After beginning the century as one of the most fascinating cinematographic movements Thanks to a series of notable authors and powerful films, Korean cinema is beginning to establish itself as a popular option in today’s entertainment. The bet that translates into global successes through streaming platforms shows a prolific scenario that some of these authors who paved the way would like for themselves.
Because not everything ends up being successful, and it is the terrible case of one of the best films of this last year, with great reviews but not quite embraced. Its absence in the category of best foreign film in the last Oscar Awards is one of the most painful, because it is undoubtedly far above other nominees both artistically and in its ability to captivate and entertain. That is ‘Decision to Leave’.
A very dangerous romance
The latest work by the essential Park Chan-wook, one of the best directors in South Korea and key to putting the country’s film scene on the radar, is now available to watch on Movistar+. A new jewel from a special author, where he reviews a lot of classic references, removes them with his particular Korean sensibility, and creates a unique work that also manages to be his most accessible film.
Park Hae-Il plays a policeman with insomnia problems, with many unsolved cases tormenting him and taking advantage of sleepless nights to continue investigating. One day he is assigned a peculiar case of a man who has died on the mountain and suspects that his Chinese wife, played by a superb Tang Wei, may be involved. However, in the process of researching and following him, he will develop feelings of attraction as strong as inexplicable.
Park develops here a fascinating romantic noir, where figures like the femme fatale are further twisted by his virtuoso mind. Here he offers us a really classic exercise, which can bring to the Korean tone the fast-paced and slightly morbid intrigue of Alfred Hitchock with a passionate and complex melodrama by Noël Coward. However, there is also room for his own details, which range from swift and agile editing and camera movements to sheer extravagance such as street fighting scenes with metal gloves.
‘Decision to Leave’: heady intrigue
One of its most noir aspects is how confusing the plot can feel, but at the same time it is intensely experienced and savored because the emotions are achieved. Even with her peculiarities, Park manages to make her not feel crazy and very exciting, noticing a certain personal air in her story in details such as the protagonist’s aging or that his wife reproaches him that she only seems to feel at peace between blood and murders. .
It’s wildly twisted, but it’s never questionable. The Korean’s direction is sublime from start to finish, elegantly developing every twist in the script and directing each scene with a pulse but also with intoxicating detail. ‘Decision to Leave’ is one of his most exquisite films, which can be a perfect gateway to his cinema and also has the potential to be your favorite from his filmography. Completely extraordinary.
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