This baby originated in South Korea. The title can be misleading and even repelling, but after being tipped off to this one after watching
Day of the Beast, then watching it - I was enamored. It's not a documentary spoon-cramming radical ideas of environmentalism into your face, no. This is a horror / sci fi / black comedy(despite what the trailer suggests) w/ a few violent and "oh shit" moments.
As with
Day of the Beast, you constantly ask yourself throughout the duration of the movie "Hmm Is this the reality the main character is claiming or is he a delusional wackjob...?" And even after the credits of
Day of the Beast rolled... I scratched my head. But I do have my own concrete take on that movie now. That's what counts - my own interpretation. This one, on the other hand differs, as it offers an explanation and reveals the truth. I don't consider that a spoiler, I'm just stating that it isn't a movie that leaves you hanging(well, I guess it could).
Byeong-gu is a very disturbed young man, and we can see this in his from the start. His belief is that aliens are indeed inhabiting Earth, but are disguised as humans and walk amongst us. His number one suspect is his boss(Kang Man-shik), a man on the top of the hierarchy of some business, I forget the profession. Byeong-gu has a seemingly "special" girlfriend(Su-in), who is a carnie/ tightrope-walker... and she plays with dolls. Anyways she is truly devote to her "honey"(he is a beekeeper up in the mountains, btw) and remains his accomplice through and through after they kidnap his boss. They take him to their mountain home / hideaway and keep him in a very hidden area below the building. Then, the series of tests begin... the tests that will ultimately decide whether or not Kang Man-Shik is an extra terrestrial or not. Behind the scenes, the powerful man's disappearance is being looked into. I dunno if I was just too stoned when I was watching this or what, but some of these scenes made me kinda wince. That's all I'll say about the film. It's just really f'ing well made, and a debut from a filmmaker I know nothing about... I should look into him. In addition to all these genres, crossed - there is much sympathy you can only inevitably direct towards the captive and then Byeong-gu, as we see how his past had caused his breakdown. I found myself with mixed emotions and towards the end, I couldn't help but feel a bit saddened... The overall message of this film is a bleak one... and it depicts Earth dead on the mark.
4 stars out of 5
Trailer(The trailer music is not right, and doesn't fit the mood of the film):
December 1st, 2008, 02:07 AM
Save the Green Planet!(Jigureul jikyeora!)(2003)
Hybrid Mode
