Review of 1987: When the Day Comes (2017) by Sparkos — 15 Jun 2020

This film is suspenseful, touching, thrilling, and at one point, it is so sad that I highly recommend you have a box of tissues prepared. However, there are three major flaws that even director Jang Joon-hwan would not be able to deny: supporting character arcs are painfully boring; reusing the same actors in all South Korean films based on the 80s coup is confusing and ineffective; and the movie feels too much like political propaganda. I prefer historical films that allow the audience to understand both or all perspectives, rather than force them to support one side. Yes, South Korea had a decade of terror under martial law, but this film portrays and victimizes far too many citizens inaccurately, unlike 'A Taxi Driver'. I cannot blame South Koreans for having so much political conflict over this movie.

Watch '1987: When the Day Comes' with a box of tissues and a grain of salt.