Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
The crew of a horror web series travels to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast, but they encounter much more than expected as they move deeper inside the nightmarish old building.
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is widely regarded as one of the best found-footage horror films of the 2010s, and its cinematography/camera work is its standout achievement — the multi-camera livestream conceit is executed with genuine technical skill and sustained dread, creating an immersive claustrophobic atmosphere that earns a top mark. The plot is serviceable genre fare: a crew investigates a real-life infamous Korean location, and while the setup is efficient and the escalation well-paced, it doesn't transcend its found-footage conventions. Acting is competent and naturalistic, helping sell the believability without any truly standout performances. Novelty is moderate — the livestream framing and use of a real notorious Korean location give it a distinct flavor over generic Western found-footage entries, but the genre beats remain familiar. The ending leans into abrupt nihilistic horror tradition, effective but not particularly inventive.