[Y Review] Drama of Solidarity (連帶) as strong as occult...a challenging 'black nuns'

On the set of the movie 'Black Nuns' ⓒ NEW

A boy's body is gripped by evil spirits and struggles with pain. To save him, two nuns must break the taboo and go to a forbidden place. It's a story of the movie 'Black nuns'.

is the second story of 'Black Priests', which was released in 2015 and was greatly loved by the public as well as occult enthusiasts. In a situation where there is no exorcist priest who can do "guma" to expel evil, the main plot of the work is that nuns who are not allowed exorcism break taboos and confront evil spirits.

Song Hye-kyo, who made her comeback on screen after 11 years, plays Sister Yunia, who gives everything to "Guma." Doing anything that helps the Guma, he is a spiritual master who hears the devil's quicksand. Although he burns cigarettes all the time, uses foul language without hesitation, and shows the opposite of a common nun, his will to save the "bubuja" worn by evil spirits is stronger than anyone's faith.

Song Hye-kyo succeeded in making the calm and strong character's face naturally and firmly. He expresses the self-directed, determined, determined attitude of Sister Yunia with a dry, achromatic look. Thanks to this, the character puts his feet on reality more vividly and fills the screen.

Sister Michaela, who, like Sister Yunia, denies her identity, which is a spiritual power but a "ghost," and constantly runs away from what lies before her, has digested well for Jeon Yeo-bin. Jeon Yeo-bin added the richness of the play by portraying Michaela, who is in complex emotions as if on a single line between confusion, fear, and conviction.

In particular, his "reaction" acting, which responds to situations and characters, is excellent. The audience is able to immerse themselves in the work more easily and quickly thanks to being in the right place and maintaining a non-exaggerated appearance.

In the passionate performance of the two actors who made the characters completely their own, the direction of depicting their psychology by exquisitely using extreme close-ups, light contrast, and color temperature also feels very clever.

A still cut from the movie "Black Nuns." ⓒ NEW

Above all, the interesting point of "Black Nuns" is that they focus on the power and meaning of the solidarity of the characters rather than simply focusing on occult.

Unia's belief and willingness to save (救援) and save (救命) someone inspires Michaela, and even Father Paul (Lee Jin-wook), who does not believe in Guma, moves. Solidarity and union between Yunia's heart that she can sacrifice herself for others and those who have learned his true feelings are sometimes more important than exorcism.

As such, "Black Nuns," which focuses on the drama of solidarity as much as the occult element, comes fresh as it seems to be taking on a new challenge rather than a genre-safe path. This is because it is more of an occult drama than a high-purity occult.

However, it is unclear whether this choice will serve as an advantage in the box office. The work is likely to feel somewhat unfortunate for some fans who expected an authentic occult.

Poster of the movie 'Black Nuns' ⓒ NEW

In particular, the scene of eradicating evil spirits and exorcism over the second half of 30 minutes can feel that it is only a turning point because there are no new elements like repetition of the same language. In the process of eradicating evil spirits, the audience may accept that the tension is somewhat low because the temperature is gradually raised rather than a cool catharsis.

Adding shamanism to this also seems to be a close one-line ride between freshness and overpayment, so it is expected to be liked and disliked by the audience.

In addition, although it focuses on the message of solidarity, the narrative, process, and the relationship between the characters do not feel close, leaving a regret. In "Black Priests," Choi Boo-je (played by Kang Dong-won), who was unable to escape from the past mistakes of losing his sister and whose pain led to the fear of reality, finally grew and overcame with the help of Father Kim (Kim Yoon-seok).

However, the relationship between Yunia and Michaela is somewhat looser in comparison to "Black nuns." In particular, Michaela is a character like Decalcomani, who is in a similar situation to Choi Boo-je, but his growth narrative is blurred, reducing the size of empathy. Therefore, it remains regrettable what it would have been like to draw a narrative structure that further emphasizes and expands women's solidarity.

The movie 'The Black Nuns'. Directed by Kwon Hyuk-jae. Actors Song Hye-kyo, Jeon Yeo-bin, Lee Jin-wook, and Moon Woo-jin. For ages 15 and up. Running time of 114 minutes. Theatrical release on January 24, 2025.

* YTN star receives reports related to celebrities and people in the entertainment industry. Please feel free to contact us at
ytnstar@ytn.co.kr . Thank you.