Initially released in Korea in 2018, The Witch: Subversion didn’t make its way to U.S. shores until 2020. You can read my review for the action/horror hybrid, but despite several shortcomings, I enjoyed the film and the story and mythology it was attempting to build. I was excited to see where the story would go next since the finale opened up the world for what I felt could be a pretty exciting continuation in The Witch 2: The Other One.
When I sat down to view The Witch 2: The Other One, I was a bit let down since it was nothing I expected. Returning filmmaker Park Hoon-jung ignores the previous entry and jumps into an all-new story with a new cast. It was certainly an unexpected direction, but it’s still a rather entertaining piece of cinema.
A mysterious girl appears after a bloody massacre at a top-secret facility home to the super-secret Witch Program. She’s rescued and taken in by two siblings who grow quite fond and protective of the young girl. They aren’t expecting the numerous assassins and varying agencies trying to take the young girl back into containment and, if that doesn’t work, kill her. This girl has abilities that are more powerful than they can handle, and they should be worried about what she might do to them.
The Witch 2 follows the same trajectory and beats as the first film. It offers very few advancements to the previously established world but introduces us to a group of new characters. They’re just as interesting and compelling with solid performances, especially by newcomer Cynthia who plays the ‘Girl’ in this one.
The sequel ramps up the action and blood. Fans of the first film will get a kick at the amount of blood spilled compared to the original. The action is stylish, in your face, and occurs with an otherworldly speed that takes your breath away. There are very few callbacks to part one, just a nod and a mention.
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The Witch 2: The Other One, despite its disconnect from the first film, is still an excellent and exciting film filled with intense imagery, solid performances, and a world worth exploring. As much as I enjoyed the ‘Girl’ in this one, I want to know what happened to Ja-yoon (played by Kim Da-mi).
I didn’t get the film I was hoping for, but the movie we get is worth viewing, especially if you stop and realize the possibilities for the third film in the franchise. Maybe everything in these first two films will be brought together, and all the unanswered questions will be answered, delivering a picture to satisfy the masses. Let’s cross our fingers that we don’t have to wait another four years to see it.
The Witch 2: The Other One hits DVD and Blu-ray on November 8, 2022, from WellGo USA.
