#silmido

January 1968, 31 members of North Korean Special Unit 124 infiltrated South Korea with the ultimate mission of attacking the Blue House (Presidential Palace in Korea) and assassinating President PARK Chung-hee. When KIM Shin-jo, the only member who was captured alive, was asked “What was the purpose of infiltration?” on a live TV program, he shouted “I came to slit the throat of President PARK Chung-hee!” and made the whole country’s blood run cold. At the same time, In-chan escapes the death penalty for being an accessory to a crime when he accepts an unexpected proposal from Jae-hyun, a general at Silmido H.I.D. Project and is transported to Silmido Special Unit. Silmido Special Unit is a unit composed of dysfunctional social outcasts and criminals under the death or life sentences. Sang-pil and Won-hee are also among the members of this unit. When they arrive at the island, Jae-hyun gives them the classified national duty, which is to explode the North Korean presidential palace and behead KIM Il-sung, the North Korean president. It is a retaliatory project. To its all 31 members, it is the ultimate patriotic mission with pride and loyalty; and it is the only chance they have to start a new life that is promised once the mission is successfully accomplished. With their hopes and promising vision, they survive through the most hellish inhumane ‘killing’ training and are reborn as human armories. They are the human killing machines, with strong comradeship and respect for each other. Finally, the day arrives and they receive an order from the head office to carry out the mission. With their supreme confidence, they depart for the North. However, the project is suddenly revoked and they return to Silmido with much discouragement and stress. After then, the hellish training continues but, there is no more mission. The psychological frustration and physical tolerance start to reach their limits. And soon, the members start to lose their focus and unity. In order to regain complete control of the unit, the head office performs public executions of its own members. Meanwhile in 1970, with growing nationwide peacemaking movement between the North and the South, the government quickly decides to demolish Silmido Special Unit and executes all its members…

Another set of reviews!  Here we go....

The first film I had a chance to watch was "Silmido" (2003) from Kang Woo-Suk.

This South Korean film from the director of "Moss" (2010) (from my previous review) is based on a true story following a group of death row convicts assembled to assassinate North Korean president Kim Il-Sung in exchange for pardon.  Taking place in the late 60's, shorty after the failed attempt by the North to assassinate South president Park Chung-hee, the convicts are transferred to Silmi Island and forced to endure rigorous training.  Both physically and psychologically strenuous, several of the 31 men do not survive the harsh conditions of the camp.  As the years pass, these men become fearless bloodthirsty soldiers and for the guards of the camp, they become much more difficult to contain.  The men are eager to begin their mission, but to their dismay, are forbidden without reason.  The passing of time has lead to changed conditions politically and it appears that it is no longer in South Korea's interest to assassinate Kim Il-Sung, so the men remain stranded on an island with no end in sight.  When the order is given to close the camp and remove all traces of the unit's existence, this creates an emotional showdown between the prisoners and the soldiers that conditioned them.  The bond that was created must now be broken and the prisoners revolt, making their way to the mainland and causing havoc on the streets with no plan to survive.  While the official reason for the actual revolt was unknown, the film attempts to give a reasonable explanation which surviving guards of the camp seem to agree with.  While the film does take these convicts on the typical boot camp journey of most war films, the real story is the psychological toll taken by this form of training.  These men were set to be executed, waiting in prison knowing their death is eminent.  Given a chance to survive, they merely move to a second prison, one in which they are dehumanized and filled with the need to kill, while awaiting what will likely be a mission to their death.  It is not about the act of dying, but the waiting that takes its toll.  To know you are awaiting your death, but not allowed to die, is like a carrot hanging just out of reach.  It is not something they desire, but at least it will free them from such cruel conditions.  While this film feels much more dated than it should, the story was very interesting and certainly was an important one in Korea, with the death of these men and their existence being acknowledged in 2006, after the release of this film.  It is worth a view if you have the time.

The next film I caught was "Shinobi: Heart Under Blade" (2005) from Ten Shimoyama.

This Japanese film billing itself as a Romeo and Juliet tale meets The X-Men, is one that I have wanted to watch for some time.  Unfortunately, Netflix only offered the dubbed version.  While I disagree that The X-Men have any real influence on this film other than that the characters have unique abilities, it is clearly yet another version of Romeo and Juliet.  Two Shinobi warriors of rival clans live under the rule of Lord Hattori Hanzou in the 1600's.  They fall in love, but the centuries of animosity among the clans keeps them apart.  Fearing that the clans will destroy the peace of his land, Hanzou's adviser develops a plan to escalate the violence so that the Shinobi warriors will kill each other off.  While I did enjoy the story and felt it was unique in it's portrayal of this overused story, I did have some issues that left the film a bit disappointing.  For one, the CGI in some parts is really awful and the movements of the characters look too much like a cartoon.  I can forgive that, but I can't help but feel the quality of the story did merit more effort in that department.  My other complaint was the dubbing which is just unfair to any film.  Some anime can get by with it but live action films should not be dubbed as it ruins the film.  Many may disagree and that is fine because I'm sure that many people may not bother to watch the film if not for dubbing, but I wish the option was at least available.  I really want to watch the DVD to see if I will enjoy the film more the way it was meant to be.

The next film I caught was "Ichi" (2008) from Fumihiko Sori.

Yet another film ruined by a dubbed only option on Netflix, "Ichi" is a Japanese film attempting to revitalize one of the most popular characters in all of Japan.  With more films than James Bond (recently announced to be released by The Criterion Collection in a stunningly beautiful box set), including a 100 episode television series, Zatoichi is a blind swordsman made in the image of one of Akira Kurosawa's most iconic films "Yojimbo" (1961).  For those unaware of the importance, Sergio Leone, the godfather of the Spaghetti Western, remade "Yojimbo" with Clint Eastwood as "A Fistful of Dollars" (1964), the first in the Man with No Name series, ending with one of the greatest films ever made, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" (1966).  As a child, my earliest exposure to this character was Usagi Yojimbo, a comic character that was a samurai rabbit who occasionally showed up in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics as a crossover character.  I feel that it is important to understand just how iconic this character is when disusing this film as it clearly has influence upon American culture without many knowing it.  In this version, Ichi is searching for her master, the real Zatoichi.  She travels with her shamisen after being raped and exiled, finding herself in a village ruled by the yakuza that is at war with a group of bandits.  The stylized cinematography and graphic violence is nothing beyond other samurai films from recent years, but is certainly a way to differentiate from the films of the 60's.  The main complaint from reviews seems to be that this film is unfairly compared to the Zatoichi films, yet on its own merit the film is generally enjoyed by many.  Therefore if you are a film fan and require consistency, then this new take may seem a bit sour, but if you are unfamiliar with the Zatoichi series, then hopefully you will enjoy this film and it will entice you to seek out the other films as they will soon be readily available for viewing.  If anything, at least you will have some useless pop culture knowledge for trivia night.

The next film up was "Four Brothers" (2005) from John Singleton.

Four troubled youths raised by a foster mother are reunited years later after their mother is murdered in a convenient store robbery.  Having gone their separate ways, the men attempt to reestablish their bond while discussing the difficulty of avoiding their troubled pasts.  While one of the brothers has attempted to stay straight, the others have revenge on their mind, taking it upon themselves to find the men that committed the crime.  The more they learn, the more they find that the murder was no random act of violence.  The mystery behind the set up points to any number of suspects including cops, gang leaders and even one of the brothers.  The closer they come to the truth, the more danger they place themselves in.  I was a bit torn by this film because though it was interesting enough to want to know what happens, the film felt very formulaic.  Some scenes are beyond reason and feel out of place including a violent shootout that leaves several people dead, and yet the cops are practically non existent.  However, this is not meant to be a film that depends on reason, it is meant to be mindless entertainment and to that end it is successful.  Mark Wahlberg again plays himself, phoning it in like he often does with films that do not seem to challenge him.  The only reason he seems to get away with it time and again is because he is a likable guy and people do not mind watching him be himself.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not, this time it just so happens to work.  While I enjoyed the film, it really hinges on your preference of the actors and if you dislike Wahlberg then this film will most likely be a waste of time.  It is not horrible but it is not great, just somewhere in the middle and you can't help but feel it should have been better.  John Singleton had a great start to his career with "Boyz n the Hood" (1991) but it seems like his last few films have been uninspired, so perhaps that inspiration is what was lacking from this whole production.  Lastly, if you are interested in watching Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" (2013), you may not be familiar with Chiwetel Ejiofor.  He has a fairly solid filmography, but you should not expect the same kind of performance in that film.  Here, he plays a gang leader and his character is just awful.  The dialogue is poor and his acting feels like it is in need of direction.  He is certainly better than this film suggests and this role should not deter you from "12 Years a Slave".

The next film I watched was "2046" (2004) from one of my favorites, Wong Kar-Wai.

This semi-sequel to the masterpiece "In the Mood for Love" (2000) follows Chow Mo-wan after the end of that film.  In what is perhaps critically Wong Kar-Wai's most polarizing film, this is no mere sequel.  The linear structure of its predecessor is absent, instead choosing to alternate from reality to the story that is being written by Chow Mo-won.  Though his story takes place in a future world, 2046 is a myriad of elements from his past that haunt him to no end.  It is not necessary to see "In the Mood for Love" to follow this story, but the true meaning of this film will be lost on the audience.  Also, it really helps to catch all of the references made to that movie, including the title of which is the apartment number of a lost love.  This film is filled with an emotion that only intensifies with understanding.  Chow Mo-won wears a shell to mask the person he once was and without knowing his past in greater detail, his character becomes less sympathetic.  The ending to "In the Mood for Love" is what makes that film so powerful and respected, and this film touches on that ending so it may ruin that for anyone who is yet to see it.  As Chow Mo-won whispers his secret into the hole of a Buddhist temple and covers it with mud, he believes he will be free from the burden of that secret, but that is clearly not the case.  The beginning of "2046" attempts to describe the story he is writing, claiming that 2046 is a place where people go to reclaim lost memories because nothing has changed, but only one man has ever returned from it.  2046 is a lot like the hole in which Chow Mo-won buried his secret.  Those memories and that burden are meant to be taken away to a mythical place and this allows him to pursue a new life.  But his womanizing and fraternization with prostitutes has turned him cold and emotionless, a constant reminder that relationships will only lead to pain.  He may have returned from 2046, but he left the most important part of himself behind.  Be it his heart, his soul, or his state of mind, he is merely a clone of his former self and his present situation forbids him from moving forward with his life.  He looks forward to the future, but not a future in his present state, but rather a future reminiscent of his past in which he can retrieve his former self and learn to love again, but to do so, he must reclaim what he left behind which is trapped in 2046, or the hole in the temple.  Reopening that door is like reopening a wound with no guarantee it will heal.  This is by far Wong Kar-Wai's most challenging film, but it is also his most thought provoking.  While I am of the opinion that this film is brilliant, some feel it devalues his previous work as these were characters that did not need further exploration.  A few weeks back I posted an review for "The Grandmaster" (2013) in which an interview with Christopher Doyle said he and Wong Kar-Wai realized that "2046" felt pointless, that they had said everything they needed to with "In the Mood for Love" and that this film was not necessary.  While it does explore similar themes that have spanned through their careers, "2046" feels something like a relationship of its own.  After working so hard and reaching the pinnacle of their careers, there was nowhere to go but down.  I would argue that it was a minuscule dip, but regardless, with the success and accreditation "In the Mood for Love" received during the five years before release, "2046" feels like a rebound in a relationship.  It may have been difficult to do, but it had to be done, and it had to be different from anything else while still feeling familiar.  Perhaps Wong Kar-Wai, much like Chow Mo-won, was longing for the past every bit as much while looking forward to the future.

The next film I watched was Martin Scorsese's "Bringing Out the Dead" (1999).

Martin Scorsese may be one of the most known film directors with a body of work that speaks for itself, but I have always felt that aside from a few select films, a majority of his work is ignored or forgotten.  With "Kundun" (1997) and "Bringing Out the Dead" falling into that category, these films were released between "Casino" (1995) and "Gangs of New York" (2002).  This eight year period seemed like a lull in his career and I feel that since the release of "Gangs of New York", he has reached new levels of popularity with each subsequent film receiving a great deal of attention.  Of course, it does help that he has won an Oscar during that period, and that Leonardo DiCaprio has become his new muse.  Looking through his filmography, this seems to be a recurring trend, releasing films that are known and praised with several less successful experimental films in between.  "Bringing Out the Dead" is one of those strange films that feels like it is not all together, but somehow it seems to work that way.  This was not a very well received film, and understandably so, but I can't help but feel that the disjointedness of it seemed to add to Nicolas Cage's character Frank Pierce.  Pierce, a burnt out paramedic in Manhattan, struggles with the darkness of the city that surrounds him.  He has not saved a life in months and he is having PTSD after his failure to save a young girl.  In his sleep deprived state, he drives an ambulance around town, playing witness to the loss of humanity that roams the streets.  People are like animals, preying upon each other, while the ones that are mentally ill are sympathetic at one end because they are so mistreated by the doctors, yet are a nuisance at the same time for their constant need for attention without actually being physically ill.  The position of mental and physical ailment is under constant scrutiny by Pierce, never seeming sure of himself on how to judge these patients.  Part of the reason is because he feels that his own physical and mental state are in jeopardy.  Each day he tells his boss he quits, and his boos shrugs it off claiming he promises to fire Pierce tomorrow.  This is a system of chaos from a governing structural level to a societal level and there is no good or bad guy to blame.  This is simply how the world works and Pierce can only attempt to find his place in it.  His only method to cope with such harsh conditions is to search for a deeper spiritual meaning.  Not through the church, but through the spirits of the victims.  He hallucinates with visions of the spirits of the dead leaving the bodies because they do not with to stay on earth.  How can he blame them when he has seen so much tragedy.  With partners like Tom Wolls (played by Tom Sizemore) who is borderline insane, it's obvious that this is an epidemic that affects all of the EMT's and not Pierce alone.  The two strap in their ambulance and ride off in an array of flashing lights and unfitting music as if on a path to the depths of hell.  Part of the criticism for this film is the lack of a narrative and the odd choices of music.  This film streams along without any real point or message, but part of the oddity in this film blends well with the characters.  It is alienating to watch and this uncomfortable perspective is just a day in the life of the disheartened Pierce.  If only he could save a life, then just maybe he can seek redemption and forgiveness from those that he lost.  It may not be a highlight in Scorsese's filmography, but it was certainly worth a view if you are a fan.

The final film I had a chance to catch was Wong Kar-Wai's "Ashes of Time" (1994).

실미도 (2003) Silmido

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