Now Reading: Revelations (2025) Netflix Movie Review
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Revelations (2025) Netflix Movie Review
If you’re into movies that mess with your head and make you question reality, Revelations on Netflix might be your next watch. In this Revelations Netflix Movie Review, we explore a film that doesn’t just ask questions—it demands reflection. Directed by Yoon Sang-ho (the genius behind Train to Busan), this film isn’t your typical jump-scare horror. Instead, it’s a creepy, slow-paced story about a pastor losing his grip on sanity, a detective haunted by guilt, and a criminal hiding a dark past. Think Hereditary meets First Reformed, but with its own twisted vibe. Is it worth your time? Let’s break it down.
Table of Contents
Three Lives. One Common Thread: Devotion or Delusion?
If you’re confused in the beginning—don’t worry, so were we. Because Revelations doesn’t follow a simple A-to-B narrative. Instead, it unfolds like three interwoven parables of suffering, each drenched in personal guilt and spiritual obsession:
- A pastor, haunted by visions and believing he’s receiving messages from God, uncovers a disturbing truth—his wife is having an affair.
- A detective, weighed down by guilt from a past she couldn’t change, investigates the disappearance of a girl connected to her own trauma.
- A criminal with a dark past that’s slowly peeling away his humanity, driven by something sinister that might not even be real.
These aren’t separate stories; they are layered slices of the same diseased pie—served cold, with slow-burn dread.
The Plot: When Faith Turns Dangerous
At the center of Revelations is Pastor Min-chan (Ryu Jun-yeol), a man whose life crumbles after discovering his wife’s affair. Broken and desperate, he starts receiving “divine messages” urging him to solve the disappearance of a girl from his church. Meanwhile, Detective Yeon-hee (Shin Hyun-been) is investigating the same case, haunted by her failure to save her sister from a violent past. Their paths collide with Yang-rae (Shin Min-jae), an ex-convict hiding sinister secrets.
The movie isn’t just about the missing girl—it’s a deep dive into how obsession warps reality. Pastor Min-chan’s hallucinations blur the line between holy mission and madness, while Detective Yeon-hee’s guilt drives her to extremes. The result? A tense cat-and-mouse game where faith and justice clash violently.
Min-chan’s Madness: Holy Mission or Mental Collapse?
Ryu Jun-yeol delivers a haunting performance as Min-chan—a pastor who believes he’s chosen by God. But the more he follows these divine messages, the more twisted his reality becomes.
Min-chan’s descent is visually striking. From cryptic visions on church walls to whispers that guide his actions, the film makes us experience his unraveling. And because he’s so calm, so convinced—his actions become even more terrifying. What’s most chilling is the contradiction: he believes he’s doing God’s work, yet commits unspeakable acts. There’s no remorse—only righteousness.
Detective Yeon-hee: Rationality in a Supernatural Storm
Shin Hyun-been plays Yeon-hee with a quiet strength. She’s not just solving a crime—she’s wrestling with her own demons. Her sister’s death still haunts her, and the missing girl’s case mirrors a past she never got closure for.
Where Min-chan spirals inward, Yeon-hee reaches outward. Her methodical investigation contrasts sharply with the pastor’s emotional recklessness. But they share one thing: both are blinded by unresolved pain.
Her story adds a human touch to the chaos. She reminds us that guilt isn’t always loud—it sometimes just lingers.
Yang-rae: A Monster Born or Made?
Shin Min-jae gives Yang-rae a quiet menace. As an ex-convict with a dark past, his role is mysterious but central. Is he a villain, a victim, or something worse?
The film uses him to explore the idea that some people can’t escape who they were—especially when others project their sins onto them. As Min-chan targets him with religious conviction, the audience is left wondering: Is he the devil—or is the pastor creating one?
Themes: Blind Faith vs. Moral Chaos
Revelations isn’t shy about critiquing religious extremism. Pastor Min-chan’s visions—like a bleeding church mural or shadowy figures in his periphery—show how easily belief can tip into madness. One scene where he forces a confession from a congregant is downright chilling, highlighting how power corrupts even the devout.
Detective Yeon-hee’s arc mirrors this theme. Her obsession with the case isn’t just about justice—it’s a form of self-punishment. Flashbacks of her sister’s death mix with hallucinations of the suspect, making you question what’s real.
Direction, Visuals, and Pacing
Yeon Sang-ho crafts an atmosphere thick with psychological tension. The 122-minute runtime doesn’t feel bloated, because the dread builds steadily.
A highlight is a breathtaking long-take fight scene—brutal, patient, and immersive. It’s the film’s only moment of kinetic energy, and it lands perfectly amidst the otherwise meditative pace.
Visually, Revelations is dark but not drab. It plays with shadows, reflections, and lingering shots that feel like prayers turning into curses.
Flaws: Lost Potential in Side Stories
The movie’s biggest weakness? The missing girl’s mystery takes a backseat. The resolution feels rushed, and side characters like Yang-rae or the pastor’s wife deserved deeper exploration. Still, the core story of Min-chan and Yeon-hee’s collision is gripping enough to carry the film.
Final Verdict: Who Should Watch?
Revelations isn’t perfect, but it’s a bold, thought-provoking thriller. Fans of Yeon Sang-ho’s work (Train to Busan) or slow-burn dramas like Hereditary will appreciate its dark exploration of faith and guilt. Ryu Jun-yeol and Shin Hyun-been’s performances alone make it worth watching.
Skip it if: You want action-packed horror or a straightforward mystery.
Watch it if: You’re into psychological deep dives with stellar acting.
Rating: 3.5/6
