Wall to Wall (2025) Movie Review – A confusing thriller that leads nowhere

The Review Geek

6 days ago

A confusing thriller that leads nowhere
Kang Ha-neul may have been typecast as the bumbling buffoon in his K-dramas but if you want range, his movies never fail. From comedies to thrillers, he can do it all and has the presence for one-man narratives as well. And whether it is his recent movie, Streaming or the jaw-dropping Forgotten, Ha-neul's thrillers are pretty underrated. But does his Netflix movie, Wall to Wall add another feather to his cap?
Helmed by Kim Tae-joon, who is known for his iconic Netflix thriller, Unlocked, Wall to Wall has all the makings of an adrenaline-filled, gritty mystery. Along with Kang Ha-neul, the cast includes familiar faces such as Seo Hyeon-woo, Yeom Hye-ran, Jeon Jin-oh, Park Sung-il and Kang Ae-sim.
Wall to Wall is said to be a psychological thriller, complete with mind games, twisted schemes and traitorous characters. Real estate rates are skyrocketing and Seoulites have to bend over backwards to even rent a place. Noh Woo-sung (played by Ha-neul) gets what he thinks is the deal of a lifetime, even though he has to take out a hefty loan to buy an apartment.
3 years later, he is unable to pay his bills and his neighbours are making his life miserable. He is what they call 'house poor' as he now owns an apartment but cannot afford anything else. The rates are going down and he cannot sell it without going into a heavy loss.
One day, he is confronted by his downstairs neighbour who blames him for the constant noise coming from the unit above him. He decides to take matters into his own hands but for the life of him, he cannot find the source of the noise. Is he imagining things or is someone out to get him?
Wall to Wall starts off as a promising thriller. Every aspect contributes to the suspense from the eerie percussive music and the clinical lighting to the intentional tight close-ups and literally shady lighting. Each apartment unit has a different aesthetic to represent its resident but overall, there is something ghostly.
It is as if the building has come alive and seems inhospitable to its occupants. Like the conspiracy in the story, the very environment seems to conspire against Woo-sung. Even the most mundane act like Woo-sung gambling with crypto, adds a sense of thrill and keeps viewers on edge. The first act is basically a one-man show and Ha-neul keeps us hooked with his nervous and manic anti-hero. Right when things slow down, another plot twist shows up.
There are strange happenings like 1301 holding a blade to a mysterious figure supposedly breaking into Woo-sung's home. It is followed by a surreal montage which is bound to have viewers wondering what is real and what is Woo-sung's imagination. As the noise and the neighbours get to him, the movie becomes very clear in its message on how greedy and capitalistic society has become.
But the plot gets predictable and dull when the first clue to the culprits is revealed at the midway mark. It even gets a little righteous and convoluted during the climax, followed by a confusing and vague ending. The anti-capitalistic message holds but there is no big impact or payoff.
The cast does its best to pile onto the surrealism but the narrative doesn't trust viewers to follow its conclusion. Instead, Seo Hyeon-woo is forced to become the director's mouthpiece and explain everything that has been going on, step by step. Yeom Hye-ran is wasted as well, as her beguiling landlord is sidelined before succumbing to an overused trope.
Viewers may have tuned in courtesy of the premise which is quite reminiscent of Strangers from Hell. There are hints of supernatural elements too, similar to Happiness, #Alive or Sweet Home Season 1. Drama around apartment politics is not a new genre and the limited, cramped space is perfect for thrillers and murder mysteries.
So, it is no wonder that expectations were high. Wall to Wall had quite the potential to amp up the psychological trauma and mind games. However, it is unable to make up its mind on which route to take, as evident in the clashing motivations and the hasty resolution. While the first act is enticing and Kang Ha-neul is a treat to watch, the second half and its ending are bound to disappoint viewers.
Read More: Wall to Wall Ending Explained