Snowpiercer (2013) Film Review

There are those moments when the global political climate has become so polarized that film become something of a commenting agent on the nature of social balance, often to the detriment of actual substance and/provocation. In recent years, this has come in the form of numerous big budget offerings such as The Dark Knight Rises(2012), The Hunger Games(2012), and Tom Hooper's Les Miserables (also 2012). Films flirting with ideas of revolution, often to middling, and often pandering results that speak to a more established worldview. Which is why with great joy and relief that Bong Joon-ho's first western-style feature ranks amongst the very best of its kind. And I say this understanding just how troubling such an opinion could be. But as it stands, SNOWPIERCER does for modern allegorical science fiction what it did for many of the best during the strife-ridden 1970s. A wild, weird fever poem that comes out of the gates swinging with heavy rusted metal in its hands, refusing to let go of the fight.

Right onto the bitter end.


Based upon the graphic novel series, Le Transperceneige by Lob, Rochette, and Legrand, we are thrust headlong into an earth subsumed by a new ice age after an ecological cure-all for global warming backfires. The remains of humanity are now populating a fully self sustaining locomotive which travels the frozen globe over the course of a year. And civilization has resumed its old world habits as the rich and powerful maintain the front, "sacred" engine of the train, while the rest toil in desolation in the rear cars. Seventeen years of this existence has sown seeds of revolution amongst the tail dwellers before, but Curtis Everett (a thoughtful, solid Chris Evans) has a plot in mind which threatens to go further than any previous revolt. But in order to do this, Everett and comrades must enlist the services of former engineer Namgoong Minsoo, a convict with extensive understanding of the train's design and security systems..and his equally loopy daughter, Yona (played by Bong Joon-ho veterans, Song Kang-ho, and Go Ah-Sung, again playing family). The deal is made by way of a shared addiction to a dangerous hallucinogenic drug being distributed to the pair in small doses each gate they open.


After years of living as "freeloaders" to the elites of the locomotive, living off of mysterious food product, and scraping for what amount of comfort and space possible, Curtis and friends undertake what is mythically a bare fisted journey through the ranks of civilization as the powers that be struggle to maintain the long established order. In the guise of the ever prim and frankly, over-the-top Mason (played with great relish by favorite, Tilda Swinton), strikes against the order have normally found themselves sufficiently snuffed out. But alas, Curtis and company prove themselves time and again. Despite this, a breathless game of not-so-magical doorknobs ensues as the rebellion finds that their mythical world is far stranger and terrifying than ever imagined. Even as they move forward car by car, Curtis' hopes to install respected elder, Gilliam (John Hurt) as the engine's new representative are put to great test. This is perhaps a good place as any to admit that the structure of SNOWPIERCER does such a surprising job of fulfilling so many important character beats in careful, but unusual doses as the journey becomes increasingly grueling. And yet, director Bong, cast and crew never let up on the world building and tension throughout the piece. Many often simple rules of storytelling are defied early on, but are rewarded by way of unexpected strokes of personality later. Strokes that are often the earmarks of an auteur ready to play in this larger, more expressive canvas. The director is aware of the dark dream he is carving together here, and it's both an alien, and understandably human one.


Seeking to overthrow the order of the train in hopes of liberating what remains of humankind is at the core of our heroes' mission, but to know what lies at the end entices with an unerring dread. Complicating their journey ahead, are the loss of two young children belonging to two of the would-be rebels(Octavia Spencer and Ewen Bremner). The story tightens its grip rather aggressively, and plays upon numerous notions of inequality and exploitation, as our characters face frightening enemies, experience sunlight for the first time, not to mention view the world left behind. (where all are told that it is a hellscape, guaranteeing death for those who choose to escape the confines of the train) The painterly nature of the entire film is challenged by such small and confined quarters. And yet somehow each realm represents a new rung on the societal ladder. Considering the original controversy between Joon-ho, and the Weinstein's over the length of the film for US audiences, it is incredibly hard to imagine what would warrant edits. There doesn't seem to be any additional fat on this bone. The thoughts and events on display show little to no reason for additional cuts, and the final film works despite what first time viewers might assume was a rushed opening.


Stories of the train/society's great creator, Wilford (Ed Harris) is hinted at throughout, adding more to the mystery behind the creation and maintenance of this enduring machine. And the road to Wilford is a harsh, costly one that underlies phrases dispersed throughout the film regarding precise balance, controlled numbers, and a need to maintain places in the set hierarchy. The have-nots languish in near Holocaust-like trappings, littered with filth and roaches, and the haves are served regularly to the points of absurdity. The selected few young who are born on the train are served doses of canned education regarding the machine as a savior, and Wilford the unseen, divine benefactor. All within the guise of "natural order". With Mason and her gallery of near fanatical weirdos protecting the train's wealth, we are guests to a surrealist's vision of our daily world, granting us a large scale vision that is effectively nightmarish. The "sacred engine", is what it is due to triumphing over science's greatest gamble, and yet nothing has changed from the human world of the outside. A simulacrum. A continuation. Business as usual.


The element that makes this even more impactful, is in how to consider the director's past works, and his own concerns for his homeland. Bong Joon-ho has used a diverse array of genres to protest what he sees as a grand problem for growing up South Korean. And what he has fashioned here becomes his most direct message to date: the rebels, are Northerners. While the patented, passive aggressive silliness in the latter cars represents the Gagnam Style in all its horrifically plastic glory. And if this is little more than a reductive pet theory, just wait until the final act where motivations are revealed, and don't say that it doesn't sound more than a little familiar. While quite universal in its concerns for the inequities of modern civilization, there are lines here that echo heavily from Korea's tortured past. And to have Hollywood actors deliver these lines is a subversive piece of serendipity that is simply miraculous (not to mention gutting). Also thrilling to witness, is the re-pairing of Song Kang-ho and Go Ah-sung who continue to play father and daughter brilliantly. Come to think of it, everyone across the board is solid. If there were even one remotely off-key note in the cast, perhaps it is Jamie Bell's Edgar, who feels a little uneven in the handling. 


Joon-ho's poetics start off relatively simplistic throughout the initial thirty minutes, but are textured greatly come the latter half when we finally discover who these entities are, what they represent, and just how paradoxical certain world models truly are. And when matters finally reach their meltdown point in what stands as the boldest denouement of this type of story possible, it becomes easier to see why director Bong chose what he did. Greater themes of trust, and an overall reflexive approach to nature lie at the burning core of SNOWPIERCER, that could generally put off certain viewers. Because at a glance, the film and its cast imply something that so easily comports itself to the typical big budget spectacle. This is no simplistic exploration of bourgeois versus the proles, it is a map of what has led us to this point, troubles and all. And the answers are not pat in any way, and might very well be painful to experience. What we really have here, is a triumph of vision on par with the best fantastical cinema has ever attempted. Not simply concerned with being a balm for the disenfranchised,  SNOWPIERCER, is a glorious splinter in the side of our developed world, and I couldn't be happier that it exists.


  

The Tower (2012) Movie Thoughts

Babysitter-less single dad brings his daughter to work on Xmas eve as his workplace, the newly completed Tower Sky. And this high tech duo of residential skyscrapers is filling to the brim with workers, execs, residents, and security detail as the holiday eve's grand festivities begin to ramp up. Drama is an expected norm during the holidays (To be fair, there is already much of it from the offset.). But when a helicopter accident near the upper floors sets the upper floors ablaze, it's like watching our greatest fears of nature coming back with a harsh reminder of who's boss.


Never let it be said that South Korea doesn't love generations of Hollywood spectacle. Because the director of the ill-fated monster-dreck, Sector 7, Kim Ji-hoon has gone ahead and given the world his answer to Irwin Allen with The Tower. Adorned with grand sets, impressive effects, and an insane cast, his sprawling, often impressively mounted disaster epic is probably as big a South Korean film could ever be. Perhaps the ultimate expression of "making it" in terms of numbers, The Tower is on its face a tonal superball with budget to spare. As for whether or not it is a rousing success, perhaps that best requires a little more detail. While being infinitely better than his previous, this wacky take on Gullermin's The Towering Inferno suffers from perhaps too much in the promise, and rarely enough in the final execution. It's a grand piece that flags when it should soar, and largely due to almost copping the worst instincts of American directors like Michael Bay, or even Roland Emmerich. So yes, there is also an identity crisis happening throughout that keeps the whole from grabbing like it probably should.


One place where the film does shine, is in the colorful cast representing many of the classic disaster epic archetypes. From the previously mentioned single dad working as the building's maintenance supervisor, to the veteran firefighter(Sol Kyung-gu, in a well-grounded performance) with one more Xmas eve away from his long suffering wife. We even have a love interest in the form of chinese restaurant manager played by S.Korea's "Romance Queen", Son Ye-Jin. Also along for the ride, include a fresh young firefighting rookie with much to prove, a middle-aged janitor with a teen son watching helplessly from the ground, the woefully irresponsible company president, and a young cook with trendy girl in tow. The cast itself representing over a decade-plus's worth of memorable television stars and idols screaming away in what amounts to a great demo reel for a potentially singular theme park attraction.

But a lot of where Ji-hoon and company excel, are in technical acrobatics, and some effective deathtrap images. For a film of a significantly lower budget (at roughly 10 million US), there are moments here that rival the largest Hollywood can conceivably dole out. It's not unlike planting a blazing flag atop a mountain of bigger-is-better cinematic achievement. Among the ballsiest director reel ready moments include an out of the building hair-breadth escape via a window washing gondola with too many survivors on it, and a tense walk across an unstable, nearly all glass bridge between towers. If anything undermines these scenes, it's the editing which teeters from sharp, to downright corner-cutting as tension tends to suffer as a result. Several potentially groundbreaking action moments find themselves undone by choices that could so easily have been avoided with a little faith.


Much like these issues, the story setups are well established, yet the film tends to sell itself short. There are numerous subplots, not all of which are tied up by the Bay-esque finale. In fact, many of the central plot's problems stem from a deliberate effort in the first half to establish characters we would soon see as either borderline villianous get no real comeuppance. It is such a pervasive part of the latter third, that it almost clocks as accidental theme. The problems really seep in once it becomes clear that responsibility for all of this is almost scuttled to nearly ignored. Possibly a victim of heavy cutting, such a busy film seems hellbent on maintaining a two hour running time, which it barely clocks in at. If anything is improved by this, it's the lack of irritation that often follows in the wake of Ji-hoon's inspirations. Christian jokes aside, the piece never ends up anywhere as putrid and cheap as many of america's more recent disaster fare. This, plus some pretty decent performances across the board work as saving graces if there ever were any.


Still, there is a sense of global intent which is something worth celebrating a little here. In a work that almost metaphorically resembles the central setting, there is much to hem and haw about in terms of production, but seams occasionally point toward hazards that threaten the whole. But even if it isn't a top to bottom success, there is something to be said for cinema of the world responding to H-town with such ambition and energy.  There are fewer subgenres that speak to a universal audience the way grand scale calamity does, and The Tower does its ample best to be one that not only speaks to a local audience, but to all. Once one surrenders onesself to it, it's big, loud, occasionally delirious fun. But studio pressures, derivative choices, and some real dearth of emotional involvement remain its greatest structural defects.

The Thieves (2012) Movie Review

Sometimes genre isn't merely a checklist of concepts tasked with reaching out to larger audiences, and is akin to a language that multiple diverse cultures must meet halfway upon in the name of a globalized populist cinema. In the last ten years alone, we have seen other countries rise to the challenge that Hollywood had long claimed domain, to occasionally classic-making results. So when we consider Dong-hoon Choi 's grand paean to the international heist comedy, it might come to no surprise that South Korea might very well be one of the last great bastions of movie scale outside of tentpole filmmaking. When a two mildly dysfunctional teams of professional thieves collaborate on a casino job for a one-of-a-kind diamond, matters are intensified by old flames, delicate bonds, and an ever complicated security arena. The Korean team, led by the younger and foolhardy Popie(Lee Jung-Jae), eager to prove themselves beyond mid-scale capers, and team Hong Kong, run by the smooth-natured, Chen (played to charismatic highs by HK favorite, Simon Yam), who's group contains its own idiosyncratic breaks in the armor seek a prized connection and mentor, whilst courting unprecedented danger levels with the addition of master thief. And while this simple premise is on the whole terribly familiar, much like the characters within the story, the secret to Thieves' blazing success lies in understanding the framework, technical chutzpah, and terrific ensemble.

Starting within an awkward comic setup involving a secretive art dealer's stash ( a con which will come heavily into play later), Popie and his crew show a quick flare for improvisation, but perhaps a tragic lack of grace. Popie's team consists of elder linguist and veteran, Chewingum(Kim Hae-Suk), ambitious cat burglar, Yenicall (Jeon Ji-hyun),  and cable assistant, Zampano (Kim Soo-Hyun) who find themselves capable, but have garnered something of a dangerous trail. Revealing something of a lack of foresight on the part of this weird cadre of career criminals, Popie receives a call from once penniless, but now legendary heister, Macao Park(Yun-seok Kim) in hopes of guaranteed success.  And with good timing as the authorities are practically knocking on Popie's door. So when the central hit involves a frightfully secure casino, and a plan to steal a jewel, only to sell it back to its owner - a notorious gangster, it really becomes a nasty rock & hard place scenario. So when Park also realizes that Popie has also tapped the newly released from parole Pepsee (Kim Hye-Soo), things are made even more unstable.

And the less we go into Chen's group, which includes only somewhat dependable talent such as Andrew(Oh Dai-su) , Johnny(Kwok Cheung Tsang), and a safe cracking legacy in Julie(Angelica Lee of The Eye fame), perhaps the better.


Right away, Choi's propensity for kinetics & humor confidently introduce us into the world, and makes no bones about this being little more than stylized fun. While stakes do in fact reveal themselves to be very real, a lot of it is done in a frenetic, decompression-happy manner where crap does in fact "get real", but is almost responded to with a sly gag or cool-headed display of sardonicism. Really more of a jazzed-up remix of his earlier hits, The Big Swindle, and Tazza: The High Rollers, Thieves is also quite eager to please in its attempts to match/surpass much of what has come before in the subgenre. The bulk of the film finds itself rather comfortable weaving and whisking in between the varied, and often dysfunctional characters, often revealing some satisfying dollops of complexity, even as the action ramps up to Mission Impossible levels at times.

Another exciting angle worth mentioning, it's the openness to a more globalized world that also makes Thieves stand out. With characters flippantly jostling between asian languages, the whole affair feels very much like how one would imagine an intricate spy or even futuristic science fiction novel. The diversity on display is not only inspiring but energizing for a glossy piece of escapist silliness. There's clearly a lot of effort being made on set to make this more than an Oceans knockoff, in fact, it seems far more involved than that series ever dared itself to be. It's perfectly comfortable in a contemporary world, and such a focus is kind of rare even now.  

Also worthy of major note, is the cinematography by Yeong-hwan Choi which takes impressive advantage of location shooting in Busan, Seoul, Macau & Hong Kong, which is often gorgeous, and evocative of the best caper films of the past. At times it feels more than ready to take on the Bond franchise, and could probably do with with simple ease.

Now where the film perhaps suffers a bit, it's perhaps in our lack of central emotional compass. It's no spoiler to declare much of the cast to be morally muddy, and that some of the more likeable characters do not see the final reel. But as this is a kind of almost classic Lupin III world that is bring portrayed here, it stands to reason that we are in a den of would-be anti-heroes, not necessarily working in the interest of the group. And yet somehow, Choi figures out ways to make us feel more than mere resentment for being around such a den of squabbling vipers for nearly two hours. In fact, there are moments interspersed within the action that are capable of leaving one perhaps even a little charmed. In classic caper fashion, there is always someone far worse watching from within plain sight, and it is here that the movie dares us to play the bad guy for a spell. He is having an opulent party at our moral expense, and it doesn't feel like a terribly steep price to pay.

Stoker (2013) Movie Thoughts

The instability of the opulent Stoker family is brought to a head after the death of the family's patriarch. With the family's one daughter, the quiet and fairly unusual India(Mia Wasikowska), and the emotionally fragile, previously distant mother, Evelyn (Nicole Kidman) now confronted with a reality that their loss has left in its wake, a deeply rooted tension. In the days of mourning to come, surprises come in the form of a long-never-known uncle (Matthew Goode), who has apparently come after years of being out of country, living the busy life of a jet-setter. And yet despite all this, nothing has ever been alright apparently. And they are about to get a whole lot worse as the extended-staying Uncle Charlie seems to not only have a bevy of terrible secrets, but the ladies of the house seem inextricably fascinated by him. And thus is the framework of Stoker, the US feature debut by the one and only Chan-Wook Park, who's films in South Korea have become relatively famous for not merely their visual panache, but of his attraction to some of humanity's most disconcerting behavior.

Taking cues from Hitchcock, and perhaps even Lynch, Park's big western first is an all-stops-gone hallucinogenic tribute to the classic Gothic Horror/Psychological Thriller, with mostly solid results. With a majority of the film centering on the life of the young India, we are immediately granted audience to her less than social tendencies, as well as her increasingly murky choices. Where most murder mysteries derive their juice from placing our protagonist in a place where the clues lead us to the guilty party, Stoker gets great mileage from playing us against ourselves as we are left willy-nilly with India & Evelyn, wondering where the proverbial shoes will drop. Within the first 30 minutes alone, the household, and all close parties from various corners of the family have been established as prime players in a mystery that isn't here to play nice. We are forced to fumble about in hopes of sympathy with our female leads as the ever-bizarre Charlie seems primed to close in on the estate, with deadly intent.

 Not sure I can go much further in discussing the film without elaborating a little on one of its shining elements; the character direction. For a piece that is pretty much a closed circle psychological game between three people, there is a surprising amount done in areas that perhaps screenwriter, Wentworth Miller (Under the name, Ted Foulke) might have gone light with. And in a work that is so packed with such visual punch, it's refreshing to again see Park grant his actors room to become characters that quietly burn deep where necessary.


As we are often witnessing the tale through the eyes of India, Wasikowska is a genuine find, as a unique girl wandering through a most awkward time of her life, and in need of some better grasp of this new world sans father. Already markedly quiet and strange, she is an embodiment of an era when the young are at the apex of their budding sexuality, which is flirted with from the getgo, especially via the uncle she never knew. And then adding a dash of inspirational ennui, the film is also a skewed "coming of age" tale, where our lead seems eager to find her path, but is finding herself endlessly stifled by perhaps her own inexperience. And she is already considered a pretty talented young lady. Whether it be playing the piano, or even painting, there is an ongoing question as to where this gilded cage is about to break. And in the guise of a classic mystery tale, with tropes ala Nancy Drew, the movie is unafraid to make us into voyeurs, thereby making us as suspect as anyone else. And Wasikowka's performance is that note perfect elaboration of that ambiguousness. We both pity her, and fear for her. But it simply isn't satisfied with stopping here, which is more than noteworthy.

Goode's Charlie is perhaps the film's most slyly challenging role, as the surface implies a lot less than is delivered in his expressions. While clearly something is in no way right with this guy, there's also this playful bent being taken with him as he slowly entrenches himself into the lives of the Stoker ladies, and it is a game that we discover has been long in the planning. His specific brand of malice is only matched by his unrelenting creepiness. (that damned stare)There is even this often crude sexual play that's at work early on that is subtle in its hilarity if one is looking for it. Park and Goode are aware of this particular mechanic, and play it to almost absurd extremes right off the bat. Park and Goode seem to know that this is all in the name of a larger series of swerves that come racing along in the third act. He's virtually a wolf in wolf's clothing, and that's especially tricky to play with.

And then there's Kidman's Evelyn. Even in a role that can be considered a distant third, there is a class and almost beautiful sense of the sad in her role that makes for a surprising punch come later. This is a woman who's entire marriage prior seems to have been another one not unlike a cage. Whether she be the wife of a wealthy fixture of the community, or a distant mother with one heck of a gulf to fill, there's a massive amount of tension to Kidman's presence that is hard to ignore. Even as the camerawork and lighting highlight what looks to be cosmetic work done in the real, it only adds to the whole by portraying a person imprisoned by her choices in life. A great deal of the storytelling again leaves us unsure whether to sympathize or not, and by design it is a potent choice. There is a speech near the finale that feels bare in ways we rarely see from such high profile names, and it delivers a much deserved gut punch to the proceedings.

So how did this one US debut come to be the almost complete home run that it is? Was surprised to discover right off the cuff that Park had powerful support as his prime producers on the film were none other by the Scott Brothers, Ridley & the late, great Tony. As staunch visualists, this is the kind of support few directors could ever dream of attaining, and Park goes for broke at nearly every opportunity, allowing the often thrilling cinematography by Park regular, Chung Chung-hoon to be seamlessly be intercut and weaved by way of often poetic use of CG. With the virtually isolated southern setting, and the surrounding green seemingly ready to envelope humanity regardless of the Stoker home and its enchantments on display, there is a neverending sense of deep unease that infiltrates every single scene. Even when certain elements such as India's classmates, local law enforcement and their behaviors, and the almost Twin Peaks-esque countryscapes give off the vibe of a world divisions away from our own, it is difficult to deny the hypnotics on display. And even when character decisions in the latter half range from puzzling to ludicrous, and character ages seem more than a little off, a sense of playful, coupled with an extreme, almost Kubrick-like confidence makes up for it in ways that may very well linger in the dream spaces for weeks.

It's very rare when the common themes of an artist from another culture is capable of translating themselves seamlessly in another language, and yet Stoker makes a case for that rarity with often cold, deceptive ease. Up to this point, many of Park's most effective works consider society's most frightening possibilities as great tests. His films tend to explore some of the darker characters, and asks why they may indeed require a stage of their own within of our general fabric. Not unlike cinematic rabblerousers such as Harmony Korine (who enjoys an interesting cameo here), he refuses to moralize or judge, and is more interested in the questions they pose than in any simple declarations. And even if the script isn't always up to the standards of the technical here, there is so much to consider about the American experience that is brought to the table. Finding beauty within the horrific is perhaps best expressed in visual arts such as museum works, and cinema. And for a film more about simmering, difficult notions rather than graphic gore, there are volumes of terrifying loveliness to be found in Stoker..

I Saw The Devil (2010) Review

After his fiancee(Oh San-ha) is horrifically attacked & eventually murdered by a psychopath (Choi Min-Sik) one snowy night, a secret service agent (Lee Byung-hun) with a few tips from his beloved's retired chief father, takes leave to embark on a mission of pure wrath upon the man responsible. And what we have as a result is possibly the end of the "Korean Revenge Film". Helmed with almost as much maniacal glee as the film's antagonist, South Korean genre-masher Kim Jee-Woon returns partially returns to his grit & grue roots as I Saw The Devil (Akmareul boattda) makes a go at a subgenre that perhaps never should have gone anywhere after the films of Chan-wook Park. But films such as Bong Joon-ho's spectacular MOTHER, and countless others have shown that there is indeed something that has been brewing within the South Korean consciousness that allows these films to both have the occasional deep impact, as well as resonate with so many beyond its shores. And aside from the obvious (nazis) what makes the most ideal moral pin cushion than a sleazy serial murderer, pray ask?

As Soo-hyun finally tracks down the villain (within the film's first 40 minutes, making the film seem to be working in reverse of the typical psycho thriller), and thwarts his attempts to claim another victim. The ensuing confrontation, while spectacular, ends with a twist leaving Soo-hyun able to track the suddenly-freed monster, Kyung-chul wherever he goes as well as hear his every word. Swearing that the killer's woes are merely beginning, the film in high gear takes on another element that I neglected to mention...the film is also a comedy. That's right. For those perhaps wincing at this idea must consider that director Jee-woon is no stranger to pitch-black comedy.(the criminally underseen Quiet Family was the inspiration for Takashi Miike's The Happiness Of The Katakuris. This also starred Min-Sik, whom I haven't seen this rotund since that 1998 debut for Jee-woon.) Even in the scenes prior to this game, the film is shameless in its willingness to make a shock gag. This is perhaps the film's most unexpected element considering the subject matter. Now again, even Park's films dabbled in the gallows for his films, but never to such a hyperbolic level. It becomes such a tonal tightrope act that goes for the establishment of a certain style, but it rarely works beyond the initial setup as Soo-hyun begins toying with the hapless Kyung-chul every time he attempts to prey on his instincts. At times, it only felt appropriate to call the film Cockblocker The Motion Picture, but considering international release, the title they settled on works just fine.

So in retrospect, the two mainstream H-town films I can quickly think of to compare with in regards to thematics, are the core ideas behind Chris Nolan's The Dark Knight, as well as Scorsese's rendition of Cape Fear (which is an obvious influence. Min-Sik's slicked back hair and flare for colorful shirts are a fun nod to DeNiro.). Asking the questions of how far can an ethically person go before one falls too deep into the abyss they obsessively are staring down, becoming something possibly worse than the problem that led them here. And in this equation, Soo-hyun is an interesting return performer for Jee-woon as he plays the film almost rail straight as a broken shell, an obsessed violence machine unable to come down from his despair. Even as his revenge seems to be making headway in finding the man responsible, it never becomes enough to just kill him. The game becoming almost like a drug. And with his training, gadgets, and his almost Jack Bauer-like veneer, it is almost as if Byung-hun is channeling a performance for a completely different film. Even as his at-one-time to be father-in-law, Police Squad Chief Jang (Jeon Kuk-hwan) and sister-in-law plead for Soo-hyun to stop all of this, there is clearly no end in sight for his designs. Now for a film so ready to tackle what can ostensibly be more challenging, and thought-provoking, the film opts to careen from rollercoaster bump to rollercoaster bump.

Granted, all of this is also obviously by design as his quarry in Min-sik is so unequivocally off-the-rails insane, that he in end sum is everything Soo-hyun can never be. Min-Sik, in his first major film in years embodies the beastly Kyung-chul with his expected energy and panache. He's part Max Cady, part Anton Chigurh, with the rest, pure Min-sik. The character has no qualms about who he hurts. And as the film tinkers with asking what made him this way, both Jee-woon and Min-sik go out of their way to keep us guessing, whether there is any reason there at all or not. He is a walking void of death & destruction. Even as our troubled protagonist struggles to find the one weak spot in order to generate the greatest pain from his prey, he is overlooking the obvious in ways that are meant to provoke what Jee-woon hopes to be the more rational audience.

The often common, antithetical argument intact, these revenge films reflect a sort of purging of years of unresolved strife, not to mention an unyielding hint of paranoia.

Which all would be fine, if this film seemed to know where it was headed. As things begin to heat up between our two, the film takes on a decidedly ultra-bleak comedic running gag that implies that in Jee-woon's world, Kyung-chul is far from the only sadistic murderer-type to roam the countryside. In one of the film's more truly jaw-dropping moments, this is established in no uncertain terms, and returns to this well soon after for a wildly unnecessary narrative cul-de-sac in an already drawn out second act. While all of this is beautifully executed by Jee-woon, and his crew, the film continually wants to not only have its cake and eat it, it wants the whole darn shop with it. By the finale, everything seems all too exhausted for any kind of satisfactory resolution. Perhaps this was intended, but it really feels like that second act really took the momentum out before any kind of home stretch. So we have a film that essentially blows its wad far too early, and leaves one ready to be done with these films. It really is time to move on.


                               Jee-woon, now considered an internationally recognized filmmaker of considerable talent, and almost hot off the success of his Raiders Of The Lost Ark meets The Man With No Name saga, The Good The Bad The Weird is now in a position to pretty much make any movie he wishes it seems.(my personal favorite still being A Tale Of Two Sisters) And the idea that THIS was the film he had in mind may only make one think of just how rough that previous shoot, and post period was. Because it's pretty clear from this film that a volcano of rage had been lying dormant for sometime, just itching for the moment to blow. It's the only way one can reconcile with what we have here. And before one imagines that I checked out with the film, or am ready to dismiss this as a completely sadistic misfire, I would like to remind folks that not too long ago I gave favorable reviews to several truly dark French horror films in the past. In fact, I occasionally enjoy a good endurance test. Nothing wrong with a good, ferocious gut-check once in a while. And while I Saw The Devil flirts with some of humanity's worst attributes to mixed results, it is still a technical triumph. Few films today feel as new as South Korea's, and Jee-woon's sandbox is a truly beauful sandbox- even if the box is littered with viscera & troubling ideas.

The Good, The Bad & The Weird (2008) Review

Upon first checking out the online spin concerning Kim Ji -Woon(A Tale Of Two Sisters)'s ode to retro-actioners & spaghetti westerns, a part of me leapt for joy as it truly felt logical that one of Korea's masters had what it took to breathe irreverent new life into these near-extinct genres. If Miike was to have a whale of a time with revamping the Django Western some years back, why couldn't it happen here? Part Leone tribute, part Balls-to-the-Wall Indiana Jones chase film, the film shifts chaotically between extremes in often times jarring fashion. Which isn't to say that The Good, The Bad, and The Weird is any kind of letdown, but rather that it is a matter of what one brings to the whole wacky affair.

In oh-so breakneck fashion, the film introduces the backdrop as 1930s Manchuria, a time when Korea's stake in the world stage was in doubt as Japan had begun to move deeper into the mainland, with many Koreans bandying for independence.(backdrop information which may, or may not affect viewers depending of their knowledge of this corner of history) Concerns for this have led to an increased number of displaced folk, seeking out their fortunes for varying reasons. And a potentially huge tip to fortune has just landed in the lap of a wealthy man eager to hire expert trackers to find it. The Macguffin in question is a map, leading to an unknown prize of considerable wealth. His separate hiring of black-clad gang leader, Chiang-Yi Park, and good guy bounty hunter, Park Do-Won lead the charge onto a busy cross-country train carrying Japanese banker Kanemaru, who's possession of this prize is key. Yet despite all this, it is the cunning antics of one Yoon Tae-goo that intercepts the map, and leaves both parties in hot pursuit.

To make matters worse, the fracas on the train has grabbed the attention of Mongolian groups, prize hunters, and inevitably the Japanese Imperial Forces in a nonstop race for the map. Just what is this map? And just how far are people willing to go for it?

Lee Byung-hun's twisted, Chiang-yi is a classic egoist, ready to plunder and kill all who stand between him and his reputation, an instant Achilles heel that works like an unstable powder keg. And Jung Woo-Sung portrays the Man-With-No-Name archetype with a sort of lost -soul that while appropriate is given a short shrift. But it is Song Kang-ho that comes off triumphantly in this film. In what easily could have been modeled into a Lee Remick impersonation, Kang-ho's schleppy charm becomes the film's bonding element. Part likeable loser, part danger to himself and others, Yoon Tae-goo is a man of considerable secrets that truly shows his stuff when in the most intense of situations.

And intensity is perhaps the word to utilize when thinking of TGTB&TW's strengths. Where the film sort of stumbles in the exposition/character development department, it truly excels in some truly exceptional action sequences. From the early shootout set-piece within a shanty marketplace, it is pretty clear where Ji-Woon is most comfortable. The editing, and stunt-work there are among some of the very best I've seen in years. (there are shots in there that truly rival manga imagery) And then the final chase sequence using a multitude of horses, motor vehicles, and artillery fire must be seen to be fully comprehended. In an age of digital cinema, it is nice to see a large-scale production embrace a true sense of danger. About the only gripe I could share in these areas are some of the musical choices that for me, feel forced and dare I say it, unimaginative for such impressive everything else. It is a crippling would in what could easily have been a landmark scene.

But alas, the weaknesses don't really end here. Even if the film intends to throw us into the fray, it's still important to let viewers in on what is truly at stake by giving us a little more character early on in the film. Instead, we are subject to what I can only call Bay-isms, where the audience is subject to montages of information with little or no true cohesiveness toward our characters objectives. It isn't until nearly into an hour into the film that we are given just enough to care about our leads before the grinder is switched on to high. And even if non-Korean viewers were likely not intended, it would still help the multitudes of viewers whom many of these homages were paid respect to.


It is almost apparent that the film's primary concern was the action, with the script's meditations on the spirit of displaced countrymen taking a grudging backseat because where this film truly flies is when all thrusters are on full, leaving us to charge along in the chase, hoping to cash in on all the dizzy fun. This all ends in a denouement that quite frankly should have been more focused than it is. I'm also of the understanding that multiple endings resulted. In some way, this reflects quite appropriately to my initial statement. TGTB&TW is not unlike our leads, longing for more, striving for glory, only to come back with what they themselves have brought to the journey.