CONFESSION OF MURDER (aka NAE-GA SAL-IN-BEOM-I-DA) (KOREAN) (2012)

Choi Hyeong-goo, a cop was on the trail of a serial killer who has killed 10 women. After fifteen long years of fruitless pursuit, the statute of limitations kicks in shutting the door on the investigation. Knowing that there can be no conviction beyond the period of limitations, Lee Doo-seok surfaces and confesses as the serial killer who committed those murders. What's more..? He pens a book detailing each of those murders and becomes an instant celebrity and media darling adored by the mindless masses. The appearance of Lee and his public confession also leads to the coming together of few of his victims' kin who seek to avenge their dead beloveds by bringing Lee to vigilante justice. Coincidentally, the media spotlight also falls on Choi who had investigated the case who refuses to accept Lee as the killer and pursues his investigation, albeit at a low key. Choi is also personally interested to solve the case as the last victim happened to be his lover and he hoped she is not dead yet as her body is yet be found. The media organises a debate on live TV between Lee and Choi to clear the confusion. However, in an unexpected twist, a caller to the show, identifying himself as J, claims himself as the real killer. 

Who is this mysterious caller J ? Is he the real killer ? Would Choi solve the crimes ? What happened to his lover ? Is she still alive ? Is the charming and enigmatic Lee the real killer ? If he is an impostor, why did he confess to such gruesome crimes ? Could the band of victims' kin avenge for the killing of their beloveds ? The rest of the movie answers these and more in a pacy roller-coaster narrative where the tables are turned continuously and the momentum oscillates continuously from one side to the other.

Confession of Murder is another notable addition to the genre of racy thrillers emerging from the realm of Korean cinema which dishes them out at regular intervals. The movie sticks to the tried and tested template of the genre and is replete with its standard ingredients like stylish leads, brilliant action set pieces, bloody violence, suspense, intriguing twists, brisk editing and racy screenplay which doesn't let the viewers to exercise their grey matter too much. Besides the thriller element, the movie also serves a reflection on the rot in a society sozzled in sensation-seeking media ever craving for the next big scoop, reality TV and 24-hour news reporting that could morph even ruthless murderers as celebrity rock stars even as it breeds a growing insensitivity to the agony and anguish of the voiceless victims and their kin.

A VERY GOOD WATCH !!

RATING - 3/5

THE TERROR, LIVE (aka DEO TEREO RAIBEU) (KOREAN) (2013)

Its just another normal day in Seoul as the visibly bored host of a current affairs show on radio, Yoon Young-hwa (Ha Jung-Woo) discusses some recent tax changes with his callers. He is going through a tough patch in his life after being unceremoniously shunted out of a popular TV show he had anchored for several years and also the aftermath of a recent divorce. He is annoyed when a pesky caller refuses to disconnect and insists on airing his views. When he shows his impatience towards the caller, the caller threatens that he would blow up the Mapo bridge which is near the radio station. Yoon dismisses the claim as just another hoax from a prankster seeking his few minutes of fame from being on air and tries to move over to the next caller. Alas, he is shaken when a bomb detonates on the Mapo bridge leaving the middle portion of a bridge in a precarious state by disconnecting it from both the ends. This sets Yoon's mind racing and  he desists from following the natural course of reporting the caller to the police. He feels that interviewing the caller exclusively on live TV could well be a ticket to regain his erstwhile position as a premier TV show host. Yoon strikes a deal with his former boss who readily accedes as he too sees the call as a godsend to prop up the ratings of his TV channel which could fetch him more revenue through commercials. 

The caller, still online, raises the gambit by demanding a ransom to go live on TV failing which he would switch another willing channel for a similar exclusive. When Yoon and his boss accede to this demand and transfer the money, the stakes get higher as the caller demands the public apology of the President through national television for an industrial accident that resulted in the death of his fellow construction workers while racing against time to complete some repairs on the Mapo bridge. It is also revealed that the caller has planted more bombs including one inside the headpiece of Yoon which would be detonated if he discloses the same to anyone or if he tries to remove the headpiece or if he fails to follow instructions. Meanwhile the government machinery is afoot on a frenzy to shield the President and neutralize the threat to its credibility.

What follows is an intriguing cat and mice game between the caller, Yoon, his boss and a desperate government which try to outsmart one other.  Ha Jung-Woo (earlier seen in The Berlin File) playing Yoon, shoulders the entire movie on almost single-handedly and provides an impressive performance as he seamlessly transforms from a bored radio show host to somebody who has struck upon a career rejuvenating scoop and from someone in absolute control of the situation to a helpless prisoner trapped within the unfolding events. 

Most of the movie happens within the confines of Yoon's studio and is designed to give the viewer a feel of a regular daily TV news show which aids in connecting to the viewer and gives one the feel of watching the unfolding terror in real time. The result is an intense, express paced edge-of-the-seat thriller that keeps the viewer completely hooked for its entire running time of about 100 minutes despite a finale that feels a tad contrived.  

Writer-director Kim Byung-woo has weaved in a layered narrative which transcends being a taut thriller and explores several contemporary themes such as the growing moral bankruptcy of the media which sees ratings and money as its prime driving force resulting in a situations where most of the players in the media plumbing a fiercely competitive spiral seeking ever-more sensational stories, class struggles in a society riven deep fissures of income inequality as also the rising insensitivity of a state steeped in indifference towards the masses. Given the near universal resonance of its theme and its tense narrative, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Bollywood / local language remake / inspired version soon.  

A VERY GOOD WATCH !!!

THE BERLIN FILE (KOREAN) (2013)

The protagonist, a North Korean agent (Pyo) stationed in Berlin is involved in an illegal arms with a Russian arms broker and an Arab buyer. Thanks to a double-crossing within the North Korean embassy & the government, their meeting is compromised and he is forced to go on the run. He is hounded by several predators who are baying for his head on the chopping block.  He is considered a traitor by his own Government which despatches a lethal operative (Dong) to capture or liquidate him. He is also chased by his South Korean counterpart (Jung) who is hot on his heels after he misses capturing Pyo at the initial deal. Added to this, he is faced with grounds to suspect that his wife (Ryun) who is working as a translator in the embassy is also part of the larger conspiracy involving illegal arms trade, secret bank accounts as well as requests for asylum by defectors in high offices. This brings an emotional angle to the narrative as although Pyo & Ryun share a cold relationship, he is still protective of her and finds it hard to belive that she is part of the conspiracy. 

This latest thriller from South Korea is a nostalgic throwback to the yesteryear espionage thrillers of cold war era and transports the familiar North-South Korean espionage conflicts to international terrain. The movie sets a brisk pace right from the first frame, thanks to a tense score, grey/blue tones and some electric editing. 

On the downside, this movie suffers a tad from its convoluted plot which is populated by too many characters to keep track off and also that the less-than-convincing emotional connect between the leads. 

Nevertheless, the movie excels in its exciting action set pieces which have been captured in an engrossing manner which do make up for it's flaws.

Technically brilliant, taut and energetic, this movie is already a blockbuster in Korea and is, indeed, an enjoyable action thriller !

THE KING AND THE CLOWN (WANG-UI NAMJA) (KOREAN) (2005)

"All the world is a stage."

This famous line of Shakespeare comes alive through this beautiful period movie from Korea which is a moving drama in the garb of a comedy.

The movie is set in the early 1500s when the Chosun dynasty ruled Korea. Two tight rope walking male clowns - the senior and confident Jangsaeng and much younger, stunning, yet effeminate Gong-gil - earn their living by performing in public with a troupe of performers. Jangsaeng and Gong-gil are the leading stars of the troupe and share a special relationship where Jangsaeng is very protective of Gong-gil. When the manager of the troupe tries to offer the attractive Gong-gil to wealthy clients to fulfill their carnal pleasures, Jangsaeng resists and is forced to flee with Gong-gil to Seoul. On reaching Seoul, they join a group of the performers and conduct successful performances which are crowd pleasers. In one such performance, they mock the king and his favourite concubine in full public glare and are duly apprehended by the palace guards. 

Facing certain death for their blasphemous satire, they are however provided a glimmer of hope in the form of a challenge, wherein their lives could be spared if they can make the king himself laugh, by performing their doomed satire in open court. However, when they arrive at the open court to perform their satire, they almost freeze to stone out of their heightened fear of the consequences. Yet, they somehow manage to surmount this arduous ordeal despite a clunky performance, thanks largely to some last minute theatrics of the resourceful Gong-gil. In what comes as a further surprise, the king, Yeonsan is so amused by them, that he orders them to be part of the court by decreeing them to court jesters. 

Yeonsan is a tyrannical king who reigns over Korea with utter ruthlessness and is considered an insensitive and cruel ruler. The people as well as his ministers bear the brunt of his unpredictable behaviour mainly because of the ancient faith of the king being revered as anointed by heaven. Yet, several of the ministers in his court are corrupt and continue to remain loyal to the former king . They try to wield an undue influence on the decisions of the king whom they consider incompetent and unstable.

Yeonsan takes a special liking to Gong-gil and spends more and more time with Gong-gil in the private confines of his room where he makes Gong-gil conduct puppet plays and skits for him. Soon, Gong-gil begins to sympathise with the king when he finds that the outwardly cruel emperor has a soft core and his cruelty stems from the trauma of seeing his mother die as a kid when she was forced to drink a cup of poison, thanks to the conspiracy of some jealous concubines of his father, the former king. Meanwhile, the hitherto protective Jangsaeng appears possessive too and is becoming very uneasy at the long hours spent by Gong-gil with king. He suspects that the king is bored of his concubines and has taken to abusing Gong-gil. He makes several futile efforts to leave the palace with Gong-gil at the earliest, but Gong-gil refuses. At the other end, the royal concubine too feels ignored and is envious of Gong-gil whom she feels receives excessive attention of the king. The ministers too are miffed at the importance given by their king to the troupe of jesters and are further irked whe


n the king arranges for the jesters to stage a performance mocking them in an open court for their incompetence and corruption. What follows is an intriguing set of dynamics between the king, the two clowns, the ministers and the favorite concubine of the king.

This movie is far removed from the long line of  bold, gripping and  bloody action thrillers which are seen as regular fare churned out of Korea. It attempts a fine blend of comedy and drama and succeeds to a great extent. The acting of the leads, especially Kam Wu-seong who plays Jangseang and Jung Jin-young who plays king Yeonsan, are exceptional.

Director Lee Jun-ik presents narrates a fine story of love and power in a beautiful period setting which is accentuated by a fine score and resplendent cinematography. Lee has sketched fine characters and has captured the intense relationships between the three leads with just the right amount of grey shades and tension. He has also ensured that this drama is also finely paced and taut. The film  showcases the ancient culture of Korea through excellent art direction and also the several performances of the troupes. While the performances of the clowns may appear irreverent and crass, i guess the director has made a deliberate choice here, keeping in view the requirements of the .

Is it a triangular love story with a twist..? Or, is it just a drama based on court conspiracies..? The movie leaves it for the audience to arrive at this conclusion. As for me, I found it to be a story of great love, beautifully told, sans the melodrama.

A VERY GOOD WATCH !!

PIETA (KOREAN)

The protagonist, Lee Kang-do, is a loner working as an enforcer who collects dues for a loan shark from meek borrowers. He is incredibly ruthless and cruel in collecting his dues and appears to have no compunction whatsoever towards the plight of his several hapless victims who are at the receiving end of his severe punishments when they fail to pay up.

One day, a middle-aged woman enters his life claiming to be his mother who had abandoned him some thirty years ago. Despite several (some very disturbing) attempts by him to shake her off, she stubbornly & resolutely sticks around till she wins him over.

He becomes a changed man as her maternal love (which he'd yearned for all his life) transforms his cold, cruel & ruthless persona to someone who could be loving, sensitive and even compassionate. The rest of the movie is the effect of this transformation on his life which I wouldn't want to elaborate for it would providing spoilers..

Halfway through the movie, a visibly confounded Lee raises a question "What is money ?" She replies that "It is the beginning and the end of all things: love, honour, violence, fury, hatred, jealousy, revenge, death."

Acted competently by both the leads, this is a remarkable movie on crime & punishment at their cruelest.. In equal measures, grim, violent & deeply disturbing (definitely not for the faint of heart - Compliance, may feel like The Lion King), this movie is also an effective study of the human psyche and remains with you long after you've watched it.

Thanks Banu Prakash for the suggestion.. Much appreciated !