PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The Divine Fury is a new South Korean action/horror film directed by Joo-hwan Kim (Midnight Runners 2017). The film stars Seo-joon Park (2036 Apocalypse Earth 2019), Sung-Ki Ahn (Radio Star 2006), Do-Hwan Woo (Saja 2019), and Woo-sik Choi (Train to Busan 2016 – read our review here). The Divine Fury hits Digital and DVD/Blu-Ray on November 19, 2019.
Synopsis:
After waking up with mysterious wounds on his hands, a champion fighter finds himself in an otherworldly battle against evil forces that wreak havoc in the human world.
When Yong-hoo (Seo-joon Park) was just a young boy, his policeman father was a policeman that died while in pursuit of a criminal. This terrible act turned him away from the Korean Christian church, and he became a world-class MMA fighter. Later, Yong-hoo experiences the sign of the stigmata on one palm after a fight, so he visits a shaman for answers. The girl wryly tells him that he’s surrounded by demons, and, to quote her: “You’re fucked.” She sends him back to the hometown Christian church of his childhood, though he may not like what he finds there.
I really loved The Divine Fury. It was an unexpected film combination of action and exorcist thriller with a touch of buddy drama. While the main storyline was certainly about Yong-hoo and his unexplained powers that make him capable of fighting against demons, there is also the thoughtful, fatherly relationship he has with an older exorcist priest named Father Ahn (a brilliant Sung-Ki Ahn). All this while getting to kick some major demon ass! Yong-hoo’s transformation from atheist to believer is helped by his father’s spirit, a journey that will bring him closer to a battle with true evil.
For those looking for a little gore, the special effects are absolutely terrific. The demons are especially effective. It is beautifully shot, with the moody streetlights and fog making a spooky setting for a city besieged by demons. This movie has a little something for everyone: MMA fighting, exorcism, horror, drama, and even religion. The acting all around was great, but I want to send a special shoutout to Sung-Ki Ahn, whose gentleness was a great foil to Seo-joon Park’s quiet fury. The Divine Fury is an eerie, gorgeous must-see thriller.
