The reveal ties much of the narrative together, including Mink’s violent behavior and eventual full-blown possession.

It’s utterly unclear why his family would be cursed, until much later in the film. And his son, Mac, died in a motorcycle accident, or so we’re led to believe. On the way to a funeral for Noi’s husband, Wiroj, Nim explains that all the men in Wiroj’s family are cursed. The Medium mixes complex family history with the supernatural. This role includes all the attention from true believers seeking a miracle or wanting to pay their respects and offerings. She and Noi act cool towards each other, most likely because Noi shunned her role as the next medium in line and forced Nim to take on Ba Yan’s spirit in her place. Yet, it’s not quite clear if she means that, or if she merely tells herself that. Mink, meanwhile, mocks the idea of shamanism, calling the rituals weird at one point.Īfter Noi rejected the role, the goddess apparently found another vessel in Nim, who does say early in the film that her role as a medium fulfills her. To counter the pain, she refused the connection with the goddess. She claims that her body started to hurt, and she had her period every day for months. In fact, she admits to converting to Christianity to avoid such a fate. Nim’s sister and Mink’s mother, Noi (Sirani Yankittikan), eventually confesses to the camera crew that she never wanted to be a medium for Ba Yan. A Tale of Two Sisters and Family Disputes We only have her words and steadfast faith. Villagers come to see her, but there’s no documented evidence any type of goddess moves through her. What’s important is the fact that the film crew never actually captures Nim performing any miracles of sorts. Nim appears powerless to stop it, no matter how many other shamans she enlists in various rituals. This is especially true when her niece, Mink (Narilya Gulmongkolpech), exhibits violent and strange behavior. However, we never actually see her perform any miracles. For whatever reason, Ba Yan only possesses the women in her family, and she’s positive that she’s a vessel for the goddess.

Generally, Nim believes in a higher power through and through. She explains she only “cures” illnesses of the unseen, like black magic. She also “heals” villagers, though she does joke that if someone has cancer and comes to her, they’ll most likely die. Nim makes frequent pilgrimages to the mountain to pray to the goddess. An unnamed film crew interviews Nim (Sawanee Utoomma), a medium for the goddess Ba Yan. Set in rural Thailand, The Medium first plays out like a docudrama about shamanism. However, The Medium’s director Banjong Pisanthanakun ( Shutter) has crafted his own movie, one with a lot to unpack. Comparisons to The Wailing are warranted, too, since that film’s director, Na Hong-jin, produced this film. Oh, and it has a major Blair Witch vibe at points. It explores shamanism, an ancestral curse, karma, and possession. It’s no wonder the run time inches past two hours. The Thai-Korean horror film The Medium tries to do a lot, and I mean A LOT.

The medium ending explained