I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK

Korea, 2006
Original title: Saibogujiman kwenchana

Director: Park Chan-wook
Starring: Lim Su-jeong, Rain
IMDB: 7.1

I'm ashamed to say that I didn't pay attention to this when it was released, due mostly to the film's title and cover art - which made it seem like a Korean romcom melodrama - not exactly my style.

However what I didn't realise, and should have, was that this is a Park Chan-wook movie (Oldboy, Thirst, etc) ... and Mr Park just doesn't make bad movies. Period. In fact he seems to be single-handedly redefining excellence in every genre he attempts.

This is creative film-making at its best and just another confirmation that he is one of the most incredible directors around right now. I've heard that Park made this movie as a departure from his usual style so that his 12yo daughter could watch one of his movies. Well, rest assured - this is not at all what I'd consider a child's movie. Although it does have a somewhat more upbeat heart than let's say, revenge-killing, it is still wildly surreal, offbeat and intelligent.




The movie follows Cha Young-goon (Lim) who ends up in a lunatic asylum, believing that she's actually a cyborg. Using her grandma's false teeth to converse with vending machines and light fixtures, it's not such a surprise that she has ended up here.

The problem is that she keeps running out of energy. Obviously the hospital food is of no use to a cyborg, but sucking batteries isn't giving her a great deal of juice either.



Luckily she meets up with Park Il-soon (Rain), who is able to steal the peculiarities or delusions of other patients. In a nod to the director's previous Revenge trilogy, she convinces him to steal her 'sympathy' so that she is free to remorselessly wipe-out the hospital orderlies.

Along the way we meet many of the other patients, all with their own strange quirks. One patient walks everywhere backwards while believing that everything that goes wrong is his fault. Another can't stop eating but has magic boots that enable her to fly if she concentrates hard enough.



What's really interesting is how Park has used the delusions of the schizophrenic patients to show an altered reality, allowing the film to integrate Alice in Wonderland style visuals, psychotic killing sprees, and sci-fi elements into the story completely seamlessly. This is quite some feat!



To say any more of the plot would spoil the thrill of the ride, and I'm not sure I could fully do it justice in any case. Fans of unique, surreal movies should not delay in checking this one out. It's extremely funny, well-written, well-acted and has top-notch production values.

As with all of Park's movies, the visuals are spectacular - but even more so here. Just check out the screen-caps to see what I mean - and I could easily have included four times as many.

Rating: 9/10

Screenshots - click to enlarge

For another film in this vein, also check out Welcome to the Quiet Room from Japan.

Where to buy

R2 DVD - Amazon UK

Thirst

Korea, 2009
Original title: Bakjwi

Director: Park Chan-wook
Starring: Song Kang-ho, Kim Ok-bin, Kim Hae-sook
IMDB: 7.5

Director Park Chan-wook's previous film, Oldboy, was a huge fan favourite and helped cement his place as one of the most interesting Korean directors working today. And for me personally, that film remains one of my all-time favourite Korean movies.

Hearing that Thirst, his new film, had a vampiric theme subsequently had me in eager anticipation all year. What can one of the most exciting directors in Asia bring to the well-established, and frequently all too predictable, vampire genre?

As it turns out, Park has chosen not to mess with the established standards of vampire mythology - they still burn in sunlight and feast on the warm blood of humans - but aside from that, Thirst is a refreshingly original take on the genre.



Firstly, our vampiric protagonist Sang-hyeon (Song Kang-ho) is also a devout priest with a penchant for self-flagellation. Having volunteered for a dangerous medical research position, he becomes infected with the lethal flesh-eating Emanuel virus.

For reasons that are a little unclear, he decides to drink the blood of another patient, which miraculously allows him to survive the infection. However the respite is temporary, and regular 'top-ups' are required. It seems that the blood that saved him had an unexpected side-effect - vampirism!



In any case, soon enough our main man, riddled with virus and vampire blood coursing through his veins, starts hallucinating. This adds a surrealistic touch to proceedings as the story starts its descent into feverishly twisted depths.

While grappling with his newfound vampire status and loss of faith, he begins an illicit affair with Tae-ju (Kim Ok-bin), the wife of one of his childhood friends, and its not long before they're getting it on at every opportunity. Seems poor Tae-ju has been deprived of lovin' for far too long!



Not to give too much away, the film then follows the duo's burgeoning relationship ... and in the time-honoured tradition of vampire movies, rest assured there's loads of sex and blood, and the odd bit of ultra-violence thrown in for good measure. Just what we here at Twisted Flicks are rather fond of!

As previously mentioned, the movie has quite a surreal feel to it, especially towards the end, and a twisted sense of absurdist humour is sprinkled throughout. In fact in the last half hour especially the movie is extremely funny, in no small part due to the fantastic acting of Kim Ok-bin who I'll definitely be watching out for in the future.




There are some great special effects, used intelligently and in context, and it must be noted that using wirework in a vampire movie may be one of the rare occasions in Asian films that absurd flying skills actually make sense.

As can be seen by the screencaps included below, Park doesn't let us down in the cinematography department either, with the visuals often being stunning and artfully composed. No doubt this is a master at work.



All this being said, I suspect that the audience who will enjoy this will be small. But those who might appreciate it know who you are, and its probably why you read this blog. For what its worth, the film took home a special jury prize at Cannes.

Twisted Flicks rating: 9/10

Screenshots (click to view)

Trailer

Korean Movies

Review Archive

Thirst	Horror	2009	9/10
I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK	Comedy	2006	9/10
Sexy Teacher	Sex Comedy	2006	6/10
Princess Aurora	Horror/Revenge	2006	7/10
La Belle	Erotic Drama	2000	5.5/10