When Evil Lurks stands out as a typical genre film in this year’s Midnight Cinema lineup. The film’s motif of evil possession is commonly seen from horror classics like The Exorcist (1973) to more recent releases such as The Conjuring (2013). Unlike many possession films rooted in a Christian worldview, this film takes a secular approach. Despite including the line “Churches are dead, ma'am.” it maintains a generally indifferent stance on Christianity. The film portrays landowner Ruiz instructing Pedro and Jimi, brothers working on his land, to expel the possessed Uriel. Simultaneously, it depicts the police and local government remaining inactive despite receiving reports, illustrating the film’s realistic grounding. This realism is why many situations in the film draw parallels to those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Viewers sensitive to brutal and horrific scenes are advised to refrain from watching, as the setting itself is even more terrifying than the descriptions of the scenes. (MOON Seok)