When documentary footage shows the girl pushing a child at a public event, The Medium’s filmmakers subsequently create empathy for Mink through on-camera commentaries - filmed outdoors in picturesque settings - about her recurring headaches: “When it hurts… it feels like it’s going to rip apart.” Such moments of vulnerability benefit the documentary premise while teasing a layered performance. Mink’s early behavior, illogical at it may seem, can be explained by cultural rituals, such as when she hides a turmeric (“Ta Pa Ba”) in her closet to fend off evil spirits.
The Medium’s in-depth exposition allows for a nuanced lead performance by Gulmongkolpech. From this point forward, the film gives the female protagonists agency by having them explain their observations and moods, rather than presenting each character as genre archetypes. She’s under the influence of something, yet it’s unclear if there’s any supernatural connection to her aunt Nim or mother Noi. In a clever meta twist, The Medium’s narrative shifts to Ming for practical reasons. Meanwhile, Noi’s teenage daughter, Ming (Narilya Gulmongkolpech), catches the documentarians’ attention with her odd behavior. Nim reveals dark facts about her familial history in The Medium, and her sister Noi (Sirani Yankittikan) casually discusses why she chose Christianity over shamanism. There’s a matter-of-fact tone in The Medium’s opening scenes, with a camera crew following the subject as she returns home to attend the funeral of her brother-in-law, Wiroj.
The filmmakers introduce audiences to a female shaman, Nim (Sawanee Utoomma), who explains how and why she became selected (i.e. In fact, the first 20 minutes could easily pass as a PBS documentary.
#THE MEDIUM 2021 MOVIE#
Unlike many modern horror productions, The Medium doesn’t ID itself as a genre movie during the opening act. The Medium is arguably the horror movie of the year, one that should be seen on the biggest screen possible. Written by Na Hong-jin ( The Wailing) and directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun ( The ABCs of Death), the Thai film achieves something truly special with its cultural specificities and authentic documentary feel. The Medium released exclusively on Shudder today and deserves all the praise that it will receive over the coming days, months and years.
0 kommentar(er)
