classicsoncall Review of The Divine Fury

The Divine Fury (2019)

"A glass of wine after fighting demons makes me sleep like a baby."

[7/10 · 21 February 2020]

Not bad as far as demonic possession stories go. Mix in a little martial arts action and you've got a unique take on the worlds of devils and exorcisms. Oh, and don't forget the demon creature that takes on aspects of the Creature From the Black Lagoon; that was kind of special. The story revolves around a young martial artist (Seo-joon Park) who loses faith in God following the death of his father when he was just a boy. Carrying that doubt into adulthood, he is suddenly afflicted with stigmata and seeks recourse with a Vatican priest who specializes in exorcisms. At the same time, a local night club owner is himself a demon in disguise, and is the one responsible for the death of Park Yong-hoo's father. With creative special effects set amid the dark environs of Seoul, Korea, the fighter and the priest engage in a number of rituals to cleanse afflicted individuals, while Park himself begins to appreciate his mentor's faith and God's mysterious ways in bringing him to the aid of those who suffer. In a final confrontation with the demon, Park introduces what I like to call the fiery palm technique, which smotes down Ji-sin's (Do-Hwan Woo) accomplices and defeats the devil himself. You might give this a try if you're in the mood for something just a bit different.