Fans of Korean movies will know the director Park-Chan Wook's work already. Here he has teamed up with his brother, and an iPhone 4, to produce a magnificent 30 minutes of digital entertainment.
Since the work itself is so short, a shorter review is in order. The plot revolves around a fisherman, but the thematic depth of this piece goes actually a lot deeper than you might initially imagine. It starts out funky and cool, turns into a brooding atmospheric piece, and ends with a completely harrowing, touching latter half that has no right being so good, considering that it has only taken us 20 minutes to get there.
The musical and sound design of this piece is very appropriate, and the way the film is edited together is snarling, cryptic and impeccable.
But the true heroes of this film are the actors (or, to be more precise, the actresses). They carry the film to unexpected authenticity. The last third of the film has more weight than a ton of bricks, and it reaches truly spiritual heights. But it is the totality of the film which is the miracle here: a strange beast indeed, full of beauty and heart, of laughter and tears, of music and silence.
I understand such a glowing review might seem excessive or suspect, but this film is a minor masterpiece, which manages to convey more in 30 minutes than most films ever are able in 90. This quirky shorty has a ton of charm, variety and depth, spiced up with humour and spirituality, and should not be missed by anyone interested in the possibilities of (digital) film as an art form. Another tour-de-force from the master of Korean cinema.
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