Jang Jae-hyun's "SVAHA: THE SIXTH FINGER"
Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald
This movie has a messy plot, it’s longer than necessary, and it has too many characters and loose ends. Still, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. That’s due to several factors:
Interesting chracters
Excellent acting
A unique mix of religious themes and cultish devotion
Unusual (to me) perspectives on Korean culture
Occasional and at times shocking action and horror sequences
The most interesting character is a dashing independent minister/salesman whose fundraising efforts support his investigation of religious cults. He seems to be in it for the money but finds himself embroiled in a mystery that has creepy and dangerous undertones.
Both Buddhism and Christianity receive a fair share of attention. The main focus is on the behavior of fringe cults. While we get some insight into how the basics of the two traditions relate (or don’t) it’s obvious that the film is taking cinematic advantage of the extremes of the two.
But that’s not really the main focus of the film. Despite the horror and religious elements it eventually plays out as a murder mystery. The director doesn’t succeed entirely in weaving all the themes together but I found it all refreshingly interesting and even unique. Recommended if you are interested in something unusual.
Review copyright (c) 2023 by Dennis D. McDonald
