly revered as miraculous beings chosen by God.
But at the same time, Chun-seo (played by Kim Hi-eora), who had been living peacefully in Obok-ri, lost everything. Her only son Min-jae, who had endured her husband's domestic violence, suddenly cannot walk and cannot open his eyes. A miraculous fortune for someone and a cursed misfortune for someone else happen simultaneously. The film explains the causal relationships by presenting connecting points between the two completely different situations in an interwoven way.
In the process, Song Ji-hyo, familiar from the SBS variety Running Man, gives a passionate performance as the blind Seon-hee that strips away her friendly image. She is a pitiable woman who is heartbroken over the traffic accident that befell her and her son, but she painfully hopes for a miracle while inwardly guessing others' sacrifices, creating a striking contrast with Running Man.
Kim Hi-eora, making her commercial film debut, opposes Song Ji-hyo. Because Seon-hee's miracle is Chun-seo's curse, the contrast effect makes her appear even more desperate. She is not a villain, but an opposing figure. Chun-seo's situation, having lost everything in an instant, is all the more striking because it resembles his real past—praised for the Netflix series The Glory before his reputation was lost amid a school violence controversy. Fortunately, her performance also makes viewers look forward to his next step after clearing up misunderstandings.
Kim Byung-chul's Yeong-beom cannot simply smile at the good fortune that has befallen his wife and child. As a doctor, his medical knowledge raises reasonable doubts. Above all, he cannot ignore others' misfortune. Finally, his choice, having inferred the equivalence between miracles and curses, completes the film's dramatic twist and promises what comes next. For Kim Byung-chul, it delivers a scare for the first time in a long while since his debut film R-Point. Known to the public for imprinting an iconic role as Pakguk-i in the drama Goblin, he this time takes the lead as an observer of the situation who unravels the case, earning credibility with the audience. The birth of a mystery occult without ghosts or exorcism is truly welcome.
Nov. 5 opening, running time 103 minutes, rated 15 and older.
[Photo] Provided by Studio Plum.
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