Mid-budget, actor-driven horror movies are my jam. They can be charming and exciting with the best, and that's Midnight by Dread Presents. A South Korean film, Midnight is written and directed by Kwon Oh-Seung and stars Wi Ha-jun, Jin Ki-Joo, Gil Hae-yeon, and Kim Hye-Yoon. At just over an hour and 30 minutes, Midnight is more about creating and maintaining tension with its actors than its story.
In Midnight, fear grips the country of South Korea when a serial killer, Do Shik (Wi Ha-Joon), stalks its residents. Kyung-mi (Jin Ki-joo), a deaf woman, is out late with her mother when she comes across a young woman bleeding to death in a dark alley. While the two just want to get home and plan their trip to Jeju Island, they stumble upon a brutal crime with no apparent end. What begins with Kyung-mi trying to help Do Shik find her sister turns into realizing that the kind man is actually a brutal killer.
Director: Nicholas Molinari
Writer: Nicholas Molinari
Stars: Charlie McElveen, Brian Dole, Oriana Lada
For the rest of the movie, Kyung-mi runs for her life, tries to reason with Do Shik, and just tries to get out alive. But when Do Shik removes his ability to know that people around him are interfering with his phone and audio sensors, an already difficult situation becomes nearly impossible.
It should be noted that neither Kyung-Mi nor her mother are played by deaf actresses, and this leads to a lot of overacting and inconsistencies with the lip reading of the two that detracts from the film itself. Also, there's an attempt to remove sound from the movie so you understand the terrifying position Kyung-Mi is in, but this isn't executed as smoothly or at a good enough pace as other movies that have used the technique. . Specifically, Hush comes to mind, another film about a deaf protagonist struggling to survive a murderer. That said, using Kyung-mi's deafness as part of her fight to survive involves using sensors throughout the film to show how she knows when someone is near her, and for the most part it works.
A simple movie, Midnight is a journey worth taking because its flaws are outweighed by a completely terrifying performance from Wi Ha-Jun as Do Shik. Taking place over the course of one night, Midnight ramps up the tension by lulling the viewer and mother and daughter to safety by showing us a charming Do Shik, and actor Wi Ha-Jun accepts the challenge. He's soft and reassuring, he knows what to say to get people to trust him, and a well-worn suit does wonders.
As he turns from a concerned brother to a conniving killer looking to outwit the police in Act Two, you see him turn his sharp charm into ruthlessness. A master manipulator, Wi's ability to play with the camera and turn his expressions into a dime is chilling and intensely interesting in equal measure. But, then, in the third act, Do Shik goes completely unhinged, and in that murderous chaos, you see an entire character who has spiraled further and further into a single night.
Midnight is average, but Wi Ha-Jun's performance is extraordinary and chilling. He keeps the tension running high and his dynamic with Jin Ki-joo's Kyung-Mi is stellar, intimidating and terrifying. For that alone, it's worth picking up Midnight the moment he leaves.
Watch 12 Midnight 2022 Movie Trailer
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