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TRAILER WATCH - WINCHESTER: THE HOUSE THAT GHOSTS BUILTPosted on 30 Oct 2017 |
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TRAILER WATCH - RAMPAGEPosted on 17 Nov 2017 |
Genre: Animation
Director: Kunihiko Yuyama
Cast: Sarah Natochenny, Rodger Parsons, Carter Cathcart, Ikue Otani
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 23 November 2017
Synopsis: In the small town of Masara Town in Kanto Region, a brash 10-year old trainer named Satoshi dreams of becoming a Pokémon Trainer to travel across the world and earn the title "Pokémon Master". But when he accidentally got a Pikachu from the town's local Professor, his life as a Pokémon Trainer begins in a rather fun but bittersweet way as Satoshi must forge his bond with his new friend as well as discovering the secrets of the world they're living in.
Movie Review:
Fun fact 1: The pilot episode of the Pokémon anime series first broadcasted in Japan more than 20 years ago.
Fun fact 2: The voice of Ash Ketchum (or Satoshi) in both Japanese and English versions are done by ladies.
Fun fact 3: There are 802 Pokémons to date (with 720 registered on the official Pokedex).
Pokémon the Movie:I Choose You! is the 20th Pokémon movie to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Pokémon anime series. The initial proposal for the movie was to promote the new Sun & Moon series, but was later decided that it will be loosely based on the pilot episode of the anime series instead.
The first half an hour of the movie follows quite closely to the pilot episode of the anime series. Compared to 20 years ago, the quality of the animation has improved, but it still retains the flavour and nostalgia of the Indigo League leg in Ash’s journey. There were also subtle details added to give the animation a touch of modernity.
The story follows the journey of Ash and Pikachu’s encounter with Ho-oh, a legendary Pokémon. In his quest to become the best Pokémon trainer, Ash crosses path with other trainers and challenges gym leaders to earn badges. Having gifted the rainbow wing by Ho-oh, it leads him and his comrades to find the legendary Pokémon. Although newer Pokémons were introduced in the movie (like Incineroar and Lycanroc), it pays tribute to the first generation Pokémons as well. Many references and story arcs also referenced to the series 20 years ago, with a slight twist to fit into the movie.
Needless to say, the star of the movie was Pikachu. Its adorableness and cuteness never wears off. Otani Ikue, the voice of Pikachu, once again nails it. The movie was appropriately paced, with humourous scenes to keep all entertained. While avid fans of the series have been vocal about their criticisms of the movie – first, for making Pikachu speak human language and second, for leaving both Misty and Brock out of the main movie – the movie’s narrative is well-built and overall quite enjoyable.
Towards the end of the movie, there was a particular scene which was quite impressionable. Not because it was outstanding or original, but because it bore an uncanny resemblance to Your Name (2016). It was a scene where two parties were separated into parallel worlds and searching for one another. While that felt a little out of place, it did not distract from the main storytelling.
For a series that has been on for 20 years and running, there would be mature audience in the crowd who are bringing their children, or even little nieces or nephews to watch this film. Expect the movie to be one that people who grew up with Pokémon and are beginning to learn about Pokémon would both like! J
P.S.: The movie is available in both English (dubbed) and original Japanese (subbed). FYI, it wasn’t a translation mistake – Pikachu spoke in Japanese too.
P.P.S.: Stay on for the credit roll where you’ll get to catch all of Ash’s friends (including Misty and Brock!).
Movie Rating:
(A feel-good and nostalgic Pokémon movie for avid and casual fans alike!)
Review by Tho Shu Ling
Genre: Animation
Director: Akiyuki Shinbo, Nobuyuki Takeuchi
Cast: Suzu Hirose, Masaki Suda, Mamoru Miyano, Shintarō Asanuma, Toshiyuki Toyonaga, Yūki Kaji, Kana Hanazawa Takako Matsu
Runtime: 1 hr 30 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 30 November 2017
Synopsis: One Summer day, in a sea-side town. One Junior high school is gathered with an excitement before a firework show. Norimichi(Masaki Suda) and Yusuke(Mamoru Miyano), at a pool side, meets Nazuna(Suzu Hirose), an idol of their class, a girl they both secretly have a crush on. The two boys turn out to have a swimming match with Nazuna. Norimichi, although fails the match, finds a mysterious ball in the water. On the other hand, Yusuke, who won the fight, is asked by Nazuna to go out to watch the firework show together. After school, while boys have an argument whether fireworks are round or flat when viewed from sideways, Norimichi is told by Nazuna that she was going to ask out the one who won the swimming match. However, her true purpose was to “elope” with a boy from her remarrying mother. Nazuna, in front of Norimichi’s eyes, resists her mother who pulls her back home. Norimichi, powerlessly, only stares the situation and cannot do anything. “If only I won the match thay day...” Irritated, Norimichi throws the ball he found in the water and then... He finds himself back in the moment of the swimming match. After the day repeated over and over again, what will Nazuna and Norimichi find in the end? And after all, is the firework round or flat when viewed from sideways? When the fireworks sparkle, the love encounters a miracle...
Movie Review:
Despite the baffling title, Fireworks, should we see if from the side or bottom? is very much a simplistic tale about two young star-crossed lovers with a magical gimmick thrown into the narrative. Though it’s essentially a remake of a 50-minute live-action TV movie made in 1993 by Shunji Iwai (Love Letter), fans of last year’s megahit, Your Name will be curious to check this one out.
Norimichi (Masaki Suda from Gintama) and Yusuke (Mamoru Miyano) are two best friends who both developed a crush on their classmate, Nazuna (Suzu Hirose from Let’s Go, Jets!). With the intention of eloping with the one she loves on the night of the annual fireworks festival, Nazuna has quietly chosen Norimichi to be the fateful one. However, Nazuna’s plan is thwarted by her mother and Yusuke until Norimichi figured out the only way to escape is to make use of the strange orb which Nazuna has picked up from the beach earlier.
Last summer, Makoto Shinkai's hit body-swapping, time-travelling anime brought a new viewing experience especially to non-anime fans. Your Name was funny, throughly engaging from start to finish and utterly touching. No doubt, Fireworks attempt to embark on the same formula though this time, the narrative is tedious, repetitive and mostly frustrating to last a mere 90 minutes.
The title refers to a running gag by Norimichi and his group of class buddies, a pointless argument about whether fireworks are round or flat when see from the side. It’s very much a side gag just like the one about their form teacher’s bust and her underground relationship with a fellow colleague. The gist of the story revolves around Nazuna, the torn teenager who refused to move to a new place with her mother who is remarrying for the third time.
The strange magical orb is an unexplained gimmick or device to allow Norimichi to relive the day with Nazuna else there wouldn’t be much of a story to tell. By throwing the orb into the air, Norimichi is able to turn back time and changed their ending. The time spent with Norimichi and Nazuna however happened to be the most meaningful aspect of the anime as we get to learn more about the struggle and backstory of Nazuna, an angst teenager who dreams of leaving her current state to be a pop idol and wondering if she is following in her mother’s shoes as she eloped with Norimichi.
Unfortunately, the narrative makes little effort to delve more into it and instead of giving the story a more rounded emotion feel, the anime is contend in delivering outstanding visual and breathtaking effects and colours especially during the fireworks climax. It’s definitely a good thing for SHAFT Studio which is renowned for their acclaimed technicalities though not anyone will appreciate the blending of 3D objects and traditional 2D animation.
After two recent satisfying animes, Your Name and A Silent Voice, Fireworks turned out unexpectedly to be a huge disappointment. Suzu Hirose is pefect as the voice of Nazuna, Masaki Suda on the other hand sounds way mature for a junior high student. I for one have no problem with the sometimes photo-realistic often visually striking animation and the mesmerizing theme song by DAOKO. It’s the somewhat disjointed and unfulfilled message that disappoints.
Movie Rating:
(Fireworks is significantly simple and dissatisfied in terms of plotting compared to the wondrous visuals displayed)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Cast: Julia Roberts, Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 14 December 2017
Synopsis: Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman. Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the local fifth grade. As his family, his new classmates, and the larger community all struggle to discover their compassion and acceptance, Auggie’s extraordinary journey will unite them all and prove you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.
Movie Review:
R.J. Palacio’s New York Times bestselling novel ‘Wonder’ was an exhortation to his readers to be kind through the story of Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), who was born with congenital facial deformities and has endured 27 surgeries to help him see, breathe and hear in the decade since. Auggie’s story begins proper as the 10-year-old boy prepares to attend mainstream school – fifth-grade to be exact – for the first time, a decision that his devoted mother Isabel (Julia Roberts) knows is for his better good in the long run but which understandably still causes her much torment. “Dear god, please make them be nice to him,” she says to his dad Nate (Owen Wilson) as they watch him walk into school for the first time. Which parent hasn’t wrenched waving goodbye on their child’s first day at a new school, even more so when you can almost be sure that he will be gawked, shunned and even ridiculed by his peers?
But ‘Wonder’ isn’t just Auggie’s story; oh no, it is also as much a story of the people around him, including his 15-year-old teenage sister Via (Izabela Vidovic), his best friend at school Jack Will (Noah Jupe) and Via’s former best friend Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell). Like the book, the movie uses multiple perspectives to advance the narrative, not so much as a gimmick but rather to underscore the point that you never know what someone else might be going through. In Via’s context, that means appreciating what it feels like to be living in a house where she’s mostly overlooked by a mother and a father busy taking care of a sick child; in Jack Will’s context, that means appreciating just why he would snark to the other kids about Auggie on Halloween day; and in Miranda’s context, that means appreciating why she had given Via the runaround after two weeks of summer camp.
“August is the sun,” Via says of Auggie in voice-over, describing how everyone revolves around him, but the revolving first-person points-of-view illuminates the choices, considerations and consequences of children figuring out just what type of person they want to be. Though not accorded their dedicated narratives, you’ll just as intimately come to feel for Isabel, who had given up her dreams of a PhD to care for her son and is just starting to get her life back. Ditto for the good-humoured Nate, who comfortably plays second-fiddle to Isabel when it comes to dealing with emotional matters in the family, while being supremely supportive of both his children in whatever way possible. Arguably, we don’t get the same depth of perspective about Auggie’s chief nemesis at school, Julian (Bryce Gheisar), a rich privileged kid who slowly morphs into a bully, thereby depriving him of a chance to demonstrate his innate goodness as we are led to believe every one of these characters possess.
As unabashedly sentimental as it is, you won’t mind that it openly tugs at your heartstrings, not when it does so with such earnestness, sincerity and good intentions. And so, much as it wants to be inspirational, it doesn’t sugar-coat difficult questions for which there are no easy answers to – so when Auggie asks his mother in despair “Why do I have to be so ugly, is it always going to matter?", she answers in reply “I don’t know”. Neither for that matter does it turn sappy at any point in order to earn our tears; instead, director and co-writer Stephen Chbosky portrays Auggie’s struggles and the struggles of those around him simply and without fuss, maintaining a light touch from start to finish and even inserting some surreal moments involving Auggie’s favourite ‘Star Wars’ character Chewbacca. Its honesty ultimately goes a long way in ensuring that it never succumbs to emotional falseness, remaining rooted in the very real and complex burdens of being a kid and/or a parent.
That it remains a deeply affecting watch even for those who already know where it is going every step of the way is credit to the excellent A-list ensemble which it has assembled. Tremblay nails the lead role of Auggie with aplomb, earning both laughs and tears through beautiful understatement. It is as masterful a performance as his debut in ‘Room’, perhaps even more so considering the facial prosthetics he had to be under. Vidovic gives an equally nuanced performance as the invisible sibling who has to fend for herself, winning our sympathy without ever begging for it. As their parents, the more laid-back Wilson and the more tightly-wound Roberts make a brilliant complementary pair, whose sometimes differing opinions about what’s best for Auggie underscore the depth of their love for the family and therefore bring them closer than further from each other.
It’s not hard to see why ‘Wonder’ had started a craze for the phrase ‘choose kind’ when it was released a few years ago, nor why the book remains one of the biggest hand-sells – not only will it make you laugh, cry, break your heart and then put it back together again, it contains a beautiful moral about who we are on the inside and choosing to be kinder, gentler and nicer to the people who may look different from us but deserve to be treated no differently. And all that is, for the lack of a better word, wondrously preserved here in this excellent adaptation, itself a poignant and heartwarming movie anchored on the same precepts as the book. It is also that rare live-action feel-good movie for the whole family, and one perfectly timed for the holiday season as a reminder that kindness can exist in this fractured world, if only each and every one makes the conscious choice to be kind.
Movie Rating:
(Wondrously moving, poignant and heartwarming, this story about choosing to be kind is the rare feel-good live-action film that the whole family can enjoy)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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28TH SGIFF - ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE AT MIDNIGHTPosted on 19 Nov 2017 |
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Nick Powell
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Famke Janssen, Kevin Durand, Michael Imperioli
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 16 January 2020
Synopsis: When Frank Walsh (Nicolas Cage), a hunter and collector of rare and exotic animals, bags a priceless white jaguar for a zoo, he figures it’ll be smooth sailing to a big payday. But the ship bearing Frank’s precious cargo has two predators caged in its hold: the cat, and a political assassin being extradited to the U.S. After the assassin breaks free - and then frees the jaguar - Frank feverishly stalks the ship’s cramped corridors in hot pursuit of his prey, right up until the thrilling, unpredictable climax.
Movie Review:
Not often does a Nicolas Cage movie get the big-screen treatment anymore, so that in itself makes ‘Primal’ a curious animal. Alas, though expecting it to be better than his other direct-to-video releases will likely be disappointed. Despite a promising setup, this directorial debut by longtime stunt coordinator Nick Powell fails to deliver much B-movie thrills, devolving into a sometimes confusing and often bland cat-and-mouse (and jaguar) game which will leave you expecting more.
Like we said, it does start off intriguingly enough, what with Cage perched in a tree somewhere deep in the Brazilian jungle hunting a rare white jaguar known to the locals as “El Fantasma Gato” (or “The Ghost Cat”). A former zoo worker turned exotic animal hunter, Cage’s gruff Indiana Jones-type character Frank Walsh aims to transport his catch to a zoo outside Madrid for a handsome price of $75,000. Unfortunately, the freighter he has booked has also been reserved at the last minute by the US Marshals, who are transporting a high-priority prisoner back to the United States.
You can probably guess at some point that Frank will be pitted against the said prisoner Richard Loffler (Kevin Durand), and that the jaguar will somehow feature in it, so it’s just a matter of how we get there and how that confrontation eventually pays out. That anticipation however soon gives way to frustration as Powell and his writer Richard Leder seems content to spend pretty much the first hour letting Richard hunt down the team of US Marshals led by the no-nonsense Agent Ringer (LaMonica Garett).
As brutal as these kills may be, there is little build-up or continuity between them; it doesn’t help too that the guards are utterly devoid of any personality, such that we don’t really quite care if they manage to stay alive. It also begs disbelief that Richard can outsmart them in such a short time, making his way about the ship like he knows it at the back of his hand to dump its freshwater supply, disable its controls, reset its route, block its communication and released Frank’s fauna.
Talking about them animals, it is downright puzzling that the jaguar disappears for most of the second act, only turning up towards the end when it is convenient for it to intercede between Frank and Richard. There is a distinct sense of missed opportunity here, as Powell failing to make use of the predator to inject a palpable sense of danger and unpredictability into the melee. Frank too gets little to do in the first hour except butt heads with Ringer, and it is only when every one of the US Marshals is eliminated that Frank gets to jump into the action.
Ditto for the other supporting players, including a US Navy neurologist (Famke Janssen) sent to monitor Richard’s condition and a shifty Justice Department (Michael Imperioli) official with an agenda of his own. Whereas Janssen’s neurologist is there primarily to jolt Frank’s conscience, and the Justice Department official to complicate matters, neither is given sufficient treatment in Leder’s efficient but workmanlike script to fully register in the story.
It is always a pleasure to watch Cage chew scenery, but compared to some of his more recent work, he is a lot less ‘gonzo’ and a lot more subdued here – and therefore by extension, a lot less interesting. Given how his character is neither crazy or physical enough to bring the fight to Richard, the final mano-a-mano between them is less satisfying than you’d wish it would be, even with a charismatic Durand joining Cage in growling at each other. The jaguar’s entry towards the end does give the climax an adrenaline boost, but it is frankly too little and too late.
So contrary to its title therefore, ‘Primal’ isn’t as primal as it needs to be in order to be a truly delightful B-movie outing. By playing it too safe and by the books, the movie fails to fully exploit its absurd premise, and ends up being just middling enough to amble along for its one-and-half-hour duration. Even though it gets the big-screen treatment, ‘Primal’ is hardly Cage’s best outing of late, and those who expect it to be better than his usual VOD fare will inevitably be let down.
Movie Rating:
(Not quite primal as it needs to be, this middling cat-and-mouse-and jaguar game on board a freighter out at sea falls short of being a B-movie delight)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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ENTER MINIONS CAFEPosted on 22 Nov 2017 |
Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Bharat Nalluri
Cast: Dan Stevens, Jonathan Pryce, Christopher Plummer, Simon Callow, Miriam Margolyes, Ian McNeice, Bill Paterson, Donald Sumpter
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 30 November 2017
Synopsis: The Man Who Invented Christmas tells the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. Directed by Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), the film shows how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today.
Movie Review:
What would we do without Christmas? Imagine how the year would end if we didn’t have another occasion to eat, drink and be merry. There would be no parties, no presents and gasp – one less public holiday to be away from work. And if the events in this movie were to be believed, it was a certain Charles Dickens who made this a happy occasion worth celebrating.
The famous English writer and social critic created some of the world’s most well loved fictional characters. Amongst his best known novels are Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, Tale of Two Cities and of course, A Christmas Carol. Adapted countless times for film, stage, opera and other forms of media, this 1843 novel (if you don’t already know) tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. After a series of events, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder man (read: happy ending).
Originally written as A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost-Story of Christmas, it is often debated whether Dickens meant this as a secular tale or a Christian allegory. The film simply offers the perspective that the story was written during Christmas, and was largely influenced by his personal life.
When we meet Dickens, who is highly regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era, he is suffering from a writer’s block. Things are not looking good for him because after three books which failed to impress, he desperately needs to get back on track. It doesn’t help that he is expecting a fifth child in the household and his eccentric father popped a surprise visit. With a sudden surge of inspiration to pen a Christmas ghost story, Dickens begins seeing characters and the plot begins to take shape.
The movie directed by Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) is a fresh take on A Christmas Carol. We have seen the story in several film adaptations, from the hilarious 1992 Muppet version (The Muppet Christmas Carol) to the 2009 performance capture movie (A Christmas Carol) directed by Robert Zemeckis. Just when you thought there can’t be another approach to tell the story, along comes this screenplay written by Susan Coyne based on the book of the same name by Les Standiford.
The 104 minute movie is an immensely pleasant movie that is easy to like. There are a few notable heartwarming moments that will go down well with viewers. The father and son relationship is adequately explored without resorting to melodrama, and there is enough magic (characters from A Christmas Carol appear in Dickens’ mind) to keep audiences entertained. The story effectively uses flashback sequences to reveal important plot developments, and makes good use of CGI to engage viewers visually.
Top notch performances are all around too. Dan Stevens gets to show his good looking self after Beauty and the Beast (2017) as Charles Dickens, Jonathan Pryce (Woman in Gold) is wonderful as Dickens’ peculiarly behaved father and Donald Sumpter (In the Heart of the Sea) is aptly cast as Scrooge’s deceased business partner Jacob Marley. As expected, Christopher Plummer (Beginners) delivers the most impressive performance as Scrooge.
The movie has all the right elements to make it an enjoyably satisfying holiday movie, and there is no reason why you wouldn’t find joy and bliss in it.
Movie Rating:
(You’ll be a Scrooge if you don’t enjoy this agreeable holiday movie)
Review by John Li
Genre: Drama
Director: Jang Hoon
Cast: Song Kang-Ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yoo Hai-Jin, Ryu Jun-Yeol
Runtime: 2 hrs 17 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 7 December 2017
Synopsis: May 1980. A Seoul taxi driver named Man-seob (SONG Kang-ho) comes across an offer too good to be true. If he drives a foreign passenger from Seoul down to Gwangju and back again before the curfew, he’ll be paid the unthinkable sum of 100,000 won – enough to cover several months of unpaid rent. Without stopping to ask the details, he picks up the German reporter Peter (Thomas Kretschmann) and sets off along the highway. Although stopped by police roadblocks at the edge of Gwangju, Man-seob is desperate to earn his taxi fare, and eventually manages to find a way into the city. There they encounter students and ordinary citizens taking part in large-scale demonstrations against the gov¬ernment. Man-seob, alarmed by the danger in the air, pleads with Peter to go quickly back to Seoul. But Peter ignores him, and with the help of a university student Jae-sik (RYU Jun-yeol) and a Gwangju taxi driver named Tae-sul (YOO Hai-jin), begins shooting with his news camera. As time passes the situation grows more and more serious, and Man-seob keeps thinking of his young daughter at home all alone.
Movie Review:
Other than in South Korea, and for people in that region during May 1980, not many may have known about the Gwangju Uprising, where hundreds, and some witnesses suggest thousands, of civilians were massacred during demonstrations against a military coup.
This state secret back then would have gone undocumented, if not for Jürgen Hinzpeter, a German reporter who risked his life to enter the lockdown area and capture uncensored footage of the killings. Part of his success also rested on an unlikely middle-class citizen - his Seoul taxi driver.
Jang Hoon spins the real-life tale into A Taxi Driver - where a self-centered cabbie, Kim Man-seob (Song Kang-ho), awakens to his heroic nature when he witnesses the bloodbath of his fellow countrymen during an unforeseen job.
The film starts by establishing the mercenary nature of Man-seob. He makes illegal u-turns just to avoid demonstrations because time is money for the efficient driver. When he heads home, we find out why - the widower is badly behind on his rent and is barely fulfilling his fatherly duties to his plucky young daughter. So he does what any logical person would do; borrow from his landlord - the shameless survival instinct is strong in this one. A good thing as he will require all of it in what happens next.
At an eatery, Man-seob overhears a private driver boasting about a job ferrying a foreign customer to Gwangju for a large sum of money, and the rascal feigns to be the assigned driver and picks up our reporter Jürgen (Thomas Kretschmann), who’s operating under the alias of Peter.
Motivated by the payout, Man-seob uncharacteristically jumps through risky hoops, past military barriers, into Gwangju, where he finds out the truth behind the lockdown.
A Taxi Driver has won many awards, including 4 “Best Picture Award” at international film festivals. It’s not hard to see why. It’s got a great premise, featuring two disparate characters building an unlikely bond, while facing and uncovering one of South Korea’s more horrific historical events.
Director Jang Hoon has displayed a deft hand in this movie. He approaches the grim affair with enough reverence, yet leaving details out to make it a more universal story of people versus power. He explores relationships between the characters, including a cheery student protester Gu Jae-sik (Ryu Jun-yeul) and a kindly Gwangju taxi-driver Hwang Tae-sul (Yoo Hai-jin), to evoke sympathetic emotions, but also launches us into grand stirring scenes of the crowd and how they band against a tyrant force.
All the actors bring it home with their performances, and even the occasional appearances by a protester becomes memorable when they later reappear. Song and Kretschmann though, do suffer a little at their own individual revelations.
I was never sure about Peter’s motivations at the riots. His initial decision seemed abrupt, then later noble, and yet during a dinner at his home stay with Tae-sul, he answers that question being financial. For an experienced reporter, he doesn’t seem very aware of his surroundings as well. He oddly chooses to film at open areas, putting his companions in danger from the military, including a persistent undercover agent. When he realises the extent of carnage in one scene, his breakdown seems unnatural and a convenient device for Man-seob’s return.
Man-seob fares a little better. His awakening is more nuanced, and Jang Hoon uses the veteran’s acting well to elicit emotional links from inanimate objects. However, the unwavering heroism he shows later does feel a little one-dimensional, pulling away some quotient of believability.
But A Taxi Driver has added a reasonable and helpful piece of fiction to the Gwangju Uprising event, and as far as a good story goes, completes the mission.
Movie Rating:
(A fictional retelling of the Gwangju Uprising focuses on two main actors, and is a well-balanced ride through one of South Korea’s darker events)
Review by Morgan Awyong
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