Not to be confused with Na Hong-jin’s South Korean horror masterpiece, Pedro Martín-Calero’s The Wailing is an entirely different beast. Split into three loosely interconnected chapters, each following a psychologically torn-up female protagonist in various timelines, the filmmaker’s debut feature throws several inventive curveballs and impresses with formidable acting. It’s not perfect, but it displays real filmmaking chops.
The film pulls us in from its gripping opening club scene (trigger warning if you’re prone to seizures). When Andrea (Ester Expósito) finds out she’s adopted, she digs into her past, discovering terrible things about her mom. It doesn’t take long before Andrea starts seeing and hearing things: creepy figures in the background of all her photos, someone close to her dying, and yes, a woman’s wailing. It all leads to a somewhat eerie apartment complex.
Cut to: Camila (Malena Villa) documents the world everywhere she goes on her oversized VHS camcorder. Instantly entranced by a woman in red, she follows her through the city. Camila’s resulting film project is deemed superficial by her teacher (to say the least). She, too, hears the titular wailing, leading her to — you guessed it — the somewhat eerie apartment complex. She meets Marie (Mathilde Ollivier), who also happens to be the central protagonist of part tres… Before I reveal too much, let’s just say there are other, crucial connecting threads between the stories that are best left unspoiled.
“…creepy figures in the background of all her photos, someone close to her dying, and yes, a woman’s wailing…”
The Wailing finds new, compelling ways to get under the skin. An intense scene involving Andrea slowly drifting away as she flips her camera phone back and forth wisely avoids music or sound cues to heighten the effect. He imbues another sequence with subliminal humor, as Andrea — seemingly on the verge of a nervous breakdown — drags her friends into a loco adventure. A moment involving one of the main characters abruptly dying in front of another, followed by a terrifying live recording, is sure to cause yelps of terror.
Ester Expósito is a marvel, her expressive elvish features keeping us mesmerized, feeling each of her feels. Malena Villa is equally excellent, a performance both stoic and deeply felt — her character wants to be able to trust, to feel empathy, but struggles with letting her guard down. Mathilde Ollivier arguably has the most difficult task of the three actors, and she’s more than up for it.
If the film had a bit more driving momentum, if it dug a little deeper into its themes instead of its moody stylistic flourishes, it could’ve been a horror masterpiece. It lacks a certain “je ne sais quoi” that would tie it all together, make it flow seamlessly, render its revelations and moments of horror that much more visceral. The narrative circles very real and poignant subjects like female empowerment and the inescapability of the past, but never quite stabs them in the heart.
That being said, Martín-Calero and his cast have great things ahead of them. The Wailing remains a strong piece anchored by terrific acting. You’ll never look at life — through a camera lens, that is — the same way again.
"…you’ll never look at life — through a camera lens, that is — the same way again."
