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Netflix released the South Korean mystery thriller, Revelations, on March 21, 2025. The film is written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho of Train to Busan fame with Choi Gyu-seok. The film is based on a webtoon and stars Ryu Jun-yeol and Shin Hyun-been. The story follows a pastor, Sung Min-chan (played by Ryu Jun-yeol), and a detective, Lee Yeon-hui (played by Shin Hyun-been).
Their lives collide as they pursue a missing person case tied to a dark, spiritual mystery. But is Revelations worth your time? If you’re a fan of slow-burning psychological thrillers with a spiritual twist, it might hold your interest. Ryu Jun-yeol’s performance alone makes it worth a look.
However, the film’s flaws, which are uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, and a lack of narrative focus, keep it from being a must-watch. It’s an ambitious effort that doesn’t quite deliver on its promise. However, it still offers enough to make it a decent addition to Netflix’s Korean thriller lineup.
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DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this movie review belong solely to the author.
The film opens with Sung Min-chan, a devout pastor grappling with personal crises—his wife’s infidelity and the looming threat of a megachurch overshadowing his small congregation. When his son goes missing, Sung Min-chan becomes convinced that a recently released s*x offender, Kwon Yang-rae (played by Shin Min-jae), is behind the abduction.
His faith takes a dangerous turn as he interprets divine signs urging him to take matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, Detective Lee Yeon-hui is haunted by the unsolved abduction of her sister years ago. She is drawn into the case when Kwon Yang-rae disappears. Their parallel journeys, one driven by faith and the other by justice, form the core of this slow-burning thriller.
Revelations: A haunting thriller that explores faith and trauma
Revelations tries to balance multiple themes of faith, morality, and the human tendency to seek meaning in chaos. The film has its moments, but it struggles to maintain a cohesive narrative. The first half focuses heavily on Sung Min-chan's descent into obsession. Later, the speed of the plot feels sluggish, and the storyline meanders.
The second half picks up steam as the detective’s story takes center stage. But by then, the film’s uneven structure has already taken a toll.
Ryu Jun-yeol delivers a standout performance as the pastor. He captured the character’s transformation from a man of faith to one consumed by his own interpretations of divine will. Shin Hyun-been delivers an emotionally charged portrayal of Lee Yeon-hui. She is a woman battling both professional duty and personal grief. Their interactions are filled with tension and desperation that drive the film’s core conflict.
Revelations do raise compelling moral dilemmas, but its pacing and structure occasionally work against it. The story shifts between Min-chan's growing fanaticism and Yeon-hui's search for justice for her late sister.
Thematically, Revelations raises intriguing questions about faith and morality but doesn’t fully explore them. The film also touches on whether redemption is possible for people who have dark pasts or how far one can go in the name of righteousness.
The film rarely offers the audience a chance to understand the most controversial character of the accused criminal, Kwon Yang-rae. The film presents him as an ominous figure rather than humanizing him or giving more information about his past. This robs the story of a more complex moral debate. By the time Revelations reaches its conclusion, it presents a chilling final conversation that lingers in the mind.
Much of the emotional weight is diluted by the film’s scattered focus towards its end. As the ending delivers a thought-provoking moment, it feels like a slow journey rather than a thrilling revelation. Revelations offers moments of brilliance for those who are seeking a dark and philosophical thriller but lack the cohesion to make it a truly standout film.
Fans of Yeon Sang-ho’s past works, especially Train to Busan and Hellbound, might find it less engaging due to its meandering pace. Revelations is available to stream on Netflix.
