Korean Thrillers: Sympathy for Mr Vengeance

As I’ve previously acknowledged, South Korea has become a hub for the best thrillers of the last decade, and continuously puts Hollywood to shame with its sheer determination and no-nonsense approach. I’ve already talked about the likes of Oldboy, The Chaser and I Saw The Devil. So over the next week (or so) I’m going to bring a couple more to your attention: 

Sympathy for Mr Vengeance (Park Chan-wook, 2002) 

The first of the “Vengeance Trilogy” (Oldboy and Lady Vengeance), Sympathy for Mr Vengeance perfectly demonstrates not only director Park Chan-wook’s infamous talent, but the narrative structures and thematic approaches within the genre. Deaf-mute Ryu (Ha-kyun Shin) is determined to do anything to save his dying sister’s life. Shady dealings and losing his job, he’s desperate to find the money for her kidney transplant. Subsequently, he and his terrorist girlfriend Yeong-mi attempt to kidnap the daughter of his previous boss Park Dong-jin (Kang-ho Song). What ensues is a compelling and fierce tale of revenge, flawed personalities and sheer emotional power. 


What’s clear and clever with Park Chan-wook’s story-telling is the constant battle over the audience’s sympathy towards his characters. Here we understand Ryu’s desire to save his ill sister and the barriers he’ll break in order to succeed. Yet we also understand Dong-jin’s path of violence and determination to find his daughter, and his rather barbaric reaction towards the events in the final third of the film. It’s truly a marvel of writing and directing that persistently creates a film that remains utterly compelling and intense. Meanwhile, Park also perfectly mixes the uncompromising nature of Sympathy’s themes and reality with moments of charm and humour that manage to develop the characters and give further weight to the ensuing drama. With great performances, great cinematography and great writing, if you’ve watched Oldboy or haven’t, then Sympathy for My Vengeance is a perfect addition or place to start in the genre of the “Korean thriller” .

Moonrise Kingdom Review

Moonrise Kingdom 

Before this review gets torn to shreds, I’d like to make it clear that I’ve never had the same affinity towards Wes Anderson as so many have. This is not to say I don’t enjoy his films. To the contrary, I’ve really enjoyed the likes of Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and Fantastic Mr Fox. However watching an Anderson film is a very different experience than your typical piece of cinema. There’s a uniqueness to his style of film-making, mixing charming tales with surrealism and quirkiness, all under a veneer of vibrant colours and fitting soundtracks. Moonrise Kingdom has been celebrated by critics and fans. And while it sticks to the typical Anderson methodology of cinema, it leaves a rather unfulfilled and mixed taste that lacks the flowing dynamics of charm and attachment that his previous works excel at. 

Set in 1965, the plot follows young lovers Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) and Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) escaping from their . A search party is launched by Local Sheriff Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) and Scout Master Randy Ward (Ed Norton). What ensues is an adventure and snowballing tale that reveals the determination of the couple to escape their dysfunctional and troubled lives, in which they find solace in each other’s company. The narrative is straight-forward, commenting on usual themes of Anderson’s dramas. It’s a cute “coming-of-age” and strangely mature drama helmed by a young lead cast that progresses nicely through the first act. However where the eccentricity, obscurity and bouts of surrealism worked in his previous films, here it lacks that infused charm consequently coming across more awkward than endearing. Maybe this is linked to the fact that the “young actors” portraying mature lovers angle gets rather too brash. And while many will say “adorable”, it instead becomes too ambitious and uncomfortable. Another problem is that the film’s humour never transcends from the uncanny events and the few sparks of creative and comedic writing. Sure there are chuckles, but nothing especially amusing. 

The ensemble cast for the most part is pitch perfect, in particular Bruce Willis and Edward Norton. Each performance has a distinct personality that works well with the high points of the inconsistent script. Yet with such a strong collection of talent, the likes of Bill Murray, Frances McDormand and the cameo appearances from Tilda Swinton and Harvey Keitel’s never really resonant past the simple joy of their presence. Meanwhile, Kara Hayward’s debut is undeniably overshadowed by Jared Gilman’s confident and quirky performance, that while is essential to his character, fails to meld and build the enchanting chemistry with Hayward’s quietness. The rest of the child actors do surprising well, creating a dramatic energy that blends well with the fantastic look of the film. 

Stylistically, Moonrise Kingdom retains the visual motifs of Anderson’s usual colourful and lively palette. With sepia tones, vibrant yellows and reds, it never seises to amaze me the simplistic impact of just turning up the brightness and the colour saturation. It’s a beautiful film that definitely strikes a cord from the greys and gritty look of the majority of modern cinema. Anderson’s typical camerawork is here, with long pans and superbly framed shots that have an absorbing quality with intricate details and stylistic choices. Meanwhile the soundtrack channels folk and French tunes from the 60s and 70s, and works well with the romantic and poetic nature of the film, even without the usual Kinks’ track. 

Overall this is a very Wes Anderson film. The cast, the art direction and cinematography are the usual fantastic standard we’ve seen from his celebrated filmography and it works well in Moonrise Kingdom. However the narrative feels rather weak and coupled with the spotty script, never creates the persistent charm and humour we’ve come to expect. In the end, Moonrise never grabbed me. It became a persistently flat, and tedious affair. Disappointing. 

6/10 

Prometheus Review

Prometheus (2012) 

Alien has long been the pinnacle of “sci-fi” and “horror” cinema. With amazing production design, interesting characters and an intense atmosphere, Ridley Scott created a film that reinvigorated a genre that was dwindling in ludicrous serial killers and rotting zombies. James Cameron’s Aliens treaded into the action genre as a thoroughly entertaining, if not slightly too over-the-top addition to the franchise. Meanwhile David Fincher’s Alien3 and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Alien Resurrection were panned by the critics and also the fans. Prometheus stands as the prequel to the Alien franchise. Being heavily pushed via an impressive viral and marketing campaign, the question of whether it was going to live up to the hype was always in the back of fans’ minds. And while it succeeds as a piece of visually stunning “sci-fi” cinema, some major flaws hold it back from being a well-rounded experience.

The story itself isn’t vastly complex. Set in 2089, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Dr. Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) have discovered a series of similar paintings depicting humanity’s creators in a number of ancient civilisations. An expedition is launched, funded by the Weyland Corporation, to the moon LV-223 in order to investigate the so-called “Engineers”. Not long after landing in 2093, they find themselves in the presence of something far less friendly. Prometheus, on the surface, is a simple “exploration gone bad” narrative that we’ve seen numerous times. However it tries to adds a level of sophistication and intellectual intricacy through its philosophical undercurrent and Dr. Shaw’s ties to “faith” and “God”, that all feels convoluted and almost too forced. Meanwhile Prometheus’ prequel status definitely undermines Scott’s ability to truly explore and invest in these new characters and narrative points. Instead it feels as though there was a checklist of objectives that need to be fulfilled in order for it to fit within the franchise, which similarly hindered the recent remake of The Thing.

Yet the overall pacing of the film is fast and intense. Scenes flow well and manage to create a persistent atmosphere of tension and exhilaration. It’s quite ironic then that the overall length is slightly short. Prometheus needs another 20-30 minutes to further develop its characters and for the audience to truly immerse themselves into the film and grow an attachment to these personalities. Speaking of which, Michael Fassbender’s performance as the crew’s android is simply superb and definitely the standout. There’s a subtle ambiguity towards his motives and actions that is shrouded by his almost creepy voice and interactions. Meanwhile Noomi Rapace’s delivery is questionable as her accent never really settles, but as a whole she does pretty well. The same can be said about Charlize Theron and Idris Elba, but the whole cast is unarguably hurt by a lack of dialogue, and the poor quality of what’s there. Their interactions are short and quick, never indulging in conversations that add emotional depth and intrigue. Thus their demises, however graphic, and violent never really hit home. 

One thing that is immediately evident is that Prometheus is simply gorgeous to look at. The special effects artists and set designers deserve a hell of a lot of credit in their construction of the surroundings and the environments. From the holographic interfaces to the interiors of the Prometheus and the alien temple structure, the high production values are undeniably present throughout the runtime. While nitpickers will question the technological advancement of the Prometheus over the Nostromo (Alien) or LV-426 (Aliens), there’s a cinematic sophistication to each scene’s visual composition. Similarly, the film’s score is a rich blend of tones from Jerry Goldsmith’s original score for Alien and  synthesised and industrial notes. It’s definitely a film that looks and sounds fantastic. 

In conclusion, Ridley Scott’s latest is a highly entertaining piece of “sci-fi” cinema that’s visually stunning to watch. However the narrative inconsistencies and the lack of character development truly hurt the film. It seems that for everything Prometheus does right, there’s a problem that mars the experience. I personally would question whether Prometheus should have been separated from the Alien franchise, thus allowing the freedom to explore and even transcend the boundaries of the “sci-fi” genre. But we'll never know. 

7/10

Our Audio Review: http://lights-camera-critic.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/respawningcouch-podcast-audio-review.html

RespawningCouch Podcast: Audio Review: Prometheus

This week: Jack and James review the highly anticipated "Sci-fi" film Prometheus

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(Written review will be up shortly)

RespawningCouch Podcast: Episode 20: Skyfall, Anchorman 2 and Max Payne 3

This knackering week: Jack and Nick discuss the new James Bond Trailer and the Anchorman 2 Teaser. Then go onto discuss Max Payne 3 and Korean Thrillers.

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The Raid Review

The Raid

Every now and then a film gets released that blurs the boundaries between simply enjoying it and evaluating it. Do you rate it solely on your enjoyment? Or do you analyse each structural element and come to a rational judgement? Welsh director Gareth Evans’ Indonesian “block-buster” The Raid happens to be that film. Simply put, The Raid is a turbo-charged, violent and magnificent piece of action cinema, that while light on narrative and character development, brings a well needed revamp to the stodgy grounds the genre has found itself on.

The story is simple. Set in an apartment complex in the slums of Jakarta, a SWAT team have been set the task to infiltrate the “safe house” where drug dealers, gangsters and murderers reside. Their objective is to arrest Tama (Ray Sahetapy), the most notorious of the bunch. But little do they know, it’s a trap! Narratively speaking,The Raid is barebones. Evans clearly hasn’t invested a considerable amount of time in the construction of a complex plot with rich characters and ground-breaking Indonesian dialogue. To be brutally honest, apart from the revelations during the course of its runtime, the film’s premise is pretty much summed up in the ‘Mission Briefing’ scene, or even in the title. Meanwhile the minor semblances of character development are conveyed in 2 minute introductions that loosely define each personality. For example, our hero Rama (Iko Uwais) gets a “suit up” montage and kisses his pregnant wife goodbye in the opening sequence. Similarly shallow, the villain Tama’s entrance is through his brutal execution of 4 men, which sets the tone for the entire film. Undeniably there’s not a lot of substance, and what is there is rather cliché. But that’s not the film’s paramount concern.

The Raid is first and foremost an action film, and this is where it undoubtably excels. Evans showcases some of the most impressive fight choreography of the last decade, in which every sequence attempts to surpass the previous one. The Indonesian martial arts of Pencak Silat is a breathtaking and brutal blend of bone-fracturing hits and sheer vigour, that constantly highlight the inadequacies of its mere mortal audience. Coupled with shootouts and some of cinema’s most intense knife-fights, The Raid is savage in its approach to astonish and entertain.

Alongside the stunt-team, a lot of credit has to go to cinematographer Matt Flannery and Evans himself in the general direction and editing of the film. While the “shaky-cam” approach unfortunately weaves its way into a few of the brawls, a range of camera angles and techniques bring a dynamic nature and flow to each segment. Meanwhile slow motion is thankfully limited to one-off moments and therefore allows the film to remain at its constant breakneck pace. The visual and audio composition of The Raid isn’t as artistically compelling, but manages to convey the film’s gritty and aggressive personality. The blank sets and enclosed locations frame and focus the action perfectly, while providing a bleak and surprisingly intimidating atmosphere. The audio design is exceptionally punchy and fearsome in its endeavour to make every punch and stab feel vicious and forceful. Simultaneously, the film’s score by Mike Shinoda and Joe Trapanese successfully captures the fast-paced nature of the onscreen violence, though it’s nothing particularly special.

Overall The Raid is a visceral, ferocious and highly entertaining piece of action cinema. Gareth Evans has created a film with a brutal temperament and with the sole aim of blowing the audience’s minds! If The Raid is to be judged on story, characters, and script then it would fall dramatically short. But as an action film, then without a doubt this is one of the best of the last decade.

9/10 

(Originally written for Impact Magazine: 20/5/12)

Have No Fear

Readers,

A few exams are coming up, so I'm taking a break from blogging (as usual). Don't fear, I'll be writing a segment on my last of the "month's" favourite films in the next couple of weeks. And then I think Korean cinema will be on the menu, seen as though I've recently watched a bunch. And my written review of The Raid (go see it). Meanwhile the next episode of RespawningCouch will be next week.

Thanks for reading as always. Over and Out.

Jack