Tweekums
Lee Byeong-gu is convinced that aliens from the Andromeda galaxy are living amongst us and are planning something dastardly to coincide with an upcoming eclipse. He is believes that Kang Man-shik, the head of a multinational conglomerate, is the aliens' representative on Earth so, with the help of his childlike girlfriend, he kidnaps the man and takes him to his remote home. Here he proceeds to torture the man to try to force him to put him in contact with the Andromedan leader. While this is going on the police are searching for Kang Man-shik and make a link to other disappearances.This film is definitely bizarre; it is clearly a comedy with its strange set up and frequent ridiculous moments but it also has the power to shock. While the torture isn't too graphic most of the time there are disturbing moments... often as we see what Lee Byeong-gu plans to do next. The design of the room where Man-shik is held adds to the disturbing feel; especially after we see remains of previous victims. Ha-kyun Shin does a fine job as Byeong-gu; making the character sympathetic even though he is clearly dangerously insane. Yun-shik Baek also impresses as the naturally terrified and perplexed Man-shik. The tension rises nicely as the film approaches its surreal conclusion. This film certainly won't be for everybody but I'd certainly recommend it for those looking for something rather different.
tbaltmail
Is it a Crime Drama? - Well, Yes... and No.
Is it Torture Porn? - Well, Yes... and No.
Is it Science Fiction? - Well, Yes... and No.
Is it a Comedy? - Well, Yes... and No.
Throw in a bit of blunt social commentary, a contrived love story and some bits lifted from famous movies (2001 and Close Encounters), and you have a recipe for a mish-mash which isn't going to hang together and satisfies no-one..... But somehow it does all (mostly) work, delivering an engaging movie that's more than the sum of it's parts. None of the disparate main elements particularly dominate the film at the expense of the others, which makes this impossible to pigeon-hole into one dominant genre..... Great entertainment, provided you aren't put off by the "Torture Porn" element.....
MartinHafer
WARNING--THIS MOVIE CONTAINS EXTREME VIOLENCE AND BLOODSHEDI really wanted to love this movie. After all, it has one of the most inventive plots I have ever seen--a man is convinced that there are invaders from Andromeda and he kidnaps the highest-ranking one of them! The problem, though, is late in the film this quirky comedy becomes a giant bloodbath! You find out this crazy but likable kidnapper had killed and dismembered a dozen others AND the movie itself becomes unrelentingly violent and bloody! The gore level is so high, that I have great reservations recommending you watch it--kids should definitely NOT watch the film. And that's really too bad, as the performances are excellent and the story takes so many delightful twists and turns--especially with the amazing ending to the film. With a re-editing and getting rid of the gratuitous gore, it could have easily scored a 10. I would really love to see this movie remade with this in mind.
scobbah
Now this is something different, that is one thing I can assure you. I didn't know what to expect from this piece. So let's start somewhere. If you like original movies, this one qualifies! It is a weird (but good) mix of different genres here, and all in all it is one superb hybrid film. It has it what it takes to keep you focused, changing rapidly between some more thriller/horror moments and all of a sudden there is a large dose of a more comedy touch - all blended with a feeling of sci-fi. Ha-Kyun Shin makes a superb performance here, and you develop some kind of hate-love for his character. South Korea keeps supplying us with great movies, and here's a solid 8/10. If you like "Oldboy" and familiar stuff, I bet you will like this one. At least give it a try.
AD
