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Noise
Movie

Noise

2024 • Horror, Thriller

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

A woman with a hearing impediment who is haunted by sounds linking to her sister's disappearance and the presence of a malevolent spirit. It leads to a dark secret and the revelation of a mysterious entity.

Overall Series Review

The South Korean horror-thriller “Noise” (2024) is a primarily focused genre piece that critiques modern social issues of community alienation rather than Western civilization or broad political ideology. The plot centers on a woman with a hearing impediment investigating the disappearance of her sister, driven by deep familial commitment. The narrative uses the protagonist's disability, a hearing impairment, not as a point for an identity lecture, but as an essential, merit-based element of the horror and mystery structure itself. The tension comes from a realistic social problem—interlayer noise in a crowded apartment complex—that descends into supernatural and psychological horror. The film criticizes the broken social dynamics and paranoia among neighbors, not the entire foundational culture or heritage of the nation. The conflict is mostly female-centric, with the protagonist being a determined, highly capable lead, and the main villain also a woman. The lead's drive is purely familial. The moral and psychological descent of the characters is depicted in a secular context of trauma and guilt related to a family accident, with no evidence of anti-religious or queer-theory messaging.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The lead character has a hearing impediment, which is crucial to the plot's use of sound as a horror device. The narrative focuses on her merit and determination to find her sister. The film is a South Korean production with an ethnically authentic cast, avoiding any vilification of 'whiteness' or forced diversity.

Oikophobia3/10

The movie critiques the breakdown of social trust and community in the modern setting of a high-rise apartment complex. Hostility, selfishness, and cover-ups among neighbors (like the building chairwoman) are the source of social decay, a critique of modern social issues rather than broad national or civilizational heritage.

Feminism3/10

The protagonist is a capable, relentless female lead, driven entirely by her familial bond with her missing sister. Her sister's boyfriend acts as a helper but is ultimately a victim. The antagonist is also a woman. The motivation is rooted in family loyalty and not a rejection of motherhood or the glorification of a perfect 'Girl Boss' trope.

LGBTQ+1/10

The story is centered on the familial relationship between two sisters, one of whom has a boyfriend. There is no presence of alternative sexual ideologies, deconstruction of the nuclear family beyond the natural tragedy (parents' death) that already occurred, or lecturing on gender theory.

Anti-Theism2/10

The moral conflict revolves around psychological trauma, guilt over a past car accident, and neighborly cruelty leading to violence and a haunting. The film is secular, focusing on subjective human moral failure and mental state without attacking or referencing a traditional religious framework.