May 17, 2019
Hi everyone!
It’s Friday! Time for another Fantastic Fest review from our good friend Andrew Campbell. It’s a film from the South Korean scene, which has been blowing up the last few years. For a few other recent South Korean films, check out “The Drug King” (Episode #428), “High Society” (Episode #421), and Garrett Wright’s review for “Revenger” (Episode #366). Oh yeah, and check out Stephen Yeun in our number one film from last year, “Sorry to Bother You” (Episode #371).
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Take it away, Andrew!
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Hello film fans!
Andrew here, back this week with a two-and-a-half hour Korean drama. Wait, wait, wait- don’t turn this off, it’s still Fantastic Friday. Personally, I don’t often have much patience for long, subtitled dramas and I often watch those prestige end-of-year Oscar bait films more out of a sense of obligation than any real excitement. What got me excited about today’s film was the chance to see Steven Yeun (formerly Glen from “The Walking Dead”) act in a Korean picture, portraying a character far different from the nice-guy, everyman role he seems to play in everything else I’ve seen him in.
Today’s movie is “Burning”, written by Oh Jung Mi and Lee Chang Dong and directed by Chang Dong. “Burning” made its Texas premiere at the 2018 Fantastic Fest, having already played a number of festivals around the world. It went on to play many more afterwards. But, in spite of consistent rave reviews, it only managed to gross around $7M worldwide. “Burning” follows Le Jong Su (Yoo Ah In), a young South Korean man tending by day to the farm owned by his imprisoned father, located within sight of the North Korean border. Some days, Jong Su travels into the nearby bustling city of Paju, and it is on one of these such trips that he crosses paths with Hae Mi (Jeon Jong Seo), a free spirit who grew up in the same poor, rural village as Jong Su. After a brief fling, Hae Mi travels alone on a vacation to Kenya, leaving Jong Su to tend to her cat. When Jong Su retrieves Hae Mi from the airport, she introduces him to Ben (Steven Yeun), a wealthy young man she happened to meet in the Nairobi airport who also happens to live in Paju. Ben quickly inserts himself into the lives of Hae Mi and the suspicious Jong Su.
No spoilers.
The basic structure of “Burning” mirrors that of “The Great Gatsby”, a reference that Jong Su even makes during the film at one point. It’s mostly a three-handed tale of a secretive, wealthy man; a poor man simultaneously fascinated and suspicious of the wealthy man and all his trappings; and a young woman desired by two men from two very different worlds. The story unfolds organically, shifting between the homes of the three protagonists with an expert eye. Jong Su’s farm is simple but well-maintained, representing the work ethic and sense of obligation that drives him. Hae Mi lives in a tiny studio apartment that resembles a dorm room and, just like her cat, she seems to spend as much time as she can away from home and exploring the world. Ben, however, lives in a luxurious and sprawling apartment, meticulously maintained and paid for through unknown means. The heart of this film is the exploration of the lives of these three disparate individuals and the ways in which they view one another.
This film looks simply gorgeous. Director Chang Dong manages to breathe life into mundane settings, blending a muted color palette with a soundtrack that amplifies the tone of the film. Not once does the film feel like it overstays its welcome in spite of the protracted runtime. The mood is enthralling and captivating as the story slowly shifts from a character study to a tense plot-driven mystery. “Burning” cannot be easily pigeonholed into a single genre. It’s the kind of film where the viewer cannot predict where the story is going, nor if everything he is seeing is actual reality or reality from the perspective of Jong Su, who, like the viewer, finds himself out of his depth in circumstances he cannot control.
What makes “Burning” fantastic?
The three main characters in the film, based on a short story written by Haruki Murakami, are fleshed out and grounded by wonderful performances. These actors, in these settings, ends up being a magical combination. Had this same narrative been told in America, I’m afraid it would not have translated. “Burning” evokes feelings of alienation and paranoia that don’t often appear outside of the horror and sci-fi realms.
“Burning” (2018) is haunting and hypnotic from beginning to end. It manages to satisfy the audience, while still leaving plenty to chew on after the last, lingering shot. Fans of recent character-driven mysteries like “Shoplifters” (Episode #394) and “First Reformed” (Episode #415) will enjoy this one.
Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (CERTIFIED FRESH)
Metacritic: 90
One Movie Punch: 9.4/10
“Burning” is not rated and is now streaming on Netflix.
Come back next week when I’ll be reviewing “Under the Silver Lake”, David Robert Mitchell’s follow-up to my favorite horror film of the last 10 years, “It Follows”. This neo-noir tale starring Andrew Garfield and Riley Keough was filmed almost three years ago and saw its theatrical release date pushed back several times before they rushed it onto VOD in April. Everything I have read about the film describes it as a love-it-or-hate-it kind of picture and I’m eager to see where One Movie Punch is going to fall.
See you at the lake!