【转贴】《捍卫地球》---Collected English reviews

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 22:55

注：因为要做主题整理，先把这些英文评论放到一起来方便以后做链接

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wonbad Sat Oct-25-03 04:19 PM

I have just seen save the green planet in the London film festival.

Wow wow wow... That's all I can say. Before film start a man behind me

seemed protest to his girl friend that he had to watch a Korean film. Korean

film. Oh! my word. I looked him back end of the film and saw a face totally lost.

That was some friends of mines reaction when I introduce Korean films in Paris

and now all of them buy Pariscope regulary.

There was full of youngsters in the audience and seemd throughly enjoyed and

same time bemused. I belive this is the big break through Korean film in U.K.

I still can't belive what I saw tonight and looking forward to see Mute boy,

memories of murder.

Long live Korean film and good bye Hollywood.

[ Last edited by 阿韩 on 2005-5-30 at 11:31 AM ]

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 22:58

hwang Sat Oct-25-03 04:50 PM

loved this film too. it was cinematically very slick, and the directing very involved and

deliberate. it's evident from the beginning.

and the story was funny but if so, by a very weird way.

i also liked the ending a lot (the footage showns with the credits), despite, it seems,

the fact that a lot of people don't like it. imo, though, only with a story like that of

SGP, can a cheesy ending like that work, and i appreciated it. the contrast was

meaningful.

also, and i've noticed myself, people who have never watched a Korean film will

have all sorts of (negative) preconceived notions about what its quality is like, so i

can imagine how such people would be a little surprised watching a film like this.

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:06

Young director Jang Jun-hwan first drew notice in the Korean film industry for a 30-minute short he made in 1994 called 2001: Imagine. The film impressed a lot of people, and so when news surfaced that he was shooting his feature debut, it created a fair amount of expectation. Save the Green Planet also featured a plotline that promised something out of the ordinary, so that for critics and industry people (though sadly, not audiences in general) this film has been 'one to watch' ever since it started shooting.

The hero of Save the Green Planet is a mentally-unbalanced young man on medication who believes that aliens are plotting an imminent assault on the planet Earth. After much research, mostly through viewing B-grade science fiction films and reading some very non-mainstream books, he determines that the head alien in charge of leading the invasion is already on earth, masquerading as the successful CEO of a large conglomerate. With the survival of humanity on the line, he and a sympathetic young tightrope walker from the circus take it on themselves to kidnap the man/alien in hopes of averting the invasion.

The narrative thrust of the film centers around the confinement of the man/alien in the basement of a rural home (a dark, nightmarish sort of place) and the efforts of rival groups of detectives to track down the kidnapper. As the film progresses and all those involved grow more desperate, viewers may find their sympathies pulled in odd directions. The hero, played by Shin Ha-kyun (in perhaps his best acting performance ever), resembles in many ways our typical downtrodden hero, but his impassioned and increasingly violent behavior makes us pull back in shock at times. The supporting cast, meanwhile, are among the film's great strengths, particularly an eccentric, disgraced detective played by Lee Jae-yong.

As for the directing, it appears that we can add a new name to the list of Korea's most distinctive and talented filmmakers. Jang Jun-hwan excels at the technical aspects of filmmaking, and is very good at controlling the film's emotions. His screenplay is also quite daring, showing little regard for either Hollywood narrative conventions or for playing it safe commercially.

Alas, Save the Green Planet bombed badly at the box-office, with most viewers opting for the warm humor of My Teacher, Mr. Kim or the glitz of Chicago to the dark imagery, depressing themes and seat-squirming violence offered up here (though a vocal minority praised the film highly). The film is more suited as a cult item, and audiences at fantasy film festivals around the world are certain to go crazy over it.

Maybe it was my mood when I watched it, given the wars and pestilence which crowd the news wires these days, but I could hardly speak for close to half an hour after this movie ended. More than anything else, it's extremely sad, and it hit me in a vulnerable spot. This was the 12th Korean film released so far this year, and in my opinion it's worth more than all the other eleven combined. (Darcy Paquet)

[koreanfilm.org]

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:08

copycat71 Sun Apr-25-04 07:21 PM

"I recommend the movie, Save the Green Planet"

I heard that the movie, "Save the Green Planet," is showing on Kabuki Theater, San Francisco, April, 26, 2004.

If you guys like unique movies and have a chance to go to SF with a plenty of time, please watch this movie. I strongly recommend.

This movie is very cool and awsome, not like other typical boring Korean movies.

The name and the poster of the movie look pretty childish and silly like 70s Japanese monster movies for children. But, the story and the scenes are bloody hard-gore and sad but funny (sometimes).

Some Korean guys criticize that this movie contains extreme left-wing thoughts and blame the capitalism.( because of the story of the main Character, Byong-Goo's life) But, I don't think so.

I think the movie is trying to appeal to people to restore the good human nautres, such as love between Parents & children or the child's heart. (If you watch the very last scene, you could know)

I am not sure you guys are going to agree my opinion, when you watch this movie. But, I hope you guys will enjoy this movie anyway.
http://www.koreanfilm.org/dc/dcb ... listing_type=search

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:09

Reviewed By Jason Morehead

Shhhh! Don't tell anyone, but there are aliens among us, working on a vast conspiracy to enslave or destroy the human race. Don't bother trying to find them, however. Their disguises are too good. And besides, even if you told someone that you'd seen an alien, would they believe you? After all, everyone knows that aliens only exist in sci-fi films (i.e. alien propaganda). But they really do exist, and if noone stops them in 4 days, humanity is doomed.

Save The Green Planet (Korean) At least, that's what Byeong-gu (Shin Ha-kyun) thinks. In order to stop the alien plot, he kidnaps Kang Man-Shik, the CEO of a powerful chemicals firm, whom he believes to be the head of the alien forces. After shaving his head (because aliens communicate telepathically via their hair) and stripping him of his clothes, he locks Man-Shik up in his basement and proceeds to torture him, trying to extract any information he can. Within 5 minutes of watching the movie, it's obvious that Byeong-gu is absolutely insane, spouting off crackpot theories while popping handfuls of pills. But the thing is, he might be right.
Director Jang Jun-Hwan (who also wrote the screenplay) plays up this ambiguity incredibly well throughout the film. You're never sure who or what to believe, and he keeps you guessing right up until the film's final scene. Perhaps this "alien plot" is just a product of Byeong-gu's fevered mind. After all, his life has been dominated by a cycle of abuse and neglect, and this might just be the only way he can deal with the pain that has controlled his life.
Or maybe it's all just an attempt to lash out at Man-Shik, who, as we learn later, was responsible for the death of Byeong-gu's first girlfriend and the hospitalization of his mother, among other things. But just when you're convinced that Byeong-gu should be locked away in a padded room for life, some clever plot twist suddenly lends credence to his crazy theories.
Jun-Hwan also proves just as successful at playing with the audience's emotions as their perceptions. Although I saw many black comedies at this year's Toronto festival, none had me laughing as hard or as often as "Save The Green Planet". From the brilliant opening sequence in which Byeong-gu lays out his conspiracy theory for his naive girlfriend (with a punk version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" rocking in the background) to his bumbling attempt at kidnapping, from his evasion of a nosy police detective to his bug-eyed responses at Man-Shik's denials, the audience is constantly kept in stitches. The script is full of clever dialog (including some hilarious sci-fi homages/parodies), and Ha-kyun's performance is deliriously over the top.
However, the film also knows how to make you squirm. The torture scenes, while not excessively gruesome, get the point across that Byeong-gu is not someone to trifle with. There are plenty of little twists, such as the fate of the detective who gets too close to Byeong-gu's plans, that will leave you going "Ewwwwww". While things do get a tad dark and disturbing at times, especially when Byeong-gu resorts to more and more extreme measures to get Man-Shik to confess, I would hesitate to call them gratuitous (although the crucifixion scene did leave me a bit queasy). Jun-Hwan knows how to toe the line, pushing things until you know that Byeong-gu means business without ever descending into needless gore and violence.
And besides, Man-Shik is such a total bastard that he probably deserves some of what he's getting.
But what really impressed me about the film is just how sympathetic and complex Byeong-gu's character becomes as you learn more about him and his painful, troubled life. There is much that is laudatory about "Save The Green Planet", but Jun-Hwan's greatest accomplishment is how well he develops Byeong-gu's character. And again, it's worth noting Ha-kyun's amazing performance. As the film continues, he transforms Byeong-gu from the comedic crackpot we saw at first into a tragic hero that you can't help but cheer for, even when it seems obvious that he's totally wrong. And the film's ending, besides being completely unexpected and absolutely brilliant, is also quite moving and bittersweet, a perfect finale for Byeong-gu's troubled life.
I'll be honest... I love this film, and objectivity be d\*amned. This is the sort of film that defines "cult cinema", a priceless little classic that people track down, regardless of how long it takes or how much it costs, simply because they believe that as many people as possible need to see it. I've been unable to not talk about this film to my friends. As soon as they ask me about Toronto, I break into a huge smile because I'm about to have the privilege of telling them about this movie. Simply put, I cannot wait to show my friends "Save The Green Planet", because a film like this deserves to be seen, that deserves to have people go gaga over it.
That's why the Midnight Madness screening of "Save The Green Planet" on September 12th, 2003 will always remain a treasured moviegoing experience of mine. When "Save The Green Planet" was released in South Korea, it bombed. For some reason that only God knows, it was billed as a romantic comedy ("My Tutor Friend" it most definitely ain't), and it tanked with the hometown crowds. But then it comes over to Canada, to the Uptown in Toronto. It plays and the entire crowd goes wild, all 900 of us.
Jun-Hwan was there, and when I think about what it must have been like for him to hear all 900 of us laugh and scream and applaud the way we did, about what might have gone through his mind when he was mobbed by people asking for his autograph or picture, about how he felt when he saw his film get the love it so richly deserved... well, it makes me a little misty-eyed. This is the whole reason why I watch and review movies, so I can get find little gems like "Save The Green Planet", films which blow me away and leave me grasping for words so I can sing their praises.

www.opuszine.com/movies/review.html?reviewID=226

[ Last edited by 阿韩 on 2004-5-21 at 11:33 PM ]

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:10

I recently got the chance to meet and talk with the director, and I asked him where he got the idea to make this film. He said it was partly inspired by the movie MISERY, which he saw and loved (this shouldn't come as a big surprise to those who have seen SAVE THE GREEN PLANET). He said the other major inspiration was an "Anti-DiCaprio" website, which posited the theory that Leonardo DiCaprio was really an alien from outer space, sent to earth to seduce all the women and weaken our defences. He said both these things kind of fused in his mind, and that's how it all started.
On a personal level he was really soft-spoken and modest. He said he originally had an idea for another film which was even more bizarre than STGP, but that he would probably have to move towards something more commercial instead for his next feature.

--Darcy

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SAVE THE GREEN PLANET
Save the Green Planet: Let me start by saying--I loved this movie. If you were to take Seven and set it in South Korea, replace the seven-deadly-sins thing with abducting/torturing/killing-suspected-alien-leaders-from-Andromeda (who, by the way, communicate telepathically through their hair), give the Kevin Spacey character a loyal and loving female assistant who somersaults on a tightrope to 'Besame Mucho'...oh, and make it a comedy...well, I've said too much already. Hyperkinetic visuals, wonderfully deranged storytelling, some brilliant lines and sight gags plus the best use of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' since The Wizard of Oz. Easily one of my festival favourites,this is a must-see.
http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=16104

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hwang

i've viewed this film at last and
WOW.

this is definitely one of the best k-movies i had ever seen. it's a wild bag of "genres" - but i think most of all it's comedic though in a very queer way.

my favorite scene has to be the very end-- the credits as a matter of fact. very poignant and well placed and very well directed. the acting in the ending is queer too, deliberately sweet without being artificially sacharine.

i'm hoping the director gains more recognition and turns out more movies in the future.

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Apocalyptic One

Save the green planet was actually amazing to me. Even with all the hype. I've never seen such an incorporation of dark humor, cop thriller, horror, drama and sci-fi into one incredibly interesting and original script. And to be from a first-time director, the direction was exceptional. Not to mention the great acting. Also, I saw My Tutor Friend and that wasn't that good to me. I mean nothing stood out about the film at all.

[ Last edited by 阿韩 on 2004-5-21 at 11:33 PM ]

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:18

Kevin

I completely agree about Save the Green Planet. What's so effective is exactly that ballance and integration of all the disparate elements--elements that no one in thir right mind would even try to put together, and yet this guy makes it work.
The only thing I didn't like was the ending. It was kind of a cheap Twilight Zonish stunt (and not one of the better TZ episodes). But everything else worked so well that I'm willing to look beyond it, rather like A Taste of Cherry.

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Fernando

Count me as another who was totally blown away by SAVE THE GREEN PLANET... I really found it to be an excellent film!
It really took me by surprise though... I went in expecting it to be a fun silly comedy (based on the sleeve) and it was everything but that.

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Kevin

It really took me by surprise though... I went in expecting it to be a fun silly comedy (based on the sleeve) and it was everything but that.
Actually, although I thought the sleeve was an odd choice at first, when I watched the film I thought there was enough comedy to justify it. If the cover had reflected only the nightmarish elements, the comedy would have struck me as odd. To be fair: this must have been a very hard movie to market.
And then there's The Little Monk, whose marketing totally confuses me. I must have been halfway through it before realizing it just wasn't going to be a comedy.

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Equinox21

So, what do you all make of the ending of Save the Green Planet... was he insane or wasn't he?
SPOILERS!!!

I think the whole thing was in his mind. I think that once the cop came into the lab and shot Byung-gu, and then left with Kang the rest was more of a delusion in Byung-gu's mind. Just like his delusion of beating up that guy he used to work with, as his life slipped away he had his final delusion about Kang actually being an alien. The moment that Earth was destroyed was the moment Byung-gu actually died, thus completing his delusion. Then maybe the TV floating in space was his "life flashing before his eyes" in the very last instant before he actually went completely flat-line. I don't know. What do you think?

Whatever it was... it was a brilliant film.

=================================
Kevin

Yes, I was thinking about the "Taxi Driver" ending as well, that what we were seeing is what he believed was happening (or wanted to happen). I'm not, however, sure that that's what the director wants us to think, but I find it a better interpretation than the cheap Twilight Zone twist. I'll need to give it another watch.

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It is a great movie.
The most surprising thing about it was that whenever you think that the film would move into the familiar Korean-film conventions, it would do an origami folding on itself and move toward the wacky direction. While I was watching it, I was sort of wondering whether the director himself have experienced mild symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia. Of course, that is not meant as a criticism.

I think my favorite character in the movie is Detective Chu, played by Lee Jae-yong. I would love to see a spin-off series with Detective Chu tackling weird crimes in an X-FILE setup.

* Spoiler *

By the way, I was rooting for President Kang to beat Byung-gu all the way, even when I began to suspect that he is what Byung-gu says he is. Also, Kang's decision in the end makes perfect sense considering what he went through...in a sense, Byung-gu is responsible for the big blast. He should not have played a "hero." I kinda want to know if director Jang Joon-hwan intended this final irony or was he more sympathetic to Byung-gu's plight. The ending was in many ways similar to that of SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE, a downer but strangely allegorical.

==============================
Kevin

I kinda want to know if director Jang Joon-hwan intended this final irony or was he more sympathetic to Byung-gu's plight. The ending was in many ways similar to that of SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE, a downer but strangely allegorical.
Spoilers
It is an ambiguous ending and one that's really a letdown if taken at face value. But if the ending really happened as seen (see a few posts above, in this thread), then there's the unforgivably unanswered question of how Byung-gu knew they were aliens. I'd like to think that what transpired onscreen at the end only happened in Byung-gu's dying mind. Otherwise, the aliens are really silly (receiving transmissions through their hair) and the flashbacks regarding why Byung-gu came out so twisted are totally meaningless. This Taxi-Driver ending was a forgone conclusion to my wife.

I really need to watch it again.

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* Spoiled Eggs Continue, of course *
It's funny, I was the one who suggested that the ending of OASIS may be Gong-ju's foray into fantasy a la TAXI DRIVER (the ending of which may or may not be Travis Bickle's fantasy), but majority of the participants of this board were not kind to that idea.

In the case of SAVE THE GREEN EARTH, though, I do think the Earth really blew up. No hard evidence, just that the tone of the movie from the very beginning suggests that something seriously wacky on the level of a global catastrophe IS going to take place: it would have been a deflation, an anti-climax if everything turned out to be Byung-gu's imagination.

[ Last edited by 阿韩 on 2004-5-21 at 11:22 PM ]

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:25

shqiptar_mavria
Date: 23 March 2004
Summary: surprisingly good

I saw this movie at the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival and found it excellent. It's the story of a guy who abducts the director of the factory he used to work for, believing he's an alien. You think the guy is totally out of his mind but he's smart enough to outplay the police.

You could tell the director did not take himself too seriously either and enjoyed himself. Great scene: the police is in his appartment, the Tv set is tuned to the basement camera and the hostage is in it. He yells 'an UFO outside the window' and with a karate move turns the TV off while the policeman is looking away. This is shown in slow motion. The audience cheered. The movie is very funny at times, very dark at others. The end is also a surprise. Some references to other Sci-fi classics are to be found (ie: 2001 a space odyssey).

All in all, a very good moment. 8/10.

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porsche98892000
USA. Chicago
Date: 17 November 2003
Summary: Well Crafted Film

This movie was quite a shock, when I first watched it. It did very badly in the Korean Box office. But however, this films has some elements that I've never seen in a film before. It has almost all the genre you could think of. Its funny, serious, thrilling, sad, shocking, and the plot that will grab your attention from beginning of the movie. However, some people might not like it... because they might think is some stupid sci-fi junk that has been made before. But I strongly disagree. Watch this film! and you
won't regret!

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Dominik Sostar (skydancer@email.si)
Slovenia

Date: 16 September 2003
Summary: wow!
I have been a fan of Asia movies for a while now, but this still came as a surprise. This film has it all, and the actors are simply incredible. I've seen two of them in Boksuneun naui geot and have only high praise for them. This movie stars of a bit funny I guess, all the silly suits for hounting aliens, etc. It soon becomes quite disturbing with all the torchering of the "alien" victim. You start to feel how disturbed this guy is. After a while, you start to feel sorry for him. And the end is totally unexpected. You simply must see this movie. You won't see anything like it coming from Hollywood. Or anywhere else I guess.

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cinemaapictures (cinemaa@hotmail.com)
Oslo, Norway

Date: 10 August 2003
Summary: Engrossing tale is skillful film-making in all departments.

Engrossing tale of mentally disturbed outsider impressively blends tones from dark madcap entertainment, moving fairytale and suspenseful conspiracy thriller. Contemporary Korean cinema has yet again produced a genre picture that delightfully explores ground outside the formula. The script's uneven (as an unbiased descriptive term) structure provides unpredictable twists and revelations. The style of visual storytelling and editing are recognizably `new millennium' with some intrusive editing effects, but these are kept within the montage sequences and thus do not mar the emotional impact. `Save the Green Planet' is skillfully delivered entertainment in all departments, and confirms that contemporary Korean film industry continues making some of the most exciting genre pictures in the world today.

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aubad
seoul, korea

Date: 25 June 2003
Summary: grrreeeaat movieeee!!

Save the Green Planet! by Jang, Junwhan is my "first" movie of my life. Gang, Mansik is the alien. Gang, his surname means that he is strong ('gang'hada) and he has the power. Lee, Byunggu was born to good man, but he lives in tragic cause of tragedy of the world. Lee, his surname means this. Byunggu, his personal name means save('gu'hada) the ill('byung'deun) green plnet(ji'gu'). So he planned to save this planet from alien, the power of tragic. Sooni is his girl friend. We don't know her surname from the movie. Her name, Sooni means that she is naive and weak. But she gets the courage from love of or to Byunggu. Maybe This movie is kind of love story. Maybe love will save us. Anyway, I wish this movie become known to the world in Moskva.

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Dongmyung Kim (kimeastlight)
Seoul

Date: 5 May 2003
Summary: great and surprising me

This is very shocking!! I can't explain how this made me surprising... First, this is very comic. Actors have much ability to Comedy-movie. Second, this is very critical. A lot of social problem of Korea is involved in this one. In addition to, this is S.F. movie. Sorry, I can't speak English very well. But I really want to recommend you.

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kleaner
South Korea

Date: 7 April 2003
Summary: so shocking and good

This is one of the most unprecented korean films I've ever seen. It contains almost every film genre, horror, comedy, action, thriller and so on. The story is very rare to find in the main stream movis. The plot was so surprising. Acting, and cinematography were also superb. Assuming that it's the director's dubut film, I expect that he becomes a great master as he keeps making movies. This is a true rule breaker. Other Korean fist timer directors, who made such crap as "Jungle Juice" and "My wife is a gangster" and there are so many, should reflect on themselves.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0354668/usercomments

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:26

mimcgin
Toronto, Ontario

Date: 25 September 2003
Summary: Piece of crap

I saw this movie at the Toronto International Film Festival September 12, 2003.

Total piece of crap.

This is basically an X-Files type concept with an ending that makes you want to vomit.

After I watched the midnight showing at the festival, the organizer "mentioned" the movie closed within 2 weeks of opening in Korea. He blamed it on the fact that commercials billed it as a romantic comedy.

I blame it on the fact that it is a piece of crap.

The story is lame...basically and X-Files TV show with the kitchen sink thrown in. The story meanders every which way, and the movie can't decided whether it's a romance, comedy, or thriller.

The cinematography is good. Supposedly, it was made on 2.5 million Canadian which I doubt.

In summary, do not go out of your way to see or rent this.

The best part of the night was eating the popcorn.

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:27

poroporo
Toronto
Date: 3 October 2003
Summary: first cult movie from Korea

This turns out to be the sleeper hit for me at the Toronto International Film Festival 2003. Drawn to the film by its enthusiastically-made official website in a language I barely understand, I walked into the theater being wary it was an odd melange of genres -- horror, alien, romance, comedy, satire, environmental... and walked out of the theater impressed and having had a hearty laughing session.

One advice is bring with you an open mind. Korean films are their own genre and different, and if you appreciate their culture you would appreciate the films too.

It was the director's first feature film, and sadly from the Q&A session, it appears that it might be the only one for a while to come. Realistically, it would be difficult to come up with a similar genre of a film that would be as fresh and interesting too. The film did fetch a hot response at the Toronto screening but the director admitted it only lasted in the the local theaters for two weeks, his explanation being it was mistakenly marketed as a romantic comedy, which it was totally not. I suspect the audience there is not ready for such a movie. On the other hand I believe the North American audience is eagerly waiting for a cult movie like such.

Without giving too much away, I'd say the director is ingenious. He actually made me laugh at the same jokes twice. There are little cliched moments (for example right at the end) but this is the part of the quirkiness that makes Korean cinema fresh and new and interesting.

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:28

Nathan Bain (nathan_bain)
Berks, UK
OVERALL - If the Academy Awards had a prize for 'The Most Genres in a Single Film' then 'Save the Green Planet' would win hands down! It could be described as a Black Comedy/Thriller/Serial Killer/Sci-Fi/Conspiracy/Horror/Action movie. The movie begins with Lee Byeong-gu's explanation to his doting girlfriend Su-ni of how the aliens from 'Andromeda' are responsible for the creation of numerous conspiracies as well as a number of popular TV shows (x-files, etc), supposedly to throw humans off there scent!?! He also believes they are responsible for his mother being in a coma (some kind of human experiment), and is determined to confront their leader and force him to cure her. His plan is too kidnap Kang Man-shik (CEO of major chimal company and suspected alien) from his car park while he is slightly worse for the wear, force him to communicate with the 'Andromedan' leader, revive his mother and finally avert Earth's destruction.

The movie starts out as a comedy but quickly takes on a slightly more sinister tone, when Lee Byeong-gu's interogation methods are revealed. These include scraping skin from Kang Man-shik's feet and applying what seems to be a roll-on deoderant (because aliens don't like this!!!). Also, insertion of an 8 inch long 'probe' which belches steam from perferations along it shaft (apparently aliens dont like that either!!!). It all seems quite shocking, but there is enough humour (albiet black humour) to keep your stomach from churning and your finger off the fast-forward button.

Ultimately it falls on Inspector Choo and the retired (and unpopular) Inspector Kim to solve the mystery of the kidnapping and save Kang Man-shik from a rather nasty end. The film really does manage to juggle the genres excellently, with the black humor of the kidnapping, the horror of the interrogation, the assembely of the clues by the Inspectors and even a Kung-fu/Super Hero type sequence when Lee Byeong-gu meets an old school bully.

By the end of the film you will have been taken through one hell of a ride and most likely have developed an affinity for the mis-guided anti-hero of the film Lee Byeong-gu and his chubby 9but cute) accomplise Su-ni!

An excellent movie all round with as many twists as a curly-wurly, sometimes funny, sometimes shocking and always totally weird. Veteran crazy-asian movie fans will
love this film.

阿韩 · 发表于 2004-5-21 23:29

spankthechildren
England
Date: 28 February 2004
Summary: shockingly enjoyable

There has been a lot of hypes surrounding the film... and my god, what an astounding work of cinema which was the last thing i expected

The cinematography was fantastic and the suspense scenes were so refreshing that it completely blew my mind. I was on the edge of the seat throughout the film. Every time i was about to get bored (which i definetely didn't!), it was injected with some violence (chopping off fish heads), but it was beautifully merged in as a whole. The twist was anticipated, but what was so good about it was that it kept me wondering throughout the film how it was going to end. Everyone also seemed to have missed what a great job the director managed with the music. The grand-scale orchestral music and the punk rock music worked as salt and pepper on a great dish, and the sound was superb.

The let down factors were mostly due to the script, especially the disappointing ending. The director must have realised he had a huge task in his hand after reading the scenario and even though he tried his best, some scenes just do not make any sense, especially when Byunggu's dead mum appears throwing some pills out. Maybe the film was not scientific enough, but i don't think you can apply science into a topic such as Aliens anyway... The blend of comedy, thriller/horror, police drama and satire works brilliantly, although the fusion-genre diluted the whole point of the story by a fraction. The biggest downside was the crude uninteligent cg effect, which was apparently meant to be intentional but the film would have looked so much more polished if they were cut off... and it still would make sense.

I give this film an 8.3 simply because it was so easy to get into and i watched it without stopping it once. Breathtaking!

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